A substance abuse prevention group is entering San Tan Valley schools with hopes of cracking down on the problems and pressures schoolkids are facing today.
The Scottsdale-based notMykid Foundation provides programs in an effort to prevent problems such as substance and alcohol abuse, depression, self-injury, Internet safety, safe dating, bullying and eating disorders.
The program, which is run by volunteers and features former students who have experienced the various issues the group is trying to prevent, is expected to be implemented in the schools this fall.
Pinal County Attorney James Walsh also recently donated $5,000 from RICO funds to the San Tan Valley Substance Abuse Coalition to assist with implementing a prevention program in the three school districts in the area — J.O. Combs, Florence, and Coolidge unified school districts.
Other sponsors for the program include the Pinal County Sheriff’s office that donated $5,000; Florence district, which donated $2,100; and J.O. Combs, which pitched in $700.
“We are very excited to announce that the San Tan Valley Substance Abuse Coalition has successfully coordinated and partnered with the notMYkid Foundation,” Sheri George, chairwoman for the San Tan Valley Substance Abuse Coalition, said in a news release. “The school districts, Pinal County Attorney Jim Walsh and Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu will get a meaningful substance abuse program into all 15 middle and high schools in San Tan Valley, Florence and Coolidge. It is critical that we unite together as a community to assist our children in making positive life choices instead of choosing destructive behaviors.”
The San Tan Valley Substance Abuse Coalition will next meet from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the SRP Eagle Conference Center, 3735 E. Combs Road, San Tan Valley.
For more information, visit www.stvcoalition@santanvalley.com.
Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com
soricobob posted at 4:26 am on Mon, Aug 27, 2012.
Substance abuse...cracking down, I get it! Now, what happens when the kid goes home to parents who abuse the stuff?