Breaking the Generational Cycle of Drug Use: Substance Use Prevention for School-Aged Children

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

4:30 PM – 5:45 PM ET

Location: A412

Presenter(s)

Jane Sanville, MPH

Senior Policy Analyst
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Washington, District of Columbia
Karl G. Hill, PhD

Professor and Director
Prevention Science Program
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Robert M. Vincent, MS. Ed

Associate Administrator for Alcohol Policy Prevention and Treatment
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Rockville, Maryland
Erin Wick, MBA, SUDP

Senior Director, Behavioral Health and Integrated Student Supports
Capital Region ESD 113
Capital Region Educational Service District #113
Tumwater, Washington

Moderator(s)

Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP

Commissioner
Tennessee Department of Health
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, Tennessee

Schools and communities are facing an unprecedented challenge regarding the health and wellness of our nation’s 56 million school-aged children. The challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the historic pattern of escalating drug use between the ages of 12 to 19 has posed a unique challenge for addressing children’s risk for mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs). Research shows that age of onset is an important predictor for the development of SUD later in life. Substance use is also accompanied by other factors, such as low academic attainment, mental health challenges, potential involvement with the juvenile justice system, and overdoses.

This session will: (1) review the Student Assistance Program (SAP) model for providing comprehensive screening, intervention, referral to treatment, and recovery, and (2) discuss how universal prevention interventions can have positive long-term effects, including generational effects, in reducing substance use, behavior problems, and improved academic skills. The SAP model is flexible in that it can meet the unique needs of schools and their students; its adaptability to local needs has prompted numerous states and school districts to implement this approach with great success. Changing the trajectory of the opioid epidemic will require a multi-faceted approach including treatment, support for recovery, harm reduction, and robust support for prevention.

Learning Objectives:

Describe how universal prevention interventions can have positive long-term effects on children and their future offspring
Describe the SAP model and how it differs from school programs that focus primarily on children with current substance use and/or mental health challenges
Explain that intervening in early childhood can have positive effects on a wide array of behaviors