ProgressOhio

(December 2, 2009 – Columbus, OH) – For their dedication to the prevention of the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, four community-based programs and one professional recently were recognized by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS).

Ohio’s 2009 Exemplary Prevention and Mentor of the Year awards were distributed at the Ohio Prevention and Education Conference (OPEC), which was held Nov. 18-19 in Columbus.

The focus of the annual conference, which is co-sponsored by the Ohio Department of Education, is to highlight the important role prevention-focused programs play in the crusade against addiction to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

ODADAS Director Angela Cornelius Dawson said prevention programs are essential in delaying the onset of first use of alcohol and drugs.

“Strong families, sound education and drug-free youth foster vibrant communities and contribute to the Department’s vision of an addiction-free Ohio that promotes health, safety and economic opportunity,” Dawson said. “These award-winning programs demonstrate that by working together we can continue to educate and invest in our children and position Ohio as one of the nation’s healthiest, safest places to live, work and do business in the 21st century.”

To be considered for the award, programs were required to submit an application, including a letter of recommendation, from their local Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services or Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ADAMHS/ADAS) boards. ODADAS Prevention Services staff also visited each program before selecting this year’s winners. Mentor of the Year candidates were nominated by their colleagues.

This year’s award winners are as follows:

Ohio’s 2009 Exemplary Prevention Program Award winners:

Children’s Hospital Drug and Poison Information Center, Maintaining African-American Traditions Mentoring Program (Hamilton County) – To reduce the number of youths who use drugs, this program utilizes a mentoring strategy to target African-American youth between ages six and 12. The program focuses on making positive decisions, creating positive peer relationships and promoting healthy lifestyles through role playing, mentor-led discussion groups and cultural awareness.

Family Recovery Center, Aiming High (Columbiana County) – To promote a healthy lifestyle, this program teaches abstinence to students in grades kindergarten through 12 to help them avoid the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.

Health Recovery Services, Inc., Substance Abuse Assessment for Municipal Court Offenders (Athens County) – To help age groups that typically engage in high-risk behaviors or youths already engaged in high-risk behaviors, this program focuses on challenging the conventional beliefs about alcohol and drug use through self-assessment and evidence-based intervention methods.

Lucas County Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program, The StarQuest Off-Site School Suspension Program (Lucas County) – To help correct inappropriate behavior that can lead to students being suspended or expelled from school, this program focuses on improving these students’ social and emotional behaviors. The program also strives to educate these students about the negative effects of using alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Through these methods, the program is helping combat youth violence and lower the number of truancies, suspensions and expulsions in Lucas County.

Prevention Mentor of the Year:

Cathy Sperling, OCPS II, Lucas County – For her dedication to prevention efforts in northwest Ohio, Cathy Sperling received this year’s Prevention Mentor of the Year Award. Using innovative methods to promote prevention, Sperling co-developed “Hidden in Plain Sight,” which is a life-size replica of a teenager’s bedroom that serves as a hands-on resource for parents to help detect high-risk behavior, such as alcohol, tobacco or other drug use.

For more information about these or other prevention programs, please visit the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Web site at odadas.ohio.gov.