SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM AIMED AT STUDENT ADDICTS

A new substance abuse program to be introduced into the Prairie Rose
School District is aimed towards addiction problems of students in
schools.

The program is designed to be a "last ditch attempt" to avoid
expelling problem students with addiction problems.

Not simply school based, the project also incorporates community
organizations such as Alberta Alcohol, Drug A C, the police and
Palliser Health, along with three school districts, the Prairie Rose
school district 8, Medicine Hat school district 76 as well as the
Catholic School Board.

"This is the first time we're trying a program of this magnitude,"
said assistant superintendent Brian Andjelic.

"We don't have programs for kids that are on the verge of getting
kicked out of school because of addictions."

Andjelic says the project is unique in the Medicine Hat
area.

"There at this time isn't another similar project that I am aware of
in southern Alberta."

Since this is the first program of its kind, school board trustees
wanted to be sure the program got off without a hitch.

"We either start somewhere and get going and try to improve it or
forget about it and if this doesn't fly I don't know that the
co-ordinators will be willing to try again," said Andjelic at the
Prairie Rose school board meeting last week.

The program will deal with all kinds of addictions from drug and
alcohol abuse to smoking and gambling.

Andjelic said it is aimed at students who have a serious addiction
problem.

"The intent of this program really isn't preventative so we are not
looking to find students that are experiencing difficulties, however
sometimes it becomes very obvious that they are (having problems) and
those I guess are the students that this particular program is
intending to target."

Andjelic said that in Medicine Hat schools tobacco, alcohol and
marijuana are the drugs most often abused.

Students in the program will spend the first half of the day learning
the core subjects through virtual learning on computers and the second
half will be support and counselling.

The program will last about six to eight weeks.