HEP 251 Discussion Substance Abuse Programs Collaboration

Hello Everyone!

I was unable to make a video for this assignment because I had a problem with my voice.

Module 4: Substance Abuse Programs Collaboration

Title of the program?

Reconnecting Youth Program (RY). RY is a school-based indicated prevention program for high school students with poor school achievement and potential for dropping out.

Program’s Purpose

The program goals are to increase school performance, reduce drug use, and learn skills to manage mood and emotions.

Program Target Audience/Client

The primary audience for the RY program is high school students with poor school achievement and potential for dropping out.

Program Components/Concepts:

The program concepts include increasing school performance, reducing drug use and learning skills to manage mood and emotions.

Increasing school performance – The RY program is designed as a semester-long class offered for school credit, the RY curriculum can also be used a la carte, as standalone lessons, to focus on social and emotional skills training within the context of peer and adult support. RY includes a semester-long class, with just 10-12 students, that can be integrated into any middle or high school setting and offered for a grade and credit. The RY Class combines a positive peer group culture with skills training in five engaging modules: Getting Started, Self-Esteem Enhancement, Decision Making, Personal Control, and Interpersonal Communication

Reducing drug use – RY incorporates several social support mechanisms for participating youth including: Bonding activities to improve teens’ relationships and improve their repertoire of safe, healthy activities, Development of a crisis response plan that details the school’s suicide prevention approaches and Active parental consent for their teen’s participation and ongoing support of their teen’s RY goals.

Learning skills to manage moods and emotions – The program uses the coping and support training (CAST) to teach emotional management skills. CAST is a 12-lesson skills training program that helps young people to develop coping skills and healthy behavior including how to ask for support.

Program Effectiveness:

The efficacy of the three components – increasing school performance, reducing drug use and learning skills to manage moods and emotions include; increased positive attitude both self and others, increased ability to manage anxiety and depression, increased protective factors, and increased positive social behavior. The program can be deemed successful as there are lots of positive feedback from the students enrolled into the RY program. For example:

Before joining RY, without a doubt I was probably one of the laziest people you know. . . . Wasn’t willing to be held responsible for my own actions. . . . I got my GPA high enough so that I was able to be accepted to Oregon State University for a football scholarship.

—Tulare Co., CA

This class made me realize how much pot I had been smoking. I have cut back on my use a lot. I get to school on time. I plan on graduating on time too.

—Frisco, CO

Last thoughts or opinion about this program

The Reconnecting Youth Program (RC) is one of the best initiatives in helping the young people as it involves changing their perception on life. For example, it focuses on high school students with poor school achievement and potential for dropping out. They focus majorly on three issues including increasing school performance, reducing drug use and learning skills to manage moods and emotions which are the major causes of school dropout. The program is effective as there are lots of people leaving positive feedback regarding their transformation journey to increasing their GPA and graduating from high school.