Positive Action And Council On Substance Abuse

The agency melds this comprehensive program with the structural nature of the school and the critical needs of these students who are extremely at risk. Topics include conflict resolution, stress and anger control, peer pressure, as well as alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Summer Alternative Programs - Provides high-risk children with fun-filled, educational activities away from the school environment. The activities are designed to teach children a wide variety of lifetime skills, and to offer recreational activities emphasizing a drug-free lifestyle. Role models such as firemen, police officers, military cadets, and businessmen are introduced daily to show the children that a fine, fulfilling, and successful life can be obtained by staying in school and remaining drug free.

Juvenile Justice Program - This was the first of its kind in Alabama, offering youth who are interred by the juvenile court a comprehensive, fifteen-part curriculum with an outcome component. The youth are administered a pre-test during intake and a post-test at release. COSA-NCADD's computer tracking system allows the agency to maintain outcome data showing changes in attitude, intention, and knowledge.

Stop the Violence - Keep Schools Safe - Incidents of violence in schools across the nation validated the premise COSA-NCADD has long held that anger and violence reduction education is badly needed in the form of science based proven, comprehensive programs. While the topic has always been a major facet of COSA-NCADD's curriculum, emphasis has been increased as the public became aware of its need. Stop the Violence - Keep Schools Safe has as its basic premise the building of coalitions between schools and communities and ways schools can prevent violent incidents. Training in warning signs of the child who may be prone to violent acts and steps to take to intervene, is offered. Also we teach students to recognize the warning signs and promote positive results of information sharing.

Program for Parents/Parenting for Men - COSA-NCADD's prevention/education programs for parents include signs of drug use, drug paraphernalia identification, types of drugs and their symptoms, and consequences of drug use. Also included are positive parenting skills such as non-violent discipline and role modeling. Parents are shown intervention techniques and are informed on what treatment and support is available for young people.

M.A.D. (Making a Difference: Helping Parents Help Their Children): - A school based, collaborative, family-focused program designed to increase school performance of at-risk elementary school children supporting the natural strength of the family unit.

Pregnant Women - With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) among the top three causes of birth defects, COSA-NCADD presents a strong, no drug-use program to pregnant women and female teens. The dangers of any drug use during pregnancy are explored, and the audience is shown graphic evidence of the preventable harm, which can be inflicted, sometimes unknowingly, by expectant mothers. The effect of the mother's tobacco use on the fetus, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and the long-term effects of crack and cocaine are included.

Inmates - Prison and jail populations are the targets for COSA-NCADD's incarcerated adult program. The effects, dangers, and consequences of alcohol and other drug abuse are overlaid with the inclusion of life-skills. Alternatives to violent behavior are emphasized.