Prevention & Education

1.  Information Dissemination,
2.  Prevention Education,
3.  Alternative Activities,
4.  Community-Based Processes,
5.  Environmental Approaches,
6.  Problem Identification and Referral. 

Specifically, we target 9-17 year old high-risk youth, young adults, adults, parents, K-12, and the community in the three objectives proposed. The services will be provided to both male and female to all races, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. The programs presented by COSA-NCADD include the populations at risk for developing a pattern of substance as described in the priority populations set forth by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.  The following are the strategies selected.  

Positive Action is the program/strategy that was chosen because it has been tested and proven with all populations/cultures in all venues, such as schools, high risk venues, churches community centers, after-school programs etc. Positive Action has a school (K-12) program, Parenting Program, School Climate, Principal's Program with on-going training and staff development program, and a Community Program. The Council on Substance Abuse-NCADD has established a partnership with Positive Action, a science-based curriculum recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. COSA-NCADD also provides training in the use of this curriculum to other agencies and to school systems across the region. Character education is an integral part of this interactive curriculum. It is a Universal, Selective, and Indicated program. This program is culturally appropriate.  

In My House prevention program rests upon a solid research foundation. This culturally appropriate program has research that has been gathered from best practices not only in the field of substance abuse prevention, but also from such areas as cognitive behavioral thinking patterns, lifestyle change models and motivation. It is Universal, Selective, and Indicated. The six primary goals of the In My House program are based upon these research underpinnings. This program fosters in students the development of skills (social, resistance and others) necessary to avoid engaging in such high-risk behaviors as substance use. 

Second Step is a universal social skills program for youth fourth grade to junior high students which is offered in the summer. It is designed to reduce impulsive, high-risk, and aggressive behaviors. The program's lesson content varies by grade level and is organized into three skill-building units covering: 

1. Empathy which teaches young people to identify and understand their own emotions and those of others;
2. Impulse control and problem solving which helps young people choose positive goals; reduce impulsiveness; and evaluate consequences of their behavior in terms of safety, fairness, and impact on others; and
3. Anger management which enables young people to manage emotional reactions and engage in decision making when they are highly aroused. The Second Step program teaches social and emotional skills for violence prevention.