Student Assistance Services Corporation

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND BULLYING PREVENTION.

PROJECT SUCCESS IS AN ALCOHOL AND OTHER-DRUG PREVENTION/EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS AND JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS (OASAS) AND THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS. DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 5447 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVED PREVENTION COUNSELING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM SERVICES. THOUSANDS MORE PARTICIPATED OR WERE EXPOSED TO SCHOOL-WIDE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO PREVENT STUDENTS FROM USING ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS, TO INCREASE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE, TO ELIMINATE ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE USING BY EDUCATING THEM ABOUT THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR USE, AND TO EMPOWER NON-USING ADOLESCENTS TO STRENGTHEN THE FACTORS THAT PROTECT AGAINST THE RISKS OF SUBSTANCE USE. IN 2020-2021, 96% OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN COUNSELING INCREASED OR MAINTAINED THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE RISK OF HARMFULNESS OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS. THE PROGRAM IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE FEW PREVENTION/EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT A POSITIVE IMPACT ON REDUCING ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE AMONG HIGH RISK STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS. NINETY ONE PERCENT (91%) OF STUDENTS SEEN FOUR OR MORE TIMES N INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP SESSIONS IN 2020-2021 REDUCED THE FREQUENCY OF ALCOHOL OR MARIJUANA USE (OR REMAINED ABSTINENT) DURING THE LAST 30 DAYS AFTER PROGRAM PARTICIPATION.PROJECT SUCCESS IS BEING REPLICATED IN NINETEEN STATES, AND FOURTEEN OTHER COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE. THE WESTCHESTER STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SAP) WAS ADAPTED FOR RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES (RSAP) AND IN 1999 WAS DESIGNATED BY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA) CENTER FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION (CSAP) AS AN EXEMPLARY PROGRAM. THE SAP WAS MODIFIED TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL PREVENTION PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND NAMED PROJECT SUCCESS AND RECEIVED THE SAME DESIGNATION IN 2000. BOTH RSAP AND PROJECT SUCCESS ARE HIGHLY RATED PROGRAMS ON SAMHSA'S FORMER NATIONAL REGISTRY OF EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES. PROJECT SUCCESS WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION PROGRAMS ON THE PEW MACARTHUR RESULTS FIRST CLEARINGHOUSE.

ROADDD (REDUCE OUR ADOLESCENTS' DRINKING, DRUGGING AND DRIVING), AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AIMED AT PREVENTING DRINKING, DRUGGING, AND DRIVING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN 2020-2021, THE PROGRAM REACHED 2288 STUDENTS, IN A SIX-SESSION EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND IN INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH THE ROADD HEALTH EDUCATOR AS NEEDED. PRE- AND POST- SURVEYS COMPLETED BY THE STUDENTS SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PERCEPTION OF RISK OF HARM RESULTING IN A REDUCTION OF UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS RELATED TO ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUG USE, AND DRIVING. THIS INCLUDES A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN STUDENTS REPORTING THEY WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO DRIVE AFTER USING ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, OR OTHER DRUGS. THE ROADDD PROGRAM IS FUNDED ENTIRELY BY THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY STOP-DWI PROGRAM, WHICH RECEIVES MONEY FROM THE FINES OF CONVICTED DRUNK DRIVERS. EVALUATIONS HAVE FOUND THAT THE PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS REGARDING ALCOHOL, DRUG USE AND DRIVING.

THE SF (STRENGTHENING FAMILIES) PROGRAM IS AN OASAS FUNDED, EVIDENCE-BASED PARENT AND CHILD PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO HELP FAMILIES BOND AND DEVELOP EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THROUGHOUT THE 7-WEEK PROGRAM, FAMILIES ENGAGE IN SESSIONS ABOUT MINDFULNESS, GOAL SETTING, COMMUNICATION, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT. OVER A 12-MONTH PERIOD, 46 FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. THE OVERALL FEEDBACK FROM FAMILIES THAT ATTEND THE PROGRAM IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE THE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES THEY HAVE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS DELIVERED TO MOUNT VERNON FAMILIES BY TRAINED SAS COUNSELORS.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES (SAS) ALSO PROVIDES OTHER PREVENTION PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS ADOLESCENT BULLYING BEHAVIOR AND ADOLESCENT GAMBLING. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING AND EVALUATION TO WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COALITION GROUPS FOCUSED ON THE PREVENTION OF ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE STAFF OF THREE WESTCHESTER-BASED RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES; AN ALCOHOL AWARENESS PROGRAM DESIGNED AS A RESOURCE FOR LOCAL JUDGES TO ASSIGN UNDER-AGE ADOLESCENTS CAUGHT WITH POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL; AND AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES COPING WITH A YOUNG FAMILY MEMBER'S ADDICTION PROBLEMS. SAS ALSO PROVIDES CONSULTATION AND TRAINING TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MUNICIPALITIES, PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHERS ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION-RELATED ISSUES.THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES COUNSELING CENTER IS A NYS OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH LICENSED OUT-PATIENT MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC FOR ADOLESCENTS. THIS PROGRAM IS A FEE FOR SERVICE PROGRAM THAT SERVED 31 ADOLESCENTS DURING THE 2020-2021 YEAR.