Prevention
At Elevate we work side by side with our partners in Washington and Waukesha Counties on community coalitions to try to prevent young people from engaging in high risk behaviors like underage alcohol use or drugs. We work with schools and law enforcement to teach young people about making healthy choices and to advocate for positive societal changes.
Why Prevention?
Preventing substance abuse reduces the risks that contribute to alcohol, tobacco or other drug abuse – while promoting factors that support healthy lifestyles and communities. Drug prevention programs are designed to provide the education and support necessary to diminish drug use among youth in communities and schools. The information provided is most effective when it is followed up with continued support; that’s why AODA prevention programs seek to involve the family, community or workplace in the prevention process. Prevention of substance abuse, especially among young people is the key to stopping the opioid crisis in Washington County.
Prevention also works to save tax dollars. It is estimated that $1 in prevention saves $18 in social costs of substance-abuse–related medical care, other resources, and lost productivity.
Education
Elevate health educators partner with schools throughout the county, both public and private, to provide alcohol and other drug abuse prevention education. All courses are taught using age/grade appropriate best practice curricula.
Too Good For Drugs
New funding is allowing us to provide health educators to implement the research-based "Too Good For Drugs" curriculum in grades 6 through 8 in Washington and Waukesha Counties.
Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) is a program that builds on students’ resiliency by teaching them how to be socially competent and autonomous problem solvers. TGFD focuses on developing personal and interpersonal skills and addresses risk factors and protective factors related to ATODA use.
The Too Good programs meet numerous academic and health education requirements. It is a nationally recognized evidence-based program.
Too Good For Drugs uses social and emotional learning techniques to reinforce the attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions.
Social emotional learning helps prevent drug use by:
Establishing healthy drug free norms
Increasing self awareness. High levels of self-awareness require the ability to recognize how thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected
Increasing understanding of the perspectives of others and being able to relate effectively with them to make sound personal and social choices
Peers 4 Peers
Our Peers 4 Peers program recruits, trains and supports high school students in grades 10-12 who make a commitment to remain alcohol and drug free. These students act as peer educators, peers listeners and in some cases peer mentors for their classmates and younger school students. They host alcohol free activities, teach their peers about the dangers of substance use and support other healthy lifestyle choices within their school communities.
For more information about our prevention programs, please contact the prevention team at 262-677-2216.
Advocacy
Elevate's prevention staff partner with several community-based coalitions in Washington and Waukesha Counties, both youth and adult focused. Every coalition engages in different strategies and tactics, but all have the same goal to promote healthy youth development through education and advocacy. For more information, please contact our director of community engagement and partnerships at 262-677-2216.
Other Prevention Efforts
Elevate prevention staff participate in several other prevention initiatives including:
Above the Influence - A national campaign that allows teens to identify the positive influences around them and to act on them.
Responsible Alcohol Sales Class - Available to all retail employees who sell alcohol or tobacco. The class teaches them how to properly check and detect fake ID’s.
Compliance Checks - We work in collaboration with local law enforcement to ensure retail outlets are complying with the minimum age purchase laws.
Community Outreach professionals are also available to speak to parent groups, faith communities and businesses throughout the county.
