Drug
Awareness and Prevention Curriculum
Meeting the Needs of a Child of a Substance Abuser
Drug prevention programs must begin in the early elementary school years (Bradley, 1988, p. 99). Different programs may approach drug awareness and prevention in a variety of ways. These programs all seek to teach students refusal skills in relation to use of alcohol or illegal drugs. Some programs focus on using teachers and/or uniformed police officers to engage the students (Bureau of Justice Assistance Fact Sheet, 1995). Yet others focus on how the family can develop children’s abilities to make healthy choices (Wilson, 2000). Schools may choose health curriculums that encompass all aspects of healthy living including abstaining from drinking alcohol and/or using illegal drugs (CMU, n.d.).
Current literature encompasses many different approaches to drug awareness and prevention in schools, yet there are very few specific guidelines to address the special needs of children who are living in an environment where alcohol abuse and/or illegal drugs are prevalent. The need for school counselors, teachers and other helping professionals, such as coaches or school nurses, to identify and carefully approach these special needs of students is recognized by some programs (Wilson, 2000), but they give very little supportive information on what approach would be in the best interest of the child. The purpose of this article is to present three different approaches to drug awareness and prevention curriculum in schools, why these programs should be supplemented, and how a school counselor may collaborate with other helping professionals to meet the needs of at-risk students from home environments that include alcohol abuse and/or illegal drug use.
Three Approaches to Drug Prevention
D.A.R.E.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education is a collaborative, comprehensive drug and violence prevention education program that addresses the needs of kindergarten students through 12th grade. It is designed to equip student with the necessary tools to resist drugs, violence and gangs. More than 25 million elementary school students have received the core curriculum with D.A.R.E. being taught by law enforcement officers in 19 countries. This core curriculum targets young children to help them to develop skills to resist substance abuse and violence by focusing on the following objectives and goals (Gist, 1995).
Acquiring the knowledge and skills to recognize and resist peer pressure to experiment with tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
Enhancing self-esteem.
Learning assertive techniques.
Learning about positive alternatives to substance abuse.
Learning anger management and conflict resolution skills.
Developing risk assessment and decision making skills.
Reducing violence.
Building interpersonal and communication skills.
Resisting gang involvement (Gist, 1995).
D.A.R.E. attempts to obtain these goals by training law enforcement officials to collaborate with certified teacher to teach a structured curriculum to students. Obeying laws, personal safety, and the helpful and harmful uses of medicines and drug are taught in kindergarten through fourth grade during 15-20 minute visitation lessons. The core curriculum training begins in fifth grade and extends through sixth. This 17-week curriculum uses question and answer sessions, group discussions, role-playing and workbook exercises. The junior high curriculum consists of 10 lessons that encourage students to resist peer pressure, conflict resolution, and anger management, while the high school component concentrates again on these issues. This program has also been adapted for teaching special populations (Gist, 1995).
D.A.R.E. has developed a parent component that encourages family support and involvement in the program, offering any adult interested in the health, safety and development of life skills for children information on D.A.R.E. and community resources (Gist, 1995).
In any of these components, parental substance abuse is not addressed. Although students are able to talk to the officers and teachers involved with D.A.R.E., very few students actually disclose information about parental drug use. Officers do encourage students to talk to school counselors, but the counselors have little or no involvement in the drug prevention program (Doug Bartels, Personal Communication, September 28, 2001).
Family Skills Training for Parents and Children
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention believes that substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, youth conflict and aggression, and early sexual involvement problems may originate within the family structure. OJJDP developed the Strengthening Families Program to combat these problems. The program was designed as a substance abuse prevention program for high-risk, drug-abusing parents to help them improve their parenting skills and help their children avoid drug abuse (Wilson, 2000). Believing that an improved family environment would reduce risk factors in children, this program was originally tested on clients that were participating in either outpatient treatment for drug abuse or methadone maintenance program through community health services. The research showed that combing teaching parenting skills, child skills and family skills was the most effective in improving child’s behavior and social skills, and enhancing the family environment by improving communication, clarifying family rules, and decreasing family conflict (Wilson, 2000). SFP has been tested and evaluated in a variety of settings including inner city and rural locales. It has also been modified for families in different countries.
