Review of Initial Alcohol and Drug Intervention With High School Age Youth

Professionals working in the substance abuse field believe that fast initial response to beginning drug experimentation is crucial in preventing substance addiction.

The seven public high schools are complying with the zero-tolerance policy through suspensions and expulsion, with the intent of keeping schools a drug and alcohol free environment.

The County school districts have the following responses to substance abuse: 1st offense 2nd offense 3rd offense § 3 day suspension § 5 day suspension § recommended for Under the influence § counseling § counseling expulsion § assessment § 3 day suspension § 5 day suspension § recommended for § counseling § citation expulsion Drug possession § citation § arrest if hard drugs § arrest if hard drugs § assessment § arrest if hard drugs Selling drugs on § expulsion § expulsion § expulsion campus § arrest § arrest § arrest

The zero-tolerance policy has significantly increased demand for substance abuse treatment programs.

The following substance abuse intervention programs are the most frequently used: A. Triad Community Services in Scotts Valley is a state-certified non-profit, private corporation under contract with the County Health and Human Services Agency. It provides assessment and services for substance abusers. This program serves individuals in North County. B. Youth Services in Santa Cruz and Watsonville is a program of Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center, a non-profit group that is supported by United Way. It provides assessment and substance abuse counseling and other services such as crisis counseling and a runaway program. C. Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA) in Watsonville offers early assessment and treatment for students of the PajaroValley Unified School District, who have been suspended for substance use, and for students with alcohol/drug problems who have asked for help.

Those high schools students who are found to be in possession of alcohol or drugs on campus can expect to be cited by the School Resource Officer. The SRO is a peace Review of Initial Alcohol and Drug Intervention with High School Age Youth Page 1-21 2001–2002 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Final Report officer from the local policing agency assigned to the school for security. The citation issued by the SRO will be sent to the Juvenile Probation Division. The Juvenile Probation Division investigates the incident and arranges for a conference with the student and parents.

A first-time offender may be placed on probation or may be considered for a diversion program. The process of placing a first-time offender on a diversion program frequently takes two months to initiate. A diversion program will avoid a permanent record and will include several months of counseling, group sessions, contracts, community service, writing essays and possibly a waiver for search and seizure.

The School Resource Officers are on the school site, know the students and can establish a relationship with them. The SROs also understand the social structure of the school.

The high schools use the following programs for early assessment and counseling: A. Students in the PajaroValley Unified School District, which include Aptos High School and Watsonville High School, are referred to Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA). It is a non-profit agency that supports Pajaro Valley School District. This model, which has a documented success rate, automatically and immediately places students in intervention programs. B. Students in the Santa Cruz City School District, which include Harbor, Santa Cruz and Soquel Highs, are referred to Youth Services for assessment and substance abuse counseling. C. Students from ScottsValley and San Lorenzo High Schools are referred to Triad Community Services for assessment and substance abuse counseling.

PVPSA originally was formed as part of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District to provide school-based student assistance programs. It broke away from the Pajaro Valley Unified School District in 1991 to become a private non-profit agency dedicated to exclusively serving Pajaro Valley Unified School District. A PVPSA brochure states, “because it is a non-profit, it can receive funds from the school district, county, state and federal governments, and also apply for private foundations' grants. It also serves as a conduit to bring together a broad range of stakeholders, including the school district, law enforcement, courts, the city and the county.”

Soquel High School has a new health clinic on campus called the Healthy Teen Clinic. The Clinic is funded by Dominican Hospital and Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, and is a place where students can get help with the management of acute and chronic health problems, and where they can initiate treatment for substance abuse. Conclusions