INTERIOR HEALTH, SCHOOL DISTRICT CHANGE ADDICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM

Interior Health is exchanging a substance abuse prevention worker
position in Kamloops schools for someone who will promote healthy lifestyles.

Anne Clarotto, IHA's director of prevention services, said Thursday
the change means the contracted position with the Phoenix Centre will
be gone at the end of June.

Instead, the new job comes out of a partnership between Interior
Health and Kamloops-Thompson School District.

The position was revamped after consultation with school districts,
various ministries and health officials and a review of current
literature, she said.

"There will be a position but it will focus on comprehensive school
health," she said.

So instead of the prevention worker who deals with kids with
substance abuse issues, the new healthy schools co-ordinator will try
to get kids involved in activities and information that steers them
away at an earlier age.

"We see this as a big gain," said Clarotto.

"We want to implement a change that is going to have a positive
effect for a larger population."

Marilyn McLean, the district assistant superintendent of student
support services, said IHA wanted to fund the healthy schools
co-ordinator position last year but had no money.

The district went ahead and funded a similar position last year to
work with high-risk children and families on low incomes to
understand healthy eating and inexpensive activities.

Now Interior Health is joining in on the healthy schools co-ordinator position.

"Part of it will be building healthy habits, trying to get people to
be healthier so they don't use substances. It's more of a long-range
program," McLean said.

"It's attaching kids to healthier activities and enlarging their
communities - getting them more engaged in school."

The new job will cover more subjects, but could reach more children
through that, she said.

"It's quite broad in terms of what we're looking at. But we're still
trying to see some achievable outcomes in that."