During the parent training sessions, learning theories, stress and anger management, encouraging children’s good behavior, problem solving, and implementation and maintenance of behavior programs. Developing social skills, communication skills, problem solving skills, and coping skills are concentrated on during the children’s training skills sessions. During the family skills training all of the newly acquired skills are practiced using role-playing and games (Wilson, 2000).
Of all of the programs reviewed, the Strengthening Families Program seems to be the most comprehensive in addressing the parental substance abuse issue. The main problem is that the program does not involve the school system and the teachers, school counselors and administrators who see the children everyday. Seemingly the only way that a child can get into this program is if the parent already has a problem and has gone for treatment.
Iowa City Schools Health Curriculum
Recently implemented in the Iowa City School District, the Michigan Model Health Curriculum is being used to teach children from Kindergarten through 12th grade the benefits of overall health. It has replaced the D.A.R.E. program, yet still involves local police officers from the Iowa City and Coralville departments (Press Citizen, 2001). It also involves parents and the community by encouraging volunteerism and sending home papers that inform parents of what is being taught in the classroom and activities that reinforce the lessons (CMU, n.d.). The Michigan model was developed through a cooperative effort between Michigan’s departments of Public Health, Education, Mental Health, Social Services, Office of Highway Safety Planning, State Police, and Substance Abuse. It integrates health curriculum into language arts, social studies, science, math, and art (CMU, n.d.).
The kindergarten through sixth grade curriculum is organized around 10 different content areas; Nutrition Education, Family Health, Consumer Health, Community Health, Safety and First Aid, Substance Use and Abuse, Growth and Development, Personal Health Practices, Emotional and Mental Health, and Disease Prevention and Control. The seventh through 12th grade curriculum is organized around six categories; Tobacco Use, Alcohol and Other Drug Use, Sexual Behaviors That Lead to Unwanted Pregnancies and STDs, Dietary Behaviors, Lack of Physical Activity, and Intentional and Unintentional Injuries (CMU, n.d.).
Like many of the drug prevention programs surveyed, the Iowa City Health Curriculum does not directly address the issues of parental substance abuse. While this issue is not directly addressed, teachers, school counselors, and support staff are responsible to be sensitive to the individual child’s needs when personal information, such as parental substance abuse, is brought to their attention.
Why Supplement the Current Program?
The National Association of Children of Alcoholics (2001) states “An estimated 1 in 4 U.S. children under 18 is exposed to a family alcohol problem, and countless others are affected by parental drug abuse (p. iv).” Many drug prevention programs do not address the needs of Children of Substance Abusers (CoSAs) which could perpetuate the “shame and embarrassment regarding the alcoholic’s behavior, coupled with the need to maintain alcoholism as a closely guarded family secret, isolate[ing] family members from the community as well (Wilson and Blocher, 1990, p.100).”
Drug prevention educators are often unaware of the severe affect substance abuse can have on children who may not show any marked symptoms until adulthood (Newlon and Furrow, 1986). School counselors may lesson the potential isolating ramifications that may occur to a CoSA during a drug prevention activity by educating teachers and other helping professionals on the needs of a CoSA.
Implications for School Counselors
O’Rourke (1990) believes the entire school system will reap the benefits of professionals, school counselors, working hard to reach their CoSA population and intervene. CoSA’s “problem[s] must be addressed and counselors are in an excellent position to help (Thompson and Rudolph, 1992, 392).” Wilson and Blocher (1990) state “As they acquire more information and understanding, counselors can begin to select the films, books, and articles appropriate for presentations to teachers and other school personnel at staff meetings, in-service programs, and professional meetings (Wilson and Blocher, 1990, p. 102)”. Wright (2001) states that “teachers have asked for in-service programs addressing Children of Alcoholics (CoAs) in the classroom. Many in-services are funded with the help of the drug Free Schools and Communities Act (Wright, 2001, p. 14).” A school counselor may attempt to receive grant funding to assist in the cost of implementing a program to provide information helping professionals may use to identify and respond appropriately to CoSAs.
