# Presentation: 264489

## Denver Public Schools

**Presented by: Gene Jacquez, Psy.D.**
**Project Director**
**GRANTS TO REDUCE ALCOHOL ABUSE CONFERENCE**
**JANUARY 9, 2007**

**Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND)**

_*Grant Support Provided by*_*:*
- U.S. Department of Education Grant to Reduce Alcohol Abuse
- 2006-2008

## Needs Assessment

**Denver Public Schools – Student Survey**** **

**The Student Survey measures****:**
** ****58% of students reported drug use in the past 30 days **
** ****50% of students reported they began using alcohol at the age of 12 or younger**
**10% of students reported that they carry a knife or gun to school to feel safe)**
**58% of students were not proficient in reading, writing and math by Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP)**

## Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND): 

**Theoretical Rationale**

**    ****The theory underlying Project TND is that young people at risk for substance abuse will not use substances if they:**
**Are aware of misleading information that facilitates substance use **
**     ****(e.g., myths about substance use, stereotyping)**
** **
**2)  Have skills that help them lower their risk for use **
**     ****(e.g., coping skills, self-control)**
** **
**3)  Appreciate the consequences that substance use may have on their own **
**     ****and others’ lives (e.g., chemical dependency)**
** **
**4)  Are aware of cessation strategies**
** **
**5)  Have the decision making skills to make a commitment not to use substances**

## Denver School Sites (TND): 

**TND is implemented in 11 Denver high schools/alternative with diverse geographical settings:**
** ****East High School **
** ****Kennedy **
** ****George Washington**
** ****North**
** ****Ace Community Challenge (a charter high school)**
** ****Emerson Street (an alternative high school with expelled and adjudicated students) **
** ****Career Education Center**
** ****Contemporary Learning Academy **
**Thomas Jefferson High**
**Denver School of the Arts (DSA)**
**  ****PS I Charter School**
**The study utilized a one-group pretest to posttest design, which included 422 students who were voluntarily enrolled in the TND program.**

## Alcohol Use Intentions in the Next 12 Months 

**Reported in School Year 2006**

## Project TND 

**Project TND**** **
_**Year 1 Findings**_
*** ******(This data drives new schools to implement TND.)***

** ****Students’ intention to use alcohol over the next 12 months was significantly reduced across all  schools.  **
** ****There were also reductions across all schools in student self-reported alcohol use in the past 30 days, as well as, intentions to use tobacco, marijuana, hallucinogens, stimulants, other drugs and other illicit drugs over the next 12 months.  **
** **
** ****Analyses of drug use and intentions by demographic characteristics found that 4 of 6 ethnic groups had significantly reduced intentions to use alcohol over the next 12 months. **
** ****There was an increase in students’ use of passive protection strategies (i.e., talking out conflicts and staying away from people who might hurt them), rather than carrying a knife or gun. **

## Project TND

**Project TND**
**Year 2 Findings **
***(This data helped to implement the TND program in more schools and foster community relations.)***

-  **There were increases in students’ perceptions in the physical harm posed by the consumption of  alcohol, the harm posed by binge drinking, and disapproval of alcohol use and binge drinking.**
**There were reductions in self-reported alcohol, marijuana and cocaine use intentions over the next  12 months from pre-test to post-test in the entire sample. **
** ****There were self-reported reductions on drug use in the past 30 days for all drugs; including alcohol,  marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, stimulants, inhalants, other and other illicit drugs. **
**There was an increase in students’ use of passive protection strategies (i.e., talking out conflicts),  rather than carrying a gun. **

## Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND): 

**Binge Drinking, Perceived Harm of Alcohol Abuse and Disapproval of Alcohol Abuse Scales**

_***Binge Drinking: Having five or more drinks in one setting, in the past 30 days***_
-  **The results at posttest revealed that, on average, students from all **
**     ****classrooms reported a reduction in binge drinking in the past 30 days.  **
_***Perceived Harm of Alcohol Abuse***_
** ****The results indicated that students' self-reported perceptions of harm **
**    ****related to alcohol abuse increased from pretest to posttest. **
_***Disapproval of Alcohol Abuse***_
** ****Lastly, there were increases in student-reported**** ****disapproval of alcohol **
**    ****abuse observed from pretest to posttest.    **

## Graph: Binge Drinking, Perceived Harm of Alcohol Abuse and Disapproval of Alcohol Abuse Scales

## Project TND

**Project TND**
_**Summary of Findings**_

** ****Across schools, all of the findings (reductions in intentions to use all drugs, increase  in passive protection strategies, knowledge about prosocial behaviors, etc.) from  Year 1 were sustained at Year 2. **
** ****In addition to the Year 1 findings, students in Year 2 also self-reported reductions in drug use in the past 30 days for all drugs (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens,  stimulants, inhalants, other and other illicit drugs). **
** ****Lastly, students’ reported increases in their perceptions about the physical harm posed by the consumption of alcohol, the harm posed by binge drinking, and disapproval of alcohol use and binge drinking. **

## TND Staff Development

- Colorado Academic Standards indicates that drugs and alcohol will be taught and assessed in Science
- Science teachers are trained to teach TND in 9th and 10th grades, not limited to ROTC, P.E., Social Problems and Health
- Teachers receive recertification credit, a stipend, for attending TND two day training in a non-school setting

## TND FIDELITY TO ACHIEVE GREATER STUDENT OUTCOME

- 	Teacher training to support use of facilitation skills, Socratic method, role plays, interactive discussions
- 	Use of a TND trainer who supports the integrity of the TND goals, objectives, activities and script to foster quality control and gain greater student outcomes.
- 	Use of the Motivation Theory to increase congruence between beliefs and behaviors regarding alcohol abuse.

## TND Sustainability

- TND will continue with possible funding by the Denver Foundation, Denver Drug Force, ONDCP, and Safe and Drug Free Schools for the purchase of student workbooks at a cost of $5.00 each, teacher training and evaluation.

## TND Leadership

**The administrator provides TND staff training.**
**Technical Assistance with TND evaluation/leadership**
**Active participation in fostering school/community/government relations**
**Marketing and coordination of TND materials/curriculum/report writing and consultation with schools**
**Coordination of funding efforts and budget management**
**Classroom observations to maintain TND fidelity**

## Questions?

**Questions?**

**Thank You!**