HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05101988 - 1.72 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS o072
FROM: Mark Finucane Contra
Health Services Director Costa
DATE: April 15, 1988 County
SUBJECT: Get Smart Don't Start Alcohol Prevention Program
SPECIFIC REQUEST(W OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I . RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve a joint partnership between the Health Services Department and the
Richmond Unified School . District in implementing the Get Smart Don' t Start
Alcohol Prevention Program.
II . FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The program does not require any expenditure of County Funds. It will be
implemented by using current teachers of the Richmond Unified School
District with materials obtained from the State Department of Alcohol and
Drugs via the Health Services Department Alcohol Program.
III . BACKGROUND:
Alcohol and Drug Problems have reached epidemic proportions in our
society. The latest gallup poll indicated that 1 out of every-four fami -
lies suffers from the effects of alcohol abuse. 55% of all arrests, 66%
of fatal accidents, 60% of child abuse cases, 70% of homicide cases and 30
to 50% of all hospital admissions are alcohol related. Of particular con-
cern, is the problem among youth where alcohol is the drug of choice and
the leading cause of death. The 1987 National Institute of Alcoholism and
Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) Report to Congress indicates that in a nationwide
study one third of high school seniors said that most of their friends got
drunk once a week.
In an attempt to deal with the current alcohol and drug epidemic, the
National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) has developed a
prevention program which is targeted to reach youth at the 6th grade level .
The program is based on current research which indicates that young people
are beginning to use alcohol at an earlier age and have made up their
minds to drink and use before entering high school . The goal of the
program is to shape attitudes and change the norm of youth regarding alco-
hol use. Information about the program was given to the County Alcohol
Program Chief via the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs who in
turn shared the information with the various school districts. The
Richmond Unified School District requested to pilot this program. Most of
the materials used in the program were obtained by the Health Services
.Department free of charge from the State Department of Alcohol and Drug
Programs. The program will involve parents, teachers and 2,200 junior
high students. Each will be given a separate book with information, exer-
cises, etc. The teachers will be implementing the pr ect and have been
specially trained via a grant received by the Richmo d Unified School
District.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: Z2
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION O BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
---- -
ACTION OF 60ARD ON may APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X
REFERRED the program to the Health. Services Director to share with
other school districts in the County.
/OTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT --- AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT; ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
;C; County Administrator ATTESTED May 10 , 1988
Health Services Director --
Richmond Unified School District PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Office of EducationS ER VISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
8 EPLlr y CLi5eK