ADAPT PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEENS:
Overview:
It is a program acronym for Alcohol and Drug Awareness for Parents and Teens.
It is a program that has two major components: A USC program called T.N.D. (Towards
No Drug Abuse) and a mock trial program called “Class Action”. Both
programs are evidence-based, time-proven courses approved by the State of California,
grant overseers. The first program is the most versatile. TND has 12 lessons
(1 hr. each) and takes four weeks to complete. The program teaches 12 important
teenager’s, life-skills areas: Active Listening, Stereotyping, Myths and
Denials, Chemical Dependency, Talk Show, Marijuana Panel, Tobacco Basketball
and Use Cessation, Stress and Health, Self-Control, Negative thought and behavior
loops, Life Perspectives, and Decision Making Skills. The program has had over
180 students complete with over an 80% success rate. This is based upon a one-year
no re-arrest and personal interviews 6 months to one year after the completion
of the course. All students began with skepticism; and later complete the course
with appreciation for what they learned. Parents have learned new skills that
enable them to guide their teens with confidence and consistency. Some have
exited with an appreciation, and yet made it clear they will continue to use
marijuana when available. For probationers, the drug testing program has confirmed
the no drug use; even for some of those who had tested “dirty” monthly,
stopped completely. It is not a guarantee, but it does show significant improvement.
More information can be obtained by the University of Southern California, Institute
for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research.
Class Action. It is successful for alcohol-use issues. It unfortunately does not address marijuana issues. The course is designed to have the teens become attorneys for the victims of alcohol use. In their research they find out just how easily someone can be sued for damages for negligence; and they especially learn how easy it is to tie someone to the responsibility for the damage. One student said I will wait until I am 18 years old, so my parents will not be so responsible, and lose all they own. It scared many of the students to see how their parents are liable for their foolish decisions to drink. This program has been implemented in all types of schools: We have three major “schools” that teens can typically attend: The regular high school, continuation high school, or the discipline high school. It has proven challenging to take teens typically who use regularly and begin to teach ideas that are contrary to their beliefs. It typically takes three weeks to begin to see some penetration of their ideas. One key ingredient is the attitude of the instructors: they must genuinely care and love the kids.
Detailed Picture of the Program:
The program was originally a grant written to be operated by an Drug and Alcohol
Specialist with CAADAC credentials, however, it could be operated by a probation
officer with a background in knowledge of drug users and drugs of choice for
teens in your area. The TND program was the most useful and the training provided
by USC representative, Alicia Thornton (thorntona@cox.net)
will be more than adequate to become effective and operational in the use of
the TND program (http://tnd.usc.edu). These
are research-based, model programs designed by the University and Keck School
of Medicine in Alhambra, California. The TND program recognizes that the “Say
No to Drugs,” program was ineffective for teenagers, so they needed a
program that would work for all schools and teenagers. They developed this program
in Southern California with over 10,000 students.
The program knew you can not tell teens, but you need to present material in such a way that they will “buy into” the information you provide. The program starts with the first two lessons on how easy it is to be “wrong” about preconceived ideas of life. The challenge and predictability of the initial survey of how many youth use alcohol, cigarettes, and particular drugs are shocking. The youth have fallen within 15 percentage points of the 10,000 students in Southern California of over-estimating drug use. 75% concept is shaken by the actual surveys of 21-25% depending on whether it is a traditional high school or a continuation high school. The program is designed to get the teen to consider the possibilities that they may have the wrong impressions concerning drug use. The class size is limited to 12 students, and therefore, allows for a bond of trust and openness to build. A state outcome measurement is available from the TND website material. Our rural local results can be seen in the attached document.
The Class Action program was presented by the Hazelden Foundation (www.Hazelden.org)
Project Northland, and developed from research funded by the National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Other useful links can be obtained from the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (www.samhsa.gov).
Class Action Program consists of six model cases: Drinking and Driving on Trial,
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome on Trial, Drinking and Violence on Trial, Date Rape on
Trial, Drinking and Vandalism on Trial, and School Alcohol Policies on Trial.
These six trials enable the teenager to see scenarios familiar to their experience,
or their friend’s; and then being held responsible for damages caused
by teenage drinking. The trial booklets allow the teenager to look up specific
laws and case laws to prove negligence. They use supplemental material of the
facts of alcohol help further their case. We use also local ordinances of social
host laws to hold teenager drinkers accountable. These have proven most enlightening
to the teens. It is an honest reflection on the true potential damages that
could be caused to them personally and their families. The case will consist
of 4-5 students each working on one part of the case. The case has each student
assigned to one part of the case presentation before the mock trial officials.
(I have attempted to have it in our local courthouse when available and even
have a judge, if possible- but anyone, could oversee the case.) The jury can
be peers or all who are invited to listen to the case. The “jury”
members are each given a piece of paper with the defendant guilty of negligence
or not, and then if so, full compensation or half compensation. The peers who
listened in where very tough to convince, and although most won their cases,
some only received half compensation because on one team member’s lack
of research. The first member must prove responsibility. The second must prove
failure to meet responsibility. The third must prove evidence of damages. The
fourth must prove that the failure to act responsible was the cause of the damages.
And finally, the final presenter must provide the rebuttal to the defense attorney’s
arguments (on CD disk)
Resources:
ADAPT Procedure Manual
ADAPT Grant duties
ADAPT Presentation 2009
Graduation Certificate
(Power Point)
Certificate of Completion
Assessment
