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Second Chance Program: Reducing Substance Use Among Arlington Youth

Learn about the Second Chance Program in Arlington, Virginia, that aims to reduce substance use among youth through education and diversion instead of suspension or court involvement. Find out about the problem, the collaborative effort, and the preliminary results.

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Second Chance Program: Reducing Substance Use Among Arlington Youth

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  1. Think. Learn. Decide. Arlington, Virginia Second Chance Program • Presenters • Mary Hynes | Arlington County Board • Abby Raphael | Arlington School Board • Theo Stamos I Commonwealth’s Attorney • John Andelin I Partnership for Children, Youth and Families • Debby Taylor I Phoenix House 10.15.2013

  2. Overview • The problem(s) • Our journey to create Second Chance • What we needed to change • Who we needed at the table • The Second Chance program • Preliminary results

  3. The problem(s) • Too many Arlington kids regularly engaged in binge drinking and marijuana use • Cavalier attitude among some parents • Community didn’t have a coordinated, proven approach to young transgressors • Inconsistent consequences from schools, courts and police department

  4. Our Goal To reduce substance use among Arlington youth with an educational diversion program instead of school suspension and/or juvenile court involvement.

  5. History

  6. History

  7. History

  8. History

  9. History

  10. CommunityEngagementTools • Surveys • Process mapping • One-on-one interviews with key agency heads • Small focus groups – substance abuse counselors, police, principals, parents

  11. What Policies Needed to Change? • Arlington Public Schools • Arlington County Department of Human Services • Law enforcement • Courts

  12. The Collaborative Partners • Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families Foundation • Arlington Public Schools • Arlington County Police, Fire and Human Services Departments • Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court • Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families • Phoenix Houses of the Mid-Atlantic • Arlington READY Coalition

  13. The Second Chance Program • Substance abuse education for first time substance use offense by Arlington middle and high school-aged youth • Curriculum developed for submission as an evidence-based practice • Includes parents as well as youth • Addresses gaps in services • Provides alternatives for first offenses: • School – detention/suspension/expulsion • Law enforcement/courts - diversion

  14. Preliminary Results Is it working?

  15. 92% SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OVERALL

  16. School suspensions down 59% • 2009-2010 • 49 students suspended for drug-related reasons • 2012-2013 • 20 students suspended for drug-related offenses

  17. 9% RECIDIVISM - JUVENILE COURT REFERRALS

  18. OUTSIDE SCIENTIFICALLY VALID EVALUATION IN PROGRESS

  19. What We Learned • Be honest about the problem • Build support • Bring partners • Leave no stone unturned • We still have a problem… • But now we have a three-legged solution – a consistent message, education, parent involvement

  20. Contact information • Partnership for Children, Youth and Families Foundation • John Andelin | jandelin@aaahawk.com • County Board • Mary Hynes | mhynes@arlingtonva.us • School Board • Abby Raphael | abby.raphael@apsva.us • Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney • Theo Stamos | tstamos@arlingtonva.us • Phoenix Houses of the Mid-Atlantic • Deborah Taylor | Dtaylor@phoenixhouse.org

  21. Think. Learn. Decide. Arlington, Virginia Second Chance Program Thank You!

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