Where to turn when making LIFE CHOICES

October 30, 2009 Last Updated: October 30, 2009 02:02 PM Health

Here are some youth programs. For specific information, contact a teacher or guidance counselor.

DARE

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program is designed to equip students with ways to avoid negative influences and focus on their own strengths and potential.

Through working with schools and law enforcement agencies, the DARE program education students about the personal and social consequences of substance abuse and violence.

This program is available at most schools, and any student can become a member. Talk to your homeroom teacher or guidance counselor for information. Student assistance program

The student assistance program helps faculty and staff members to identify programs such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs and mental health issues in school.

People trained in this program can identify these problems and make recommendations to students and parents.

SAP is active in most schools in Butler County and in all public schools.

Reality Tour

The Reality Tour Drug Prevention Program has the cooperation of six school districts in Butler County.

South Butler, Mars, Karns City, Moniteau, Slippery Rock and Seneca Valley have partnerships with CANDLE, the Community Action Network for Drug — Free Lifestyle Empowerment, a nonprofit agency that oversees the program. Each district asks parents to take their child to an

evening Reality Tour for a comprehensive prevention education before substance abuse becomes a problem.

Statistics nationally show that 40 percent of high school seniors feel heroin is not too risky to try, according to Norma Norris, director of the Reality Tour.

For the first time statistics in Butler County show methamphetamine as a drug of choice among adolescents. Methamphetamine, a highly addictive, home-manufactured drug, is an overwhelming problem in other parts of the United States.

Parents with children age 10 and up may attend a Reality Tour. Registration is online at

www.RealityTour.org.

Stand Tall

This is a school-based organization that develops a positive peer pressure group in schools and the community.

Members of this group, who vow to abstain from use of drugs and alcohol, prove teenagers can remain straight and clean and not give in to negative peer pressure.

It is open to any student at Butler Junior High School, Butler Intermediate School and Butler, Karns City, Moniteau and Knoch high schools.

School programs

There are a number of selfimprovement programs at your school. Check with your guidance counselor about getting involved.

✔ TATU: Teens Against Tobacco Use

✔ BYTE: Butler Youth Tobacco Education

✔ SADD: Students Against Destructive Decisions

✔ College Bound: Educates high school seniors on risks and consequences of drug and alcohol use as it relates to transition from high school.

✔ Butler County Adopt-a-School Initiative

✔ NOT: Tobacco cessation program

✔ Drug Awareness Program: Butler County Detective Pat Cannon educates on the negative impact of drugs.

✔ Reach/Strive Prevention Plus

Training: A four-day peer leadership for anti-drug and alcohol members