VOLUNTARY DRUG TESTING EXPANDS TO MORGAN, HARTSELLE MIDDLE SCHOOLS

The Morgan County Substance Abuse Network, a program administered by the
Mental Health Association, has a project it hopes helps teens say no to drugs.

Project I.D. is short for independent decision-making. It is a voluntary
drug-test program that rewards students for choosing not to use drugs,
alcohol and tobacco products.

According to Mental Health Association Executive Director Sue Brantley,
middle school students register for the program with their parents'
permission for random drug tests.

In return, students get a Project I.D. card that gives them discounts and
bonuses from local businesses on things like food, video rentals,
electronics, clothes and hairstyling. The project had 43 businesses
participate in its first year in Decatur's middle schools, Brookhaven,
Cedar Ridge and Oak Park, and will expand to Morgan County and Hartselle
schools this year.

"We reward them for making the decision not to use drugs," Mrs. Brantley said.

Mrs. Brantley said Project I.D. was a success in its first year in Decatur.
The project will expand to eighth-graders in the coming year in Decatur and
seventh and eighth grades in Morgan County and Hartselle City school systems.

"We're looking for more businesses in Morgan County, Decatur and Hartselle
to participate for the upcoming school year," she said.

Call 353-1160 for more information on Project I.D., or if you would like
your business to participate.

Calhoun Community College's Nursing Department partners with MCSAN on the
project. Calhoun's nursing staff conducts the drug tests, and nursing
students assist MCSAN in working with the students. Tests are confidential
with only one school official privy to the results. Students must be
willing to:

a.. Sign and have parent/guardian sign permission forms.

a.. Display good behavior in school and the community;

a.. Participate in initial urinalysis drug testing;

a.. Participate in random urinalysis drug testing. Students who fail are
not subject to school discipline or legal action, but privileges may be
permanently suspended if tests are repeatedly positive.

A total of 707 of seventh-grade students participated during 2001-02.
During initial testing in September 2002, 42 percent of Decatur's
seventh-graders chose to participate. With a first random test conducted in
February, participation increased to 46 percent of the total number eligible.

Decatur Superintendent Larry Walters said he got positive feedback on
Project I.D. He said one of his goals is to hike the percentage.

The number of participants surprised Brookhaven Middle School Principal
Larry Collier. His school had 120 out of 220 involved in the first year.
"It tells us that most kids dislike the use of drugs and alcohol," he said.

Walters said the success of Project I.D. is one reason a committee chose
not to include proposed mandatory drug tests in the middle school. High
school students involved in competitive extracurricular activities will be
subject to random tests for alcohol, tobacco and drugs, if the Decatur
Board of Education approves the plan in August. According to Walters, the
school board may consider expanding mandatory tests into the middle schools
if the high school testing is successful.