Alcohol Abuse Reduction
"Project Ethos"
Underage drinking is a pervasive health problem for our Nation’s
youth. In a recent paper, the American Medical Association stressed
the need to keep children alcohol free, highlighting the fact that
the average age of a first drink in America is 12 and that this behavior
is preventable.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that
alcohol use is: 1) a factor in about half of all deaths from
motor vehicle crashes; 2) linked to physical fights, academic and occupational
problems and illegal behavior. CDC reports that since 1991,
current use of alcohol has remained steady at about half of all high
school students with nearly one third of all 9th to 12th grade students
reporting episodic heavy drinking.
The following national statistics help to define the underage drinking
problem:
- Alcohol is the most frequently used drug by high school seniors,
and its use is increasing. Boys usually try alcohol for the
first time at 11 years old, while the average age for first use
by girls is 13.
- Alcohol abuse is linked to as many as two-thirds of all sexual
assaults and date rapes of teens and college students.
- Alcohol is a major factor in unprotected sex among youth, increasing
their risk of contracting HIV or other STDs.
2005 San Francisco High School YRBS Key Findings: Alcohol Use
- Over half of the students (53%) reported ever trying alcohol, and
24% reported current alcohol use (one or more drinks on one or more
days in the past month).
- Over one-fifth (23%) of students reported that they had their first
drink of alcohol (other than a few sips) before age 13.
- Twelve percent of students reported binge drinking (consuming 5
or more drinks within a couple of hours on one or more days in the
past month).
- Six percent of students reported alcohol use on school property,
on one or more of the past 30 days.
Historical Background:
- In September 2005, the SFUSD/SHPD Project Ethos (a three year grant
to Reduce Alcohol Abuse) was funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. This grant is to
provide resources for SFUSD to develop and implement innovative and
effective alcohol abuse prevention programs for high school students. This
grant enables SFUSD to implement activities that include one or more
proven strategies for reducing underage alcohol abuse as determined
by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA).
What are the goals of the ongoing SFUSD Project Ethos (Reduce
Alcohol Abuse Program)?
- San Francisco high school students will reduce alcohol abuse and
binge drinking.
- San Francisco high schools will improve, and expand alcohol prevention
services for their students.
What are the SFUSD Project Ethos (Reduce Alcohol
Abuse Program) Activities?
- A Certificated employee will be selected as the Alcohol Youth Outreach
Coordinator (AYOC) and will be a member of the Health Promotion Committee;
at the Wellness Programs, the school nurse has been assigned the
position.
- Alcohol Prevention Education – Implementation of the research
validated programs in Health Education classes (or equivalent) of Project
Towards No Drug Abuse (TND). Additionally, there will be Health
Awareness Events related to substance/alcohol use prevention.
- Youth Outreach/Peer Education – Student Youth Outreach Workers
will be employed to collaborate with the AYOC for media advocacy
and health awareness events within the school community.
- Student use/referrals – Brief Intervention Sessions are an
innovative way to address student use of alcohol. If students
are caught with alcohol, AYOCs will conduct brief intervention sessions,
work with the youth, and link them to additional services, if needed.
- Follow-up Groups – For students who want to change their
behavior and students who want to stop using, we are looking at providing
resources and training for sites which would like to provide these
groups in future years.
Project Ethos (Reduce Alcohol Abuse Program)
Partners:
Activities within SFUSD and School Health Programs Department
that support SFUSD Project Ethos (Reduce Alcohol Abuse Program):
- California Healthy Kids Survey/Youth Risk Behavior Survey
- Health Education Curriculum
- Health Promotion Committee
- Monthly Health Awareness Events
- Student Assistance Program/Student Success Team
- Wellness Initiative
For further information contact
us.
