Prevention Services
- Office Location:
Cass County - Services Provided: Cass, Schuyler, and Brown Counties
- Substance Use Prevention Education Classes
- Communication Campaigns
- Youth Advisory Committee
The Substance Use Prevention Program advances efforts to promote healthy behaviors and prevent substance misuse through a variety of evidence-based approaches including youth education, information dissemination, youth leadership involvement, and public awareness.
The Prevention Program also reaches out to the community by providing up to date information pertaining to substances and prevention of misuse during National Prevention Week, National Drug Take Back Day, Red Ribbon Week, and access to a resource guide of social services in the area. We believe that the best way to keep youth drug free is to give them the tools to never start in the first place. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Benjamin Franklin
Substance Use Prevention Education
Substance use prevention education classes are provided in schools throughout the designated service area for Community Hope & Recovery Center which is Cass, Schuyler, and Brown counties. Too Good for Drugs is the evidence-based curriculum used for 6th and 7th grades, which are the vulnerable years where drug misuse often begins and utilize Botvin Life Skills for 4th and 5th grades . The lessons focus on social and emotional skills, effects of a variety of drugs on physical and emotional health, and the benefits of a drug-free lifestyle. The goal is to reduce risk factors associated with a higher likelihood of developing a substance misuse problem and increase protective factors in youth to resist drug use.
Communication Campaigns
Communication Campaigns are facilitated at the high school level and provide prevention messaging and hands-on activities for the students. Messages are distributed to students via poster placement throughout school buildings, bathroom stall readers, handouts, school announcements, social media, lunchtime informational tables, and games.
Youth Advisory Committee
We facilitate a Youth Advisory Committee involving a group of preteens who participate in decision-making and implementation of activities for the middle school, as well as activities for National Prevention Week.