Start Here | Prevention | Treatment | Recovery
HOW CAN WE PREVENT SUBSTANCE USE?
1) Offer K-12 Prevention Education & Curricula
School Districts can help prevent kids from using drugs and alcohol by embedding curriculum and prevention activities into the school day year-round. Parents can help by talking about the dangers of using when kids are young.
2) Surveys To Measure Problem Behaviors
GRADES 9-12 NH Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) given every other year
Helps identify where prevention efforts should be focused.
GRADES 6-8: Teen Assessment Project (TAP) survey every 3 years
Helps identify behaviors and substances to address in middle schools.
3) Policies & Procedures Modification
School districts and employers can update policies to be more supportive and less punitive for substance-use related issues, treating violations as a critical point of intervention that could change a student or employee's life.
Supportive Policies may include:
less out-of-school suspension time
meeting with parents and behavior team within 24 hours of a violation
reintegration recovery supports post-treatment
allowing kids to attend support meetings during the day
allowing kids to make up missed work
brief screening and intervention, and referrals to treatment
4) Addiction Professional Development for Staff
We know if students are not "present" they suffer personally and academically. Trainings help improve response skills when confronted with new challenges.
5) Youth Campaigns and Opportunities
Youth Groups & Councils
Police and Rescue Personnel apprentice programs
Student Ambassador programs (school year)
Community service opportunities and Volunteerism
After school option with character building components
Community-wide Prevention Plan
Everyone plays a role in preventing use and abuse. Many communities don't think they have a problem, while others have prevention already happening.
STEP 1 - Conduct a Community Assessment to determine the level of readiness : identify assets, strengths, gaps, substances to address, and resources and efforts currently happening to reduce duplication.
STEP 2 - Build Social Capacity and secure resources to move forward with prevention plan development and implementation.
STEP 3 - Develop a 12-month Action Plan to address priorities and strategies:
Provide Information — presentations, workshops, ads, and resources
Enhance Skills — Training for kids and adults to increase skills
Provide Support — Support groups and focus groups
Enhance Access — Make treatment accessible to reduce relapse
Change Consequence — Increase prices to decrease underage buying
Change Physical Design — Install cameras and lights, or cleaning up parks
Modify & Changing Policies — To be less punitive & more supportive: less out of school suspension time, let kids make up missed work, offer recovery supports in school or workplace, and offer incentives for quitting.
Step 4 - Implement the new plan.
Step 5 - Evaluate the plan annually to gauge how its working.
A Good Plan is . . .
1. Sustainable — prevention activities are built into annual budgets.
2. Culturally Competent — strategies are culturally appropriate for the school or community they take place in.
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MORE RESOURCES:
Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
Program guide of evidence-based prevention programs for youth
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Preventing drug use and abuse
New Futures
100 N Main St, Suite 400, Concord, NH
www.new-futures.org/
Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws
NH Dept. of Justice, 33 Capitol Street, Concord, NH
NH Teen Institute
112 West Pearl Street, Nashua, NH
www.nhteeninstitute.org/
NH Tobacco Helpline - Text QUITNOW to 22122
www.TryToStopNH.org
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Are you a new Parent?
Check this out!
NEW-PARENT PARENTING
DOES
PREVENTION WORK?
The science says yes.
STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK
ALL ABOUT VAPING:
Vaping Education for Caregivers &Health Professionals (webinar)
Vaping Education (slides)
MAYO CLINIC:
How to Talk About SUICIDE
Talking to kids…
HAVING ”THE TALK”
OTHER PEOPLE’S MEDS
Opioids ~ can cause choking, slowed breathing, paranoia, fever, abnormal heartbeat, seizures, coma, or death.
Addiction ~ Once you become dependent on a drug, you need more of it to get high. Quitting without help can cause nausea, shaking, sweating, insomnia, vomiting, and depression.
• Accidents ~ Driving while drugged could get you in an accident, and if you get stopped you could face severe penalties.
• Failing Grades ~ While some students take medication to do better in school - don't, you can become addicted.
• Legal trouble ~ Taking medication that isn’t yours - is illegal. Chances of committing a crime go up when you’re high - and if you’re caught, you can face suspension, fines, jail time.
PARENTS & CAREGIVERS .....
Talk about risks of using, illegal drugs, and medicine not prescribed to them.
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Set consequences for breaking rules.
If they break rules, enforce them.
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Make it clear - never take
medicine that isn’t theirs.
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Be involved ~ Go to after-school activities and eat together
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When your kids aren’t home, know where they are and who they’re with.
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Know the signs of use, depression
and anxiety - ask a family doctor.
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Be a good role model. Kids who see parents abusing drugs or medications are more likely to develop problems.
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Know the signs of stress and how to manage it.
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BECOME A CERTIFIED PREVENTION SPECIALIST FOR THE STATE OF NH
Prevention Certification Board of New Hampshire
PO Box 1088, Manchester, NH
IC & RC Credentialing
www.internationalcredentialing.org/cred101