Once the appropriate materials are obtained, school counselors can facilitate comprehension by other helping professionals of the needs of a CoSA, which may lead to better identification and referrals back to the school counselor (Wilson and Blocher, 1990). Ideally, Wright (2001) states “Most teachers develop an ability to recognize the child who is likely to develop serious mental and emotional problems, but they need training to respond appropriately and to link the child with services that can help (Wright, 2001, p. 13).”
Acquiring these materials will facilitate collaboration between the school counselor, teachers and other helping professionals to identify CoSAs and provide additional guidance, beyond the scope of the drug prevention curriculum.
School counselors, teachers and other helping professionals may collaborate to develop techniques for identifying CoSAs through opening the lines of communication and presenting information in a casual and yet factual manner during the drug prevention curriculum (Crowley, 2001). Wenger (1999) states:
Probably one in five children sitting in on a given day has a mom or dad who drinks too much, and that is confusing, often frightening, and always painful. They need validating and normalizing statements like ‘Lots of kids live in these kinds of families. Many of you probably do.’ Dropped in a natural way into health lessons and discussion of related issues (Wenger, 1999, para. 13).
The helping professional may then limit a child’s self-disclosure in front of the other students by referring the child to the school counselor for individualized counseling (O’Rourke, 1990). This may be a good opportunity to explain the role of the school counselor as being a safe person to help children understand their situation.
During drug prevention curriculum or during normal classroom activities, if a possible CoSA has been identified, a referral to the school counselor for individualized counseling or small group guidance activities surrounding these needs is appropriate (Buwick, A., Martin, D. and Martin, M., 1988). Individualized counseling may include bibliotherapy, role-playing, assertiveness training, and relaxation techniques (Wilson and Blotcher, 1990). A school counselor can use a simple technique for building a child’s sense of autonomy from their family situation, it can be found at NACoA’s website, http://www.nacoa.net/7cs.htm, which suggests teaching the essential seven “Cs”:
I didn’t CAUSE it.
I can’t CURE it.
I can’t CONTROL it.
I can CARE for myself by Communicating my feelings,
Making healthy CHOICES, and
By CELEBRATING myself.
These seven “Cs” foster a sense of independence and lessen feelings of responsibility toward a family member with a substance abuse problem (Children of Alcoholics: A Kit for Educators, 2001, p. 26)
CoSAs often do not have their physical or psychological needs met in the family. Children who live in homes where rules are consistently broken and family members cannot be relied upon to provide love and nurturance cannot be expected to grow and develop into fully functioning, well-adjusted individuals (Thompson and Rudolph, 1992). School counselors may inform teachers of the benefits of classroom strategies for dealing with CoSAs, which may include:
1. Maintaining a daily schedule that enables the child to experience order and structure; this may be the only part of the child’s life that has order.
2. Allow the child to make choices and decisions, enabling him or her to feel in control of at least part of his or her life.
3. Provide some work time for the child to do homework at school.
4. Be alert to signs of tension and stress in the child and develop a repertoire of relaxation activities (Wilson and Blocker, 1990, p. 102).
Teachers willing to utilize these steps may help counter the affects of living in a dysfunctional and sometimes dangerous environment.
Conclusion
The lack of guidance in drug abuse and prevention programs dealing with parental substance abuse mandates a collaboration between the school counselor, teachers and other helping professionals to address this problem. Many different approaches to drug abuse prevention are available, yet few deal with the issues that children of substance abusers have to confront on a daily basis. Learning about drug use and abuse in schools may cause confusion children of substance abusers often get mixed messages of what is right or wrong. This creates confusion for the child, with uncertainty coming from the home and school environments. School Counselors can impact this problem by implementing training for teachers that helps them to recognize the problem. Teachers need to let the children know that substance abuse is not uncommon and open the lines of communication so the children know where they can go get help. By assessing needs of the students and setting goals and objectives, an effective drug prevention needs to be put into action, while also addressing the issues of parental substance abuse and the effect on children. These issues have been raised to hopefully create change and to address the so far unmet needs of these children.
