Federal grant will fight substance abuse in Janesville

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the School District of Janesville a Grant to Reduce Alcohol Abuse Among Secondary School Students. Twenty grants were awarded nationwide. The district will receive more than $300,000 per year for three years to fund its prevention and intervention program known as Project SUCCESS (Schools Using Coordinated Community Efforts to Strengthen Students).

Project SUCCESS was chosen for the grant because it provides highly trained prevention professionals in the school setting; it has a strong family component; and it provides referrals and resources for students and families in need of additional services in the community.

The funding will allow two full-time, experienced Project SUCCESS Counselors (PSCs) to teach prevention education classes to all ninth-graders in the district. The PSCs will also teach classes for parents. Students will be screened for substance use and other issues and may be included in group counseling sessions. When appropriate, PSCs will refer students and parents to treatment or service providers in the community.

More on the federal grant program: http://www.ed.gov/programs/dvpalcoholabuse/index.html (information about applying for the March 2008 deadline will be added at a later date)

For more information about SEAchange, contact: Benson Gardner at (608) 266-3374.

Last updated on 6/11/2007