Truth and Consequences:  The Choice is Yours!

Substance abuse is a serious problem in Kentucky and it comes in the form of a wide variety of ways—prescription drugs, street drugs, alcohol, marijuana, etc.  According to the 2013 report “Prescription Drug Abuse:  Strategies to Stop the Epidemic” released by the Trust for America’s Health organization, Kentucky has the third highest drug overdose mortality rate in the United States, with 23.6 per 100,000 people suffering drug overdose fatalities.  The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy reported 237 drug overdose deaths of Kentucky residents in the Northern Kentucky Area (Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, Pendleton Counties) in 2016 with less than five of those deaths in Carroll County.  The total deaths due to drug overdoses for the area increased 7 deaths from 2015, however, Carroll County did not see an increase.

The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility reported 175 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in Kentucky in 2016, 11 (12%) of which were individuals under the age of twenty-one.  The number of underage fatalities has decreased since 2015.

The Carroll County Extension Council and Extension Agents feel very passionately about doing their part to help address the substance abuse problem in Carroll County and placed high priority in this area.  In response, a collaborative effort among all Extension programming areas was established to implement Truth and Consequences:  The Choice is Yours! for the third year on March 16, 2018.

Truth and Consequences (T&C) is a scenario-based role-play activity designed to help students learn more about the physical, legal, financial, and emotional consequences of substance abuse.  Collaborations among the Carroll County Cooperative Extension Service, Carroll County Middle School, Champions for a Drug Free Carroll County, and Threes Rivers Health Department provided the program to eighth grade students.  The event brought in eighteen community professionals (district judge, county attorney, jailer, coroner, etc.) to provide real-world consequences to the students.  Following the completion of the scenarios, students answered an open response question describing how their parents/guardians would react upon learning of what they had done, if their scenario were true.  Brad Wilhoite, a 30-something-year-old Owen County man who is a recovered drug addict spoke to all students about his experiences and struggles.  Three Rivers Health Department presented a powerful documentary on heroin abuse called “Seven Days of Heroin,” set in Northern Kentucky and produced by the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Debriefing of the day’s events also took place for the students to reflect on their experiences.

The Carroll County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent took pictures of each rotation, and compiled the evaluations and open responses.  The Carroll County 4-H Youth Development Agent oversaw the volunteers and students during the scenario rotation.  The Carroll County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent assisted Mr. Wilhoite and oversaw rotations.  All agents were active in the planning meetings.

The open response question challenged students to think about the adults in their life, and how they would react to their scenario if it had really happened.  Some student responses included:

“Going through this scenario taught me a whole lot.  An example of what I learned is one bad decision can change my life.  Not only that, but this could affect me and my family.  My parents would be disappointed about my decision.  They probably would lose their trust in me for this poor and ridiculous decision.”

“I found out that you need to get help, even when you know it could result in you getting punished.  Honestly, I think my parents would be mad but at the same time, just be worried about me getting help.”

“My parents would be disappointed because they did the same thing and they told me growing up don’t do the same as they.  I would be also disappointed because I stayed the same and ruined my life.”

This journaling opportunity provides another way to get students thinking about how their actions may affect their loved ones.

With this being the fourth year of Truth and Consequences, the planning committee wanted to poll current high school juniors to reflect on their experience as eighth graders in the program.  Of those that answered, 50% felt students taking drugs at the high school is a problem.  73% felt they have someone to turn to if they have a question/issue/problem about drugs.  Lastly, 91% of students said they will refuse or have refused taking drugs because of what they learned in Truth and Consequences.

The Truth and Consequences program is deeply valued in Carroll County, and if we can shift one young person’s life away from substance abuse, we feel we have succeeded.  This is a powerful Extension program that will definitely continue in Carroll County in hopes to continue to reach and positively influence the youth of our community.