Author: Lena Mallory
Planning Unit: Marshall County CES
Major Program: Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours
Plan of Work: Adopting Healthy Lifestyle Choices for Overall Youth Well-Being
Outcome: Initial Outcome
There is a strong need for continued substance abuse prevention and intervention in Marshall County. The number of diverted prescriptions and illegal drugs, overdoses, thefts, arrests, court cases, and medical/financial consequences of drug abuse continue to negatively impact a large number of families in the community. To address the variety of substance abuse issues impacting our community, the Marshall County Cooperative Extension Service partnered with the Youth Service Center (YSC) and other local agencies to organize their first Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours for the 8th graders at South Marshall Middle. The co-chairs of the program were the Marshall County YSC Coordinator and County 4-H Youth Development Agent.
Truth and Consequences is an enrichment activity designed to show students the impact of getting involved with illicit and legal substances. Based upon the format of the 4-H Reality Store, students role-played scenarios including possession of prescription drugs, driving under the influence, sniffing, possession of alcohol, drug paraphernalia, or illegal drugs, trafficking, stealing drugs, etc. Depending on the scenario, students visited appropriate officials and/or agencies to experience the consequences of their behavior. This year’s event was possible with a wide variety of community partners including Marshall County schools, Health Department, Sheriff’s Department, Assistant County Attorney, Retired District Judge, County Hospital, Department of Juvenile Justice & Court Workers, County Jail, local ministers, County Coroner, ASAP, and Regional Prevention Center.
Representatives from local businesses, students’ parents, Marshall County 4-H Volunteers, the County FCS Agent, and County 4-H Program Assistant served as “parents” to the youth and accompanied them as they visited the various agencies such as law enforcement, judges, school officials, hospital, and coroner. 184 students participated in Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours to learn more about the physical, legal, financial, and emotional consequences of substance abuse. Eighty community partners and adult volunteers participated in the event as well.
Student evaluation results revealed the following:
As a result of participating in Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours, 140 SMMS 8th grade students indicated they had a better understanding of the legal, health, and emotional consequences of substance abuse. 132 noted a better understanding of the financial consequences 140 the harm & risk of substance abuse. 138 reported if they had a substance abuse issue, would be able to access help in the community.
A need for parent education and support is evidenced by the fact that 74 out of 154 responding had not talked to parents/caregivers about the dangers of substance abuse during the past 12 months. Feedback received from community partners and 8th grade parents since Marshall’s Truth and Consequences provides evidence these conversations are happening as a result and will hopefully continue. With the growth of the opioid addictions and other substance uses on the rise, substance abuse prevention efforts will be needed in the foreseeable future. Marshall County Extension Service will continue to provide such educational opportunities when possible.
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