Prevention Services
"The more you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you will go. "
- Dr. Suess
Delivering school and community based education designed to help support healthy communities and prevent underage drinking, drug abuse and other risky behaviors.
School-Based Prevention Education
ACCA’s prevention programs use all aspects of literacy–reading, writing, listening and speaking–coupled with prevention information and interactive activities to increase protective factors and decrease risk factors. The curricular are tailored to teach to all learning styles; audio, visual and kinesthetic, by incorporating journals, music, videos, hand on activities, guest speakers and experiential activities. All aspects of literacy are reinforced through the use of relevant books and literature, role-plays and worksheets.
An Apple A Day
ACCA’s Evidence-based An Apple A Day© program begins in Kindergarten and is delivered each year, through fourth grade, so that we are able to reach children on a regular basis long before underage drinking behaviors are established.
The program is based on the Risk and Protective framework of Hawkins and Catalano (University of Washington) and the resiliency-building research of Dr. Bonnie Bernard. This research indicates that many children raised in the direst of circumstances, surrounded by alcohol and other drug abuse, violence, poverty and/or mental illness were able to overcome their hardships and become more “resilient” children. The authors describe key attributes and several “protective factors” that have the ability to negate risk factors and lessen their impact on a child’s life. Protective factors help a child to become more resilient and focus on the root causes of underage drinking and other risky behaviors. Some of these “protective factors” include the following:
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Open Communication
- Positive Peer Influence
- Literacy
- Goal Setting Skills
- Social & Interpersonal Skills
- Sense of Humor
BULLYING PREVENTION
The No-Bullying curriculum created by Hazelden was rated in the top 10 by the American Association of School Administrators as an outstanding violence prevention program.
This curriculum helps to:
• Make classrooms safe and secure so that kids can thrive.
• Distinguish between bullying and peer-to-peer conflict.
• Hold students accountable even when they didn’t witness the act
EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING
Specialists are trained to teach children using Evidence Based Model Programming as designated by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as well ACCA’s own signature programming.
• Too Good for Drugs: Grades K—8
• Project ALERT: Grades 6 & 7
• Second Step: Grades 6—8
• Reconnecting Youth: High School
• Strengthening Families©: Family Our Prevention Education
Community Education
COMMUNITY FORUMS
Recognizing the need for stronger communities, and in response to distressing opioid-related trends, ACCA Prevention Educators have connected with state, county, city officials as well as concerned educators and community members to raise awareness around a variety of topics surrounding substance misuse and youth substance use.
Community forums are typically held at neutral and accessible community spaces and lasting approximately 2 hours in length where information can be presented on the nature of substance use and abuse at both national and local levels. Speakers from various backgrounds share their personal stories of recovery, advocacy, or impact.
Community forums serve as a springboard for residents to come together to address substance abuse: and each forum has momentum to build or strengthen a local community to find local solutions to the substance abuse crisis.
PARENTING EDUCATION
NORTHEAST COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP (NECAP)
Serving, Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren & Washington, the Northeastern Community Action Partnership is a regional addictions resource collaborative within the Capital District of NY (funded by NYS OASAS) that provides resources, support, and community awareness of substance abuse issues.
NECAP’s Goals & Objectives:
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Sustainable resources and partnership with all respective counties & organizations
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Deliver addiction media messaging via social media accounts, TV and radio
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Provide community awareness of substance abuse issues at local events and meetings
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Provide list of helpful information and mainstream and local resources for prevention, treatment and recovery
PARENTING EDUCATION
ACCA provides a number of parenting education courses and resources specifically designed for caretakers of children.
Offered in all of our residential program settings and to the community at large, our ACCA Prevention Educators are trained to provide useful, concrete information and an open environment to discuss high-risk behaviors and solutions.
The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is an evidence-based family skills training program for high-risk and general population families that is recognized both nationally and internationally. Parents and youth attend weekly SFP skills classes together, learning parenting skills and youth life and refusal skills. They have separate class training for parents and youth the first hour, followed by a joint family practice session the second hour.
For more information regarding this program, click the link below:
ACCA provides a number of parenting education courses and resources specifically designed for caretakers of children.
Offered in all of our residential program settings and to the community at large, our ACCA Prevention Educators are trained to provide useful, concrete information and an open environment to discuss high-risk behaviors and solutions.
The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is an evidence-based family skills training program for high-risk and general population families that is recognized both nationally and internationally. Parents and youth attend weekly SFP skills classes together, learning parenting skills and youth life and refusal skills. They have separate class training for parents and youth the first hour, followed by a joint family practice session the second hour.
For more information regarding this program, click the link below: