Substance Use prevention services are provided by ADEPT health educators and contracted providers in support of reaching the four goals identified in the County's 2018-2023 Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Strategic Plan.
The projects below are working to:
-Decrease underage drinking
-Reduce prescription drug abuse
-Decrease cannabis/marijuana use among youth
ADEPT Health Educators
The team of five conducts a variety of prevention in schools and communities with youth, parents, adults, and families.
Youth Education: Services include interactive workshops on drugs and alcohol, leadership, and media literacy. Staff are available to conduct Too Good For Drugs, a multi-session education program shown to be effective, to students in middle and high schools
Activities: Staff partner with young people to create and implement prevention activities designed to reduce substance use (alcohol, prescription drugs and cannabis/marijuana) among their peers. Projects follow positive youth development, a research-based approach that provides opportunities for young people to engage in meaningful activities while building life skills. Services are also provided in support of the annual Red Ribbon Campaign.
Parent Education: Prevention services for parents, adults, and families include educational workshops on current substance use trends, how to build protective factors in children, and ways to reduce substance use risk factors.
Training: Classes focus on effective parenting skills and the strengths young people need to succeed (The Developmental Assets Framework)
Adult Education: Reducing access to prescription drugs is one strategy to reduce their misuse. ADEPT staff conduct presentations to adults, families, and health care professionals on how to monitor (keeping track of one's medication), secure (locking them up or putting them out of reach) and properly destroy unwanted medications at home.
Orange County Department of Education
Alcohol and Drug Prevention Education
This project provides educational services to youth in elementary and intermediate grade levels in schools countrywide. A multi-session program that has shown to be effective is used, with lessons focusing on increasing refusal skills, effective communication and leadership development. Recognizing the influential role of parents and school staff when it comes to youth prevention efforts, consequences of youth use, brain development, and the relationship between youth substance use and risk/protective factors.
Orange County Friday Night Live Partnership
Started in 1992, Orange County Friday Night Live is a youth-driven prevention project implemented countywide. Youth chapters, established at traditional and non-traditional schools, afterschool programs and at youth-serving organizations, are given the opportunity to design and deliver prevention activities aimed at improving the health of their peers and communities. Youth receive training on decision-making, leadership and communication skills in relationship to the prevention of alcohol and other drugs. An additional focus is increasing media literacy, or how to be "media smart" when it comes to advertisements for alcohol, prescription drugs and cannabis/marijuana.
Waymakers PROJECT PATH (Positive Action Toward Health)
Youth Substance Use Prevention
This project provides alcohol and other drug education to intermediate and high school youth in schools countrywide. Students receive a multi-session program that has shown to be effective, featuring interactive lessons designed to promote healthy decision-making, build social and emotional skills, practice effective communication, and teach media literary. Also, project staff partner with young people to create and implement prevention activities designed to reduce substance use (alcohol, prescription drugs and cannabis/marijuana) among their peers.
The projects below are working to:
Reduce alcohol and/or drug impaired driving collisions
ADEPT Health Educators
The Health Education Team within ADEPT partners with alcohol retailers, such as bars and restaurants, to create and promote rideshare campaigns at their establishment. This includes collaborations with local law enforcement agencies and community groups.
Waymakers PROJECT PATH (Positive Action Toward Health)
Impaired Driving Prevention
This project is designed to increase awareness and support ridesharing efforts. Project staff collaborate with alcohol retailers to promote a ridesharing message to their patrons using creative marketing strategies, such as asking retailers to display informational posters and table cards. Messaging is displayed on social media, citywide billboards, and in print media. Another component of this project involves engaging young people in developing and implementing activities designed to reduce impaired driving in their community.
