Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jan 2008
Source: Red Deer Advocate (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 Red Deer Advocate
Contact:  http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2492
Author: Susan Zielinski, Advocate staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG ABUSE HELP

Addiction intervention is coming to Red Deer schools.

Starting this month, a new five-day Substance Abuse  Intervention
Program will provide group and individual  counselling while Red Deer
Public School District  students continue their education.

Sessions will run Monday to Friday, from 8:45 a.m. to  3:30 p.m., at
Gaetz United Church and will accommodate  12 students per session.

Five sessions will be held by June and 10 sessions are  planned for
the 2008-09 school year.

"We hope to see a reduction in things like the  expulsion rate for
students with substance abuse. This  is an alternative to that," said
deputy superintendent  Pieter Langstraat, who made a presentation to
school  board trustees on Wednesday.

It's hopefully a way to reduce the number of students  struggling with
substance abuse, he added.

Langstraat said annually about 60 to 70 students in the  district are
identified as having addictions. And those  are the ones school staff
find out about.

The new program could be used as an alternative to  suspension, after
suspension, or as a proactive step  instead of suspension.

Until now, students would be referred to part-time  Alberta Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC)  counsellors who work in the high
schools.

"It is effective in some cases. But we feel as a  community we need to
have some more intense  intervention for some students."

The intervention program is all about bringing students  together with
substance abuse counsellors, allowing  them to continue their
schooling under teacher  supervision, and getting parents involved.

After the five-day sessions, follow up meetings will be  held with
students to review their progress and provide  support.

Langstraat said the program is primarily targeted to  middle and high
school students. But it will also show  where the greatest need exists.

The $40,000 program is funded through Alberta  Education's AISI
(Alberta Initiative for School  Improvement) program, which allows
school jurisdictions  to try new ways to improve learning.

Langstraat said as far as he knows the only other  similar program
operating in Alberta is in St. Paul.

School board vice-chair Bev Manning said the program  sounds like a
terrific start and could benefit students  and parents she has seen as
a member of the district's  disciplinary committee.

"They are just crying out for a life preserver. This is  something we
can throw their way to offer support,"  Manning said.

Board chair Bill Stuebing said addressing substance  abuse while
encouraging students in their studies is a  definite improvement over
kicking them out of school.

The program isn't the "silver bullet" that will rid all  students of
addiction, but it's a good answer for a lot  of them, he said.

"Maybe a week isn't sufficient. But at least we're  starting to do
something positive and that's the key."
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath