San Diego County is taking a hands-on approach to the alarming rise in drug-related incidents in schools with the adoption of a new substance abuse and overdose prevention framework. Spearheaded by District Attorney Summer Stephan and an array of law enforcement and educational leaders, nearly two dozen local schools are now implementing a combination of five drug abuse prevention and three anti-overdose programs developed by an expert working group. The new report, according to the San Diego County District Attorney, "School-based Interventions for Substance Use and Overdose Prevention" is focused on deterring the onset of substance use among the youth—a vital step in curbing the tragic trend of drug-related fatalities.
According to the details of the initiative released by the office of the San Diego County District Attorney, a critical aim of the program is to provide "compelling and effective curriculum," which equips students with the necessary life skills to resist the lure of substance abuse. "It’s critical that we educate our youth through compelling and effective curriculum, giving them the tools they need to stay healthy and make decisions that can literally save their lives," DA Stephan detailed in the report findings. The significant rise in fentanyl-related incidents, which is estimated to be 100 times stronger than morphine and often concealed in counterfeit pills, underscores the urgency for educational intervention.
With funding from the County of San Diego's Opioid Settlement Funds, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is actualizing some of these measures. Specifically, the Project Alert program, stamped as research-validated, is being rolled out in middle schools across the county. "The San Diego County Office of Education has long been a proponent of substance abuse prevention education that incorporates life skills, healthy behaviors, and overall wellness because it’s the right thing for kids," according to the San Diego County District Attorney, proclaimed Dr. Gloria E. Ciriza, County Superintendent of Schools.
