Helping Kids Face Today’s Covid-19 Real-World Challenges

Navigating the struggles of youth and the increasing threat of substance abuse is difficult for today's school-aged children. Peer pressure surrounding drugs and alcohol has long been a problem, but with such current events as the nationwide opioid crisis, the teen vaping trend and other concerns, kids need more support than ever.

LICADD's Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a comprehensive and collaborative effort between the agency and participant schools that seeks to provide this support and more. We designed our SAP to educate students about the current drug crisis and teach new and healthier coping skills to support successful learning and development.

LICADD's SAP provides:

●       Psychoeducation

●       Prevention

●       Referrals

These programs help students impacted by the devastating problem of drugs and alcohol as well as related mental health issues in Long Island communities. The SAP helps reduce risks and develop positive coping skills. LICADD works to assist students in providing a safe environment in which students are free to express their feelings and concerns as they develop positive relationships with peers, adults and professionals by acquiring knowledge, skills, and attitude development leading to student success within the family and school setting.

High-Energy, Youth-Focused Programs Increase Engagement and Impact

LICADD provides engaging and high energy youth-focused presentations to young people in schools, youth groups and community centers. In this engaging format, we are able to facilitate discussion around drug use, decision-making and healthy coping skills. All presentations are age appropriate and are based in evidence-based models. LICADD is constantly updating workshops and incorporating new and interesting information relevant to young people today. We know the challenges of communicating substance abuse concerns to youth, and put our experience and passion for our communities to work in getting the right message to children.

Presentations can be done in individual classes, in after-school groups, as full assemblies, or through a combination of these methods.

The Twofold Mission of LICADD's SAP

LICADD has identified two key areas where youth-targeted programs can make the most impact: combating youth substance abuse, and promoting overall wellness.

Defeating the problem at at the source

LICADD provides unique and specialized education and support services that empower students, parents, faculty and professionals to combat the public health crisis of substance use, specifically among young people on Long Island.

Promoting wellness and teach healthy coping skills

The LICADD SAP works to promote wellness by teaching stress management, healthy coping skills, mindfulness, decision-making skills through collaborative education, prevention and intervention services.

Youth-Focused Workshops

LICADD’s SAP offers workshops that help deliver on our mission. Through these workshops, we identify and address ever-evolving pressures, risks and other factors that influence substance use. Topics may include but are not limited to:

• New Trends in Drug Use
• Marijuana Prevention Program
• Gateway Drugs: What That Means
• Underage Drinking
• Mindfullness-based Stress Reduction
• Emotional Regulation
• Life in the Digital Age
• Sexting and Social Media
• Healthy Relationships
• Anxiety in the 21st Century
• School and Community Educational Programs
• Bullying and Empathy
• Mental Wellness
• Transitions to Middle, High School and College
• Pre-Prom
• Heroin: How Did We Get Here? 

EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION

"Too Good For Drugs"
Student Psycho-Educational Prevention Model
Life Skills

"Too Good for Drugs" engages students K-12th grade and is designed to reduce risk factors and enhance preventive factors for K-8th grade students by building on the following essential life skills:

• Goal setting
• Decision-making skills
• Effective communication skills
• Peer pressure
• Coping with stress
• Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, prevention
• Vaping prevention

"Teen – Intervene"
Student Psycho-Educational Prevention Model

Teen-Intervene is an evidence-based program for teenagers (twelve to nineteen years old) suspected of experiencing mild to moderate problems associated with alcohol or other drug use. The Teen-Intervene program integrates stages of change theory, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help teens reduce and ultimately eliminate their chemical use.

The core components are based on:

• Stages of Change Theory
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing

Parent/Family Trainings and Workshops – Parent Universities

The Student Assistance Program offers educational seminars to parents and caregivers to increase their awareness and knowledge regarding substance use and mental health issues among adolescents. It is vital that families be involved at all stages of the spectrum of care, from education and prevention to early intervention and treatment. Popular caregiver-focused workshops include but are not limited to:

• Vaping
• Marijuana Prevention
• New Trends in Drug Use
• Stress Management
• Mindfulness
• The impact of substance addiction as a family disease
• Enabling + Codependency
• Naxolone Trainings
• Introduction to substance use treatment modalities including; detoxification programs, in-patient treatment, outpatient treatment, therapeutic communities, individual solution-focused therapy, 12-step self-help fellowships
• Support services and proposed interventions strategies for families
• "I just can't" - Anxiety in the 21st Century
• Bullying

Contact: abirkenstock@licadd.org