Youth Substance Misuse Prevention Program expanded

The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office is expanding access to the Drug Story Theater program for all middle and high schools across the county, including providing translated Spanish and Portuguese versions, so that all students can receive an education on substance misuse and the disease of addiction, according to District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Through the federal Department of Justice Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) grant, the District Attorney’s Office is funding a $25,000 expansion of the Drug Story Theater program to include multilingual translations that will ensure children have a prevention education and resources.

“Education can combat the social pressures a child faces when making decisions around drugs and alcohol,” Mr. Early said. “Drug Story Theater provides students of all languages and backgrounds with the tools and knowledge they need to stay substance-free, keeping them out of the criminal justice system and preventing tragedies before they occur.” The Drug Story Theater program will now be available to all schools in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

In 2018, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office hosted Drug Story Theater at their Annual Wellness Conference at Anna Maria College. The program teaches youth about peer pressure, addiction and recovery from drugs and alcohol through the first-hand experiences of teens in a theatrical setting, aiming to decrease adolescent substance misuse.

HEAlTH CENTER_______

continued from page one with the School Counselors and local Community Outreach Programs. In addition to the many SBHC services and supports, we also help with food assistance/holiday donations for BVT students and their families, another welcomed resource."

“We are so grateful for the ongoing collaboration between Milford Regional and BVT,” said Joni Brown, MRMC’s Senior Director of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine and School Based Health Services. “The School Based Health Center continues to provide many crucial services that allows students not only access to care but the ability to stay in school instead of forgoing an entire day or more.”

The need for the School Based Health Center has greatly increased over the past several years, particularly with the onset of COVID-19. According to some of the latest data, during the 2020-21 school year, there were a total of 1,132 visits to the Health Center. In December 2020, 27 percent of SBHC visits at BVT were medical provider visits, and 73 percent of visits were mental health provider visits. The following year, in December 2021, 10 percent of SBHC visits were medical provider visits, while 90 percent of visits were mental health provider visits. Recent data also indicates a 17 percent increase in student need for SBHC mental health services within the past year.

"BVT values our relationship with Milford Regional Medical Center and the additional resources and services we are able to provide to our students because of this partnership," said Yvette Martin, Director of Student Services at BVT.

“Thanks to the recent grant and our partnership with Milford Regional Medical Center, our stu- dents have convenient and timely access to health services,” said BVT’s Superintendent-Director, Dr. Michael F. Fitzpatrick. “This high-quality grant ensures convenient student-focused health care is available on our campus for years to come.”

Milford Regional Medical Center is a full-service, community and regional teaching hospital located in Milford, Mass. and serves patients from more than 20 towns in Central Massachusetts. The 149-bed medical center is a nonprofit, acute-care facility, where more than 300 primary care and specialty physicians are committed to providing exceptional healthcare services to our community with dignity, compassion and respect.

Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT) serves the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge. Located in the heart of the Blackstone Valley,