The Substance Abuse Prevention Program or SAPP, implements empowerment activities to prevent substance abuse among youth 10-17 years of age. Currently, SAPP services East St. Louis Sr. High, Wyvetter Younge, Lincoln Middle School, SIUE Charter High School, Miles Davis, Hawthorne, A.M. Jackson and Bush Elementary Schools. It is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and works in partnership with East St Louis School District 189. Some of the accomplishments of the SAPP program include:
- Reached over 1,000 students since 2006 with Substance Abuse Prevention Curriculum in the schools.
- Co- sponsored with Safe and Drug Free Schools to host the 1st Annual Red Ribbon Rally Skating Event
- Conducted compliance checks with East St. Louis Police Department to prevent the sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors.
- Conducted a “Thirsty For Life, Not Alcohol” communication campaign on alcohol awareness at East St. Louis Senior High School.
Thirsty for Life, Not Alcohol
East Side Health District has received grant funds from the Illinois Department of Human Services- Office of Community Prevention to host a communication campaign for the students of East Saint Louis Senior High School. Through the funding received, it is East Side Health District’s hope to reduce or eliminate underage drinking among teenagers by introducing students to more productive activities to engage in.
Through assessments implemented in East Saint Louis and data received from the Illinois Youth Survey (IYS), data has shown that alcohol is the number one drug choice in East Saint Louis. The same sources have indicated that there are strong factors that influence alcohol use in our community and among our youth. East Side Health District is holding a communication campaign at the local high school to encourage students to partake in other activities other than drinking alcohol or using other drugs. The communication campaign will also work to dispel misconceptions among students regarding alcohol usage among peers. For example, according to the IYS survey, data received from the students indicated an over estimation in the perception of peer usage concerning alcohol. In actuality, according to IYS data, only 15% of 10th grade students reported using alcohol in the last 30 days. Students had perceived that the percentage is much higher. According to Lamont Jones, a health educator at East Side Health District, “It is important for us to counteract the negative messages that students receive from advertisement in local stores, commercials, and companies. We want to advertise healthy alternatives to enjoy life by showing the students a number of other activities to do with their spare time besides partaking in risky behavior.”
For 71 years, East Side Health District has been devoted in improving the public health and environment for residents of East Saint Louis and the surrounding communities.
East Side Health District:
Working Hard for You and Your Family!
Too Good for Drugs™
Too Good for Drugs™ K–8 is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use among students. Too Good for Drugs™ K-8 has a separate, developmentally-appropriate curriculum for each grade level for Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Each curriculum builds on earlier grade levels, an instructional design which enables students to learn important skills sequentially and retain them year after year.
Too Good for Drugs™ K-8 builds five essential life skills:
- Bonding with pro-social others
- Identifying and managing emotions
- Communicating effectively
http://www.mendezfoundation.org/educationcenter/tgfd/index.htm
ESHD currently facilitates Too Good for Drugs program in East St. Louis Sr. High School and Charter High School.
Botvins Life skills
Life skills is a remarkably effective, research-validated substance abuse prevention program for elementary, middle, high school students proven to help students develop essential skills found to significantly reduce tobacco, alcohol, drug abuse, and violence.
ESHD currently teaches the Botvins Life skills program for elementary and middle schools in East Slouis School District 189.
www.lifeskillstraining.com