Heroin Prevention Education April 24, 2014 Kris Adzia, Heroin Prevention Project Manager Robert Crown Center for Health Education
It all started with a grandparent asking a single question: Why aren t you talking about heroin?
Our Mission Leads, educates, and motivates our kids toward healthy, happy and safe lives!
Primary Prevention Approach Definition: Inhibiting the development of disease before it occurs. Effective school-based prevention programs could save an average of $18 per $1 (2002 figures) invested. This equates to a net saving of $3,757 per youth served. State and local governments would save $1.3 billion within 2 years Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Why Heroin Prevention? Heroin use increasing nationwide: 80% increase from 2002 (1) Overdose deaths climbing as a result of increased use 25% of those that try heroin become addicted (2) 50% of those addicted will die of overdose (1) National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2013 (2) Illinois Consortium of Drug Policy, Robert Crown Research 2011
Opioids are a major issue Prescription pain pills (PPP) and heroin are in the same family of highly addictive opioids Heroin use is up across the nation Easy to get Inexpensive high at first Can be snorted or smoked Prescription pain pills are an entry into heroin Second highest reported use by 12 th graders behind marijuana (Vicodin and Oxycontin=8.9%) Not seen as dangerous as other drugs because prescribed by a physician Abuse can lead to overdose death and heroin use: 80% of heroin users report prescription pain pill use first
Teen Substance Abuse
PPP are an entry point to heroin Heroin use increasing nationwide: 80% increase from 2002 Overdose deaths increasing as a result of increased use
Heroin-Related ER visits
Why RCC s Heroin Prevention? Provide primary prevention focus Opioids Teach the science: impact on brain and body Teach the social emotional components Embrace a Community Approach: schools as access points Use a Wrap Around Model Educate students, parents and school staff Provide on-going support Not one and done Aligned with critical school standards IL State SEL, Common Core, CDC s National Health Education Standards Incorporates traditional materials with interactive software Track, evaluate and modify to ensure results We track our results and have tested in classrooms 7,000 students Continually modify curriculum
What Makes Our Program Unique? Created with feedback from educators, recovering users, students, policy makers, and scientific experts Software created based on an actual user s experience Our interactive software provides a student approved interface for learning Provides a flexible and customized program We work with schools to determine the optimal way to implement the lesson plans: train the trainer Schools can use different lessons in different classes Easily accessible: online portal makes using materials easy for teachers, parents, students
Wrap Around Model engages everyone Students Software Schools Teachers Training & Materials Parents Programs
Total Pilot Participants Through June 2013
Student Pilot Evaluation Results 89% of students correctly identified that some teens may use heroin because of sad, empty, or anxious feelings. 93% expressed confidence in their knowledge of how heroin affects the user s body, thinking, and behavior (up from 66% at pre-test). 90% could identify at least three areas of their lives that will be better if they do not use heroin. 87% of students said they knew how to protect themselves from heroin use Source: Iowa Consortium on Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation 2013
Parent and Staff Results Parents 97% indicated the heroin session provided them with new information. 100% indicated the heroin session provided them with the kind of information most important for them to know and that they will use with their children. School Staff 92% of participants indicated after the training that they were confident or very confident in their knowledge of heroin s effects on one s body, thinking, and behaviors, whereas 28% indicated so before the training. 87% indicated they could name three risk and protective factors that may influence whether a teen uses drugs (up from 32% before the training). 83% reported feeling confident or very confident in their ability to discuss and answer questions about heroin with students (28% before training) 97% of staff indicated the heroin training provided them with new knowledge. 81% indicated it included information they will use in their interactions with students. Source: Iowa Consortium on Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation 2013
Software Demonstration
Software Student Feedback I really like this because it s interactive. I like it because it s not told in the third person. You actually get to see him and his friends and his family and the interactions that went on with all of them. No one is telling us what to do or preaching at us. We get to find out what happens on our own.
www.robertcrown.org/heroinprevention.shtml
Contact Us Kris Adzia: kadzia@robertcrown.org Call: 630.325.1900
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