Links on-line:
Al-anon
http://www.al-anon.org
Alateen
http://www.alateen.org
Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.aa.org
American Council for Drug Education (ACDE)
http://www.acde.org
DHHS Kids Page
http://www.dhhs.gov/kids
Freevibe
http://www.freevibe.com
Lowe Family Foundation
http://www.lowefamily.org
Michigan Model
Central Michigan University
http://www.emc.cmich.edu
National Council on Alcoholism & Drug
Dependence
http://www.ncadd.org
National Association of Alcoholism
and Drug Abuse Counselors
http://www.naadac.org
National Association for Children of Alcoholics
http://www.nacoa.org
http://www.health.org
http://www.nacoa.net/kidpage.htm
Nation Institute on Alcohol Abuse &
Alcoholism
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Association for Native
American Children of Alcoholics
http://www.nanacoa.org
National Media Prevention Media
Campaign
http://www.mediacampaign.org
http://www.TheAntiDrug.com
The Higher education Center for
Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention
http://www.edc.org/hec
Safe and Drug Free Schools and
Communities
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/
Brown Bottle: A Fable for Children of All Ages. Penny Jones, Center City, MN: Hazelden Foundation, 1983. Presents an allegory of alcoholism in the illustrated story of Charlie the caterpillar who leaves the caterpillar kingdom to follow the glow of the brown bottle.
The Cat Who Drank Too Much. LeClair Bissell and Richard Watherwax. Bantam, CT: Bibliophile Press, 1982
An Elephant in the Living Room, The Children’s Book. M.H. Typpo and J.M. Hastings Minneapolis, MN: Compcare Publications, 1984. A program designed to help children from seven years to early adolescence cope with the problems of living with a problem drinking or drug-abusing parent or sibling. The leader’s guide is primarily for adults working with children in groups. The children’s book uses a workbook format with line drawings.
Drugs and your parents. Rhonda McFarland. NewYork: Rosen, 1991. Millions of kids are children of alcoholics or addicts. McFarland gives kids practical advice on how to cope and survive. Ages 10 and up
My Dad Loves Me, My Dad has a Disease. Claudia Black. Denver, CO: M.A.C. Printing, 1979. A workbook designed to help young children learn about themselves, their feelings, and the disease of alcoholism in their families through art therapy. Children between the ages of 6 and 14 share what it is like for them to live in an alcoholic family.
Not my family: Sharing the truth about alcoholism. Maxine B. Rosenberg. New York: Brandbury Press, 1988. The author of this book interviewed eight children referred to her through treatment centers and six adult children of alcoholics about their family experiences. The bibliography is addressed to adults as well as children, and the book contains a list of seven national organizations that one can contract for help. Ages 10 and up.
Something’s Wrong in My House. Katherine Leiner. New York: Franklin Watts, 1988. About domestic violence and alcoholism and how it affects children. Acknowledges the universal feelings of fear, anger, and hopelessness, and looks for ways to cope.
Think of Wind. Catherine Mercury. Rochester, NY: One Big Press. A simply stated story about how alcoholism impacts families. An excellent resources for teachers and parents to use with young children, and older children to read on their own.
Have You Ever Been A Child? (Hints for children and adults). Leslie Gebhart. Palm Springs, CA: Trinehaeart Publishers. A great book for parents and teachers to use with children, and older children to use on their own. Simple illustrations with hope-filled messages give inspiration to children of all ages. Ordering information: 1-800-898-7884.
Phone Numbers:
CHILDHELP USA Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-422-4453
Lowe Family Foundation 1-202-362-4883
National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) 1-888-554-COAS
National Youth Crisis Hotline 1-800-448-4663
National Runaway Switchboard 1-800-621-4000
Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities 1-202-732-4599
