Monday, February 21, 2000
8 schools targeting substance abusers
Program aims to intervene, counsel
BY ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Eight Northern Kentucky high schools will team up with Catholic Social Services to develop substance abuse programs unique to their schools.
Under the programs, each school would adopt ways to spot students headed for trouble via alcohol or drug abuse and ways to intervene with counseling and other services.
A $40,000 grant from The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati will help get programs started. The foundation is a charity with an endowment exceeding $250 million, created from the proceeds of the ChoiceCare sale to Humana Inc.
Three of the eight public and private schools already work with John Mallery, a substance abuse counselor who is coordinating the project.
Last year, 71 students — from Dixie Heights High in Edgewood, Simon Kenton High in Independence and Scott High in Taylor Mill — received direct intervention services.
Guidance counselors from those schools said they are eager to share their success with others.
“It's an image risk to have a program like this in your school,” said Debbie Isen, counselor at Scott High in Taylor Mill. “because people will say, "Do they have a drug problem there?' But America has a drug problem. We can ignore the problem, or say we know it happens and do something about it.”
Kenton County students are participating in an update of that survey, and plans are in the works to include students in other Kentucky districts in future assessments of student drug use.
Participating schools include Bishop Brossart High in Alexandria, Boone County High in Florence, Covington Catholic High in Park Hills, Dixie Heights High in Edgewood, Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills, St. Henry High in Erlanger, Scott High in Taylor Mill and Simon Kenton High in Independence.
Licking recedes at Falmouth, but the Ohio's still rising
Flood-seasoned Falmouth relieved
Bush fund skirts cap on election donations
McCain banking on independents
School change proves victory for democracy
Census stresses effect of count on area's coffers
Nurse recruiting effort launched
Officials stuck on pay raises
Police probe pair of killings
City thinks high-tech in 2000
Gordeeva skating more smoothly through life
8 schools targeting substance abusers
Bill would give parity to mental disorders
Boone County to open second office for clerks
Forum goes beyond Mass
Street work in Norwood planned in two phases
Volunteers needed to help playland blossom
Wellness paired with health care
GET TO IT
TRISTATE DIGEST
