Pubdate: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 Source: Tulsa World (OK) Copyright: 2008 World Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.tulsaworld.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/463 Author: Andrea Eger World Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) NEW SCHOOL OFFERS DRUG TREATMENT Burbank Academy will be an alternative school for students with substance abuse problems. Tulsa Public Schools is preparing to open a new alternative school for students with substance abuse problems. Burbank Academy is to be housed in the Bell Annex facility behind Bell Elementary School, 6304 E. Admiral Blvd., and will accommodate up to 60 students beginning in August. Superintendent Michael Zolkoski is to give a presentation about the program to the Tulsa school board at a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday. As the World reported on Saturday, board members also will go into a closed-door executive session to discuss Zolkoski's job performance and continuing employment with TPS. The need for a separate alternative school for students who abuse drugs or alcohol became apparent during the fallout over troubles at the Tulsa Academic Center, said Richard Palazzo, director of TPS alternative programs. "There was such a noted difference between the attitude and behaviors of the kids that were (referred) there for drug and alcohol charges and kids that were (referred) there for major violence charges," Palazzo said of the Tulsa Academic Center. Palazzo said the design of the new program for Burbank Academy was based on a report developed by a substance abuse task force made up of TPS administrators and local mental health care professionals, which met five times between April and June. Burbank Academy would give students found to have a "medium severity" substance abuse problem an opportunity to complete academic credits in core subjects while undergoing individual, group and family therapy. CREOKS Behavioral Health Services and Palmer Continuum of Care Inc. will provide counseling services at the new school. Enrollment at Burbank will be strictly voluntary. The program will primarily serve high school students, because they have the highest incidence of substance abuse infractions, but some middle school students could be served, Palazzo said. At a special school board retreat in mid-June, Zolkoski thanked the mental health care professionals who had served on the task force, singling out Michael Brose, executive director of the Mental Health Association in Tulsa. Contacted about the Burbank Academy last week, Brose said the school district should be commended for its work to address substance abuse in the school community program, but he is concerned the program is "in danger of being implemented too fast with too many students in its early stages." "Each step of the program as outlined should be implemented with small numbers coupled with evaluation and oversight to measure effectiveness, allowing the program to be modified," Brose said. "In light of the recent lessons of the Tulsa Academic Center, the gradual implementation coupled with real-time evaluation of effectiveness is critical." Palazzo said TPS would form an advisory council of district administrators and the professionals who served on the task force for Burbank Academy. "We know we are going to have to tweak this thing," he said. The task force report recommended new "outcomes" or consequences for students who commit non-violent, substance abuse violations of TPS rules: The student would agree to undergo a substance abuse assessment and enter a treatment plan, which could include random drug testing, substance abuse education, individual and family counseling. The student would refuse the substance abuse assessment and treatment plan and would receive an out-of-school suspension or other discipline. The student who is found distributing a controlled substance or whose other substance abuse violation involved violence could be sent to the Tulsa Academic Center. Students who are found through the substance abuse assessment to have a "low severity" problem would complete their treatment plan at their home school, and those who are found to have a "high severity" problem would be referred for intensive outpatient services or residential treatment. Brose said he is also concerned that the substance abuse task force report didn't put an emphasis on new efforts to prevent substance abuse among Tulsa students. The curriculum at all schools should be about preventing substance abuse before it happens, "reducing the need for more intensive and costly interventions later," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin