RHA Prevention Resource Centers

• Drugs 101
• Technical assistance in coalition building, including the Strategic Prevention Framework
• Opioid presentations
• Community forums and guest speakers
• Coalition partnerships
• Professional development trainings
• Developmental assets training
• Technical assistance in substances and prevention practices
• Community event resource tabling (recovery tallies, overdose awareness events, etc.)
• Faith-based community outreach
• Red Ribbon Week events
• National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week events
• Nicotine/tobacco initiatives, including merchant education
• Alcohol initiatives, including merchant education and social hosting

Children in Between

Age Group: All ages

Program Description: Children in Between is an educational intervention for divorcing families aimed to reduce parental conflict, loyalty pressures, and communication problems that can place significant stress on children. The program consists of one or two 90-120 minute classroom sessions and can be tailored to meet specific needs. Parents learn skills to improve communication and reduce familial conflict experienced by children. Learn more about Children in Between.

Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)

Age Group: Families with children from birth to age 16

Program Description: Triple P is designed to prevent social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems in children by enhancing their parents’ knowledge, skills, and confidence. The program offers five intervention levels, ranging from 5 to 8 class sessions, depending on each family’s needs. RHA Prevention Resource Centers offer Triple P Level 4 Group for parents of children up to age 12 and Triple P Level 4 Group Teen for parents of children ages 13 to 16. Learn more about Triple P.

Online Resources for Families

Prevention Tips for Every Age
Five Conversation Goals
Why Teens Drink and Experiment with Drugs
The Partnership for Substance Free Youth in Buncombe County

Media Detective

Age Group: Grades 3-5

Program Type: Media literacy education

Program Description: Media Detective aims to prevent or delay the onset of underage alcohol and tobacco use by enhancing the critical thinking skills. Students are taught to deconstruct media messages and product advertisements, particularly those related to alcohol and tobacco, and are encouraged to form healthy beliefs and attitudes about abstaining from alcohol and tobacco use. The program uses a range of techniques that can be adapted to a variety of classroom settings.

The Media Detective program kit contains the main materials needed to teach the program. Also available is a comprehensive online training workshop, which provides an introduction to the theory and research underlying the program model and instructions for facilitating each program activity. Those who finish this training and successfully complete assessment tests receive certification as program teachers. Learn more about Media Detective.

Media Ready

Age Group: Grades 6-8

Program Type: Media literacy education

Program Description: Media Ready aims to prevent or delay the onset of underage alcohol and tobacco use by enhancing the critical thinking skills. Students are taught to deconstruct media messages and product advertisements, particularly those related to alcohol and tobacco, and are encouraged to form healthy beliefs and attitudes about abstaining from alcohol and tobacco use. The program includes homework and extension assignments to further students’ understanding of media literacy and to provide opportunities for practicing newly learned skills. The program uses a range of techniques that can be adapted to a variety of classroom settings.

The Media Ready program kit contains all materials needed to teach the program. Also available is a comprehensive 1-day training workshop, which provides an introduction to the theory and research underlying the program model and instructions for facilitating each program activity. Those who successfully complete an online test at the end of this training receive certification of completion. Learn more about Media Ready.

Project ALERT

Age Group: Middle school

Program Type: School-based motivational program

Program Description: Project ALERT is a school-based prevention program designed to motivate young people to avoid using alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, and teach them to understand and resist pro-drug social influences. It seeks to prevent adolescent non-users from experimenting with these drugs, and to prevent youths who are already experimenting from becoming more regular users. The curriculum is comprised of 11 lessons in the first year and 3 lessons in the second year. Lessons involve small-group activities, question-and-answer sessions, role-playing, and the rehearsal of new skills to stimulate students’ interest and participation. Learn more about Project ALERT.

All Stars Core

Age Group: Ages 11-13

Program Description: All Stars Core prevents risky behaviors and builds bright futures by providing consistent and integrated tools for prevention. All Stars programs reach youth during the years of greatest vulnerability to experimenting with substances, fighting, bullying, and initiating sexual activity. All Stars programs match the social and cognitive development of students and deal with the root causes of behavior. Learn more about All Stars Core.

Teen Intervene

Age Group: Ages 12-19

Program Type: Early intervention program for students involved in drug use

Program Description: Teen Intervene is a brief, early intervention program for adolescents who display the early stages of alcohol or drug involvement. The intervention aims to help teens reduce and ultimately eliminate their substance use. Integrating stages of change theory, motivational enhancement, and cognitive-behavioral therapy, this program is typically administered in an outpatient, school, or juvenile detention setting by a trained professional in three 1-hour sessions conducted 10 days apart. Learn more about Teen Intervene.

Online Resources for Youth

Teen Drug Use And the Brain
Teens Health
Refusal Skills for Alcohol
The Partnership for Substance Free Youth in Buncombe County

Lock Your Meds

Prescription drug misuse occurs when someone uses a medication that was prescribed for someone else, or when someone uses their own medication in a way not intended by their doctor. The majority of overdose deaths in North Carolina are related to the misuse of prescription drugs, and 47.2% of people who misuse prescription medications get them from friends and family members. Lock Your Meds provides practical strategies for preventing the misuse of prescription drugs. Learn more about Lock Your Meds.

Talk It Up. Lock It Up.

Provide parents with the knowledge and tools to have effective conversations with children regarding underage drinking and to secure alcohol in the home.

Talk early and often. Alcohol is the most widely used substance by teens and young adults. Parents are the #1 influence in their child’s decision not to drink. Here are a few strategies parents can use for strong & effective conversations with children:

Talk regularly with kids. Multiple short and regular conversations are better than one big talk. Click here for a resource to help guide tricky conversations.

• Tip: Take advantage of situations in which drinking is involved (e.g. news story, movies, TV shows, radio ads, commercials, etc.).

Remain objective and listen to your child’s point of view. Let them know they’re being heard.

• Tip: Use active listening and reflect back what you hear (e.g. “I’m hearing that you feel overwhelmed, and that you think drinking helps you relax. Is that right?”).
• Tip: Ask open-ended questions to avoid short “yes” and “no” responses.

Discuss the negative effects of alcohol on mental and physical health as well as legal implications. Click here for more information on the mental health effects of alcohol.

Communicate clear expectations to the children in your home. Let them know you are paying attention and will notice if they drink. Work together with your child to develop consequences. Click here to learn how to spot underage drinking.

Work with your child to develop strategies to avoid underage drinking situations. Check this resource for examples of situations.

Secure Alcohol. Children are less likely to use alcohol if they do not have easy access to it. The easiest place for children to find unsecured alcohol is often within their own homes. Here are tips for adults to secure alcohol at homes:

• Remove alcohol from easy to reach locations (e.g. fridge, unlocked cabinets, garage, and unlocked cupboards).
• Utilize cabinet locks, fridge drawer locks, or bottle locks. Store alcohol in one secure location and regularly monitor it in the home.
• Do your kids spend time with relatives or family friends? Encourage other adults to secure alcohol in their homes.

Learn more about Talk It Up. Lock It Up.