Portsmouth Public Schools - Youth Risk Prevention

Youth Risk Prevention

Sarah C. Sugars
Program Coordinator
-
(757) 393-8411
Fax (757) 393-5140

The mission of the Office of Youth Risk Prevention is to provide support to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction that empowers youth and their families through a variety of services designed to promote academic, social, and emotional success.

Youth Risk Prevention staff are committed to child advocacy, parent support, and student success. Staff consists of:

· Student Resource Liaisons

· School Social Workers

· Attendance Technicians

· HARNESS Program Coordinator

· Attendance Administrator

· Juvenile Justice Liaison

· Program Coordinator

Telephone Numbers:

(757) 393-8411
Attendance Technicians
HARNESS Program (Homeless)
Student Resource Liaisons
Attendance Administrator

School Social Workers
(757) 393–8766

Juvenile Justice Liaison
(757) 393-8728

Truancy Administrator
(757) 393-8411

Prevention Programs

Peer Mediation—students helping students to resolve disputes peacefully.

Anger Management—providing an opportunity for students to examine their anger and learn techniques to manage it appropriately.

Drug Abuse Education—exploration of drug resistance skills through examination of personal communication style, ability to make responsible decisions, and self-recognition .

LifeSkills Training— a researched based program that provides middle school students an opportunity to strengthen skills that lead to success.

Substance Abuse Intervention—substance abuse assessment, education, and intervention.

VADA/Jr. VADA Clubs (Violence Alcohol and Drug Awareness) — Empowering high and middle school students with the ability to assume positive peer leadership roles toward the goal of safe and drug-free schools and communities.

Program Responsibilities

·To provide fiscal and human resources to assist at risk students to manage behaviors so that they increase the possibility of school success.

·To monitor compliance with compulsory attendance legislative mandates.

·To offer assistance to homeless families to support students remaining in school.

·To assist with enrollment and re-enrollment of students with special circumstances.

· To assist families in providing the support necessary for student success.

· To support the special education process by completing socio-cultural assessments.

· To support school based efforts to ensure compliance with School Board approved policies and procedures related to student discipline.

In addition to local funding, staff and programs in the Office of Youth Risk Prevention are funded by a variety of state and federal grants.

Among the most important developments in substance abuse prevention theory and programming in recent years has been the identification and use of risk and protective factors to describe and predict outcomes for people who live in environments that lead to self-defeating behaviors.

A risk factor is an attitude, behavior, belief, situation, or action that may put a group, organization, individual, or community at risk for alcohol and drug problems and lead to failure in the school setting.

A protective factor is an attitude, behavior, belief, situation, or action that builds resilience in a group, organization, individual, or community.

Resiliency is “that quality in children who, though exposed to significant stress and adversity in their lives, do not succumb to the school failure, substance abuse, mental health, and juvenile delinquency problems they are at greater risk of experiencing” (Linquanti 1992).

The Office of Youth Risk Prevention commits to put in place initiatives that increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for students in Portsmouth City Public Schools.


Curriculum Department Youth Risk
	Youth Risk Prevention Sarah C. Sugars Program Coordinator - (757) 393-8411 Fax (757) 393-5140 The mission of the Office of Youth Risk Prevention is to provide support to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction that empowers youth and their families through a variety of services designed to promote academic, social, and emotional success. Youth Risk Prevention staff are committed to child advocacy, parent support, and student success. Staff consists of: · Student Resource Liaisons · School Social Workers · Attendance Technicians · HARNESS Program Coordinator · Attendance Administrator · Juvenile Justice Liaison · Program Coordinator Telephone Numbers: (757) 393-8411 Attendance Technicians HARNESS Program (Homeless) Student Resource Liaisons Attendance Administrator School Social Workers (757) 393–8766 Juvenile Justice Liaison (757) 393-8728 Truancy Administrator (757) 393-8411 Prevention Programs Peer Mediation—students helping students to resolve disputes peacefully. Anger Management—providing an opportunity for students to examine their anger and learn techniques to manage it appropriately. Drug Abuse Education—exploration of drug resistance skills through examination of personal communication style, ability to make responsible decisions, and self-recognition . LifeSkills Training— a researched based program that provides middle school students an opportunity to strengthen skills that lead to success. Substance Abuse Intervention—substance abuse assessment, education, and intervention. VADA/Jr. VADA Clubs (Violence Alcohol and Drug Awareness) — Empowering high and middle school students with the ability to assume positive peer leadership roles toward the goal of safe and drug-free schools and communities. Program Responsibilities ·To provide fiscal and human resources to assist at risk students to manage behaviors so that they increase the possibility of school success. ·To monitor compliance with compulsory attendance legislative mandates. ·To offer assistance to homeless families to support students remaining in school. ·To assist with enrollment and re-enrollment of students with special circumstances. · To assist families in providing the support necessary for student success. · To support the special education process by completing socio-cultural assessments. · To support school based efforts to ensure compliance with School Board approved policies and procedures related to student discipline. In addition to local funding, staff and programs in the Office of Youth Risk Prevention are funded by a variety of state and federal grants. Among the most important developments in substance abuse prevention theory and programming in recent years has been the identification and use of risk and protective factors to describe and predict outcomes for people who live in environments that lead to self-defeating behaviors. A risk factor is an attitude, behavior, belief, situation, or action that may put a group, organization, individual, or community at risk for alcohol and drug problems and lead to failure in the school setting. A protective factor is an attitude, behavior, belief, situation, or action that builds resilience in a group, organization, individual, or community. Resiliency is “that quality in children who, though exposed to significant stress and adversity in their lives, do not succumb to the school failure, substance abuse, mental health, and juvenile delinquency problems they are at greater risk of experiencing” (Linquanti 1992). The Office of Youth Risk Prevention commits to put in place initiatives that increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for students in Portsmouth City Public Schools.