|
Back to Prevention Stories
Substance Use Prevention Recovery Education
Hosted by:
St. Luke s Penn Foundation
Please briefly describe your Communities Talk activity.
We provided educational presentations on substance use prevention and recovery to middle and high school students. Each student received a keychain with a QR code that led them to a digital packet with information, resources, and activities related to the presentation topic, including SAMHSA Tips for Teens handouts.
How does alcohol and other drug misuse affect your community?
I work in treatment and see so many individuals in the continuum of care. I also see young people struggling, and their parents struggling, with substance use disorder. We review the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) data with different schools we serve, and that helps with the work I get to do in the schools to engage the youth on topics related to substance use prevention and recovery education.
Which prevention strategy(ies), as defined by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, best fit your Communities Talk activity?
- Education Strategy - focuses on “two-way” communication between the facilitator and participants and aims to improve life/social skills such as decision making, refusal skills, and critical analysis.
What goal(s) did you hope to accomplish with your Communities Talk activity?
- Provide education and resources to the youth
Did you accomplish your goal(s)?
Yes
What challenge(s) did you face in planning your activity this year?
- More staffing to have a larger impact
How did you overcome these challenges?
The last one was a community event that our organization just hosted and let another organization use our space. That was helpful because I didn’t have to plan much of the presentation.
What are your next steps?
- Host follow-up meetings or activities
- Expand our coalition with new partnerships in the community
- Create a public education campaign to raise awareness and/or change behaviors around underage drinking (i.e., create PSAs and other promotional materials)
- Continue to engage with the schools and show up
Organizations that conduct Communities Talk activities often involve other organizations in the planning and execution of events. Please indicate which type(s) of organizations you involved in your activity planning.
Which of the following best describes the primary audience(s) for your Communities Talk activity?
How did you reach and engage your primary audience(s) to encourage them to participate in your activity?
Ongoing outreach/relationship building
Which Communities Talk resources (or other SAMHSA resources) were most helpful for your activity?
|
|
Return to Prevention Stories