The Pathway Program partners with schools to provide alcohol and drug prevention programs for youth, substance abuse support groups in schools, faculty training, and speaking engagements.
We are currently partnered with Tempe Union High School District, Chandler Unified School District, and Mesa Public Schools to provide support services, including suspension reduction programs, diversion programs, and support groups.
Our counselors are extremely experienced in working with adolescents and young adults. We are available to give back to our communities with expertise, training, speaking, support groups, and other programs.
The Pathway Program’s School Services Include:
Drug Prevention Programs for Youth
The Pathway Program believes in the power of drug prevention programs in schools. Evidence shows that young people exposed to fun, social connection, and communities that meet their needs are less likely to engage in substance use. We are also available to offer in-classroom drug education.
Speaking Engagements
The Pathway Program provides speaking engagements on a range of substance abuse and prevention related topics in classrooms or assemblies for students, sports teams, parents, and faculty. Please get in touch with us to discuss your school or district’s specific needs. Topics include:
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- Current drug trends
- Teenage brain development
- How to talk about marijuana
- What parents can do
- Understanding substance use disorder
- Accessing available resources in your community
- Drug prevention and building strong youth
Drug Abuse Support Groups and Teen Workshops
The Pathway Program’s philosophy is built on the concept that peer support and engagement is one of the most effective methods of keeping young people off drugs. We regularly set up and run support groups in local schools. Pathway is also available to teach campus faculty to maintain ongoing peer support programs.
On-campus Substance Abuse Recovery Coaching
Our staff is available to meet one-on-one with students to help them navigate the unique challenges that teens face when recovering from drug and alcohol abuse in a school setting.
Faculty Training and Staff Development
Many times teachers and school staff desire to be educated on the various topics related to drug abuse in young people on a variety of topics. Our drug and alcohol counselors can answer all sorts of questions including how to respond to a young person with a drug problem, what signs / symptoms to watch for in youth, drug abuse prevention strategies, and available local resources for families. Please get in touch with us if you are interested in a staff/faculty training event.
Parent Nights
Our substance abuse counselors are well experienced in speaking at parent nights, as well as answering some of the common questions parents have about drugs and youth. Our counselors work in drug abuse every day, which means we typically have up-to-the-minute knowledge of current trends in the drug world, and what the youth are saying regarding drugs in schools.
Suspension Reduction Programs and Diversion Programs
The Pathway Program’s suspension reduction programs have proven very successful over the years. Suspension reduction programs are customized based on school or district size and need. See below for a case study on the topic.
Case Study in The Pathway Program’s Suspension Reduction Programs supporting Schools
The Pathway Program has contracted with numerous high schools over the years for suspension reduction programs. One large high school in the east valley area reported the following results between 2017 and 2020:
- 2017-2018 school year – 15 students were referred, three did not attend the program. 80% of students completed the evaluation; 93% of the referred students did not re-offend. However, the three students that didn’t complete the program did re-offend the following school year.
- 2018-2019 school year – 64 students were referred, 6 did not attend the program. 90% of students completed the evaluation. 88% of referred students did not re-offend.
- 2019-2020 school year – As of January 2020, 10 students were referred. 9 completed, and none of the students have re-offended so far.
Please contact the Pathway Program to discuss bringing these vital programs to your area.
Letter from Tempe Union High School District about our on campus prevention program
You recently presented a series of workshops for families in the Tempe Union High School District. Over a three week period, you hosted a student/parent workshops at each of our six high schools. These workshops were amazing. The information presented, the format of the program and knowledge of the presenters far exceeded our expectations.
As the Executive Director of Community Relations for the District, which consists of seven high schools and 14,000 students, I have seen firsthand the need for parent and students workshops that help teens successfully navigate adolescence. It is harder than ever to be a young adult. The presentation that you have developed provides extremely insightful and relevant information to a community of people who are desperately seeking guidance and support.
Your team were excellent presenters. Their clinical background, combined with real-life experiences, cultivated an environment of trust. We found that having breakout sessions for parents and students and then bringing them together at the end of the night was very effective. The student/parent contract that was then filled out at the end of the program provided a tool they can take home and reference in the coming weeks, months and years.
Finally, the ability to bring together people who are having shared experiences and hear from caring professionals who provide tangible, common sense advice is invaluable. Feedback from those who attended has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to replicating these workshops next year.
Thank you for your commitment to helping kids and for your partnership with the Tempe Union High School District. It truly does take a village!
Sincerely,
Executive Director of Community Relations, Tempe Union High School District
Drug Use Statistics Among Adolescents
The Arizona Youth Survey continually reports that drug abuse is starting young in adolescents. Young people are anonymously reporting an average age of onset of 12 years old. Some other notable statistics from the survey include:
- 1 in 6 Tempe students have misused a prescription drug in their lifetime (15.6%)
- More than 1 in 3 Tempe students have used marijuana in their lifetime (35.5%)
- 1 in 2 Tempe students have used alcohol in their lifetime (48.9%)
- 80% of Tempe youth using marijuana, are using it in the concentrate form (wax,
dap, shatter) - 73% of Tempe youth that have misused a prescription drug, used a prescription
pain reliever
Top Reasons for Adolescent Use of Drugs or Alcohol
- To have fun (49.7%)
- To get high or have a good feeling (40.1%)
- Stress from school (33%)
- Stress from parents or family (29.2%)
- To keep from feeling sad or down (25.1%)
For more adolescent drug and alcohol use statistics from the Arizona Youth Survey, click here.
We believe it is critical to provide programs that educate and fulfill young people’s needs before they begin to experiment with drugs.