Purpose Statement

The objective of this program is 1) reduce alcohol, cigarette, and drug use; 2) promote anti-substance use attitudes; 3) promote anti-drug normative beliefs; 4) promote substance use resistance; and 5) provide the youth resources that they can take with them as they continue to grow and mature.

Needs Addressed

Youth in Jackson County may not know anything about alcohol or drugs—or the dangers associated with them. Many are exposed to friends who use alcohol and/or drugs, and many do not have adequate skills to refuse peer pressure to engage in drinking alcohol or abusing drugs.

Youth who have experience using drugs and alcohol may not know their dangers or the negative impacts these substances have on their bodies. Some may not have the home support system to differentiate between what is right or wrong when it comes to drugs, alcohol, or violence.

Services

Features of the DARE curriculum include: 

• Direct interaction with a police officer in the classroom setting, which enhances a positive interaction and provides credibility to the importance of substance abuse prevention information.

•  Building partnerships with the students, staff, and community and becoming a resource for them.

• 10 lessons delivered over a 10 week period, promoting healthy interactions between students and teachers and featuring fun activities that involve students in their own learning, while offering  students the opportunity to act out the REAL strategies of Refuse, Explain, Avoid, and Leave.

•  The curriculum uses a series of videos produced by youth and based on students' real stories as a key learning tool.

The DARE Officer also extends the program's substance abuse resistance outreach by teaching the 7th grade DARE principles to reinforce the information that was provided in elementary school and supplements the 8th grade Health class by teaching a component called Truth About Drugs. 

We address violence in the DARE curriculum. It is introduced in lesson 5, "Dealing with stressful situations". We talk about how violence is not the answer to stressful situations when you are feeling angry. We discuss positive ways to deal with stress. We touch on it in lesson 6, "Basics of communication". We talk about how to not be demanding in your communication and not act in a hostile way towards others. It only provokes hostility and stops effective communication. We talk about violence in lesson 8, "Bullying." We talk about how to recognize bullying, what to do if you are a victim of it, what to do if you witness it and how to help the person being bullied. We also talk about how to report bullying, and we stress that violence is not the answer.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.