The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescents self-report illicit drug use in the past month.  Preventing illicit substance use among adolescents in Kentucky is a public health priority. However, evidence-based programs and policies have not been widely implemented across Kentucky.  Identifying, securing, and promoting educational resources to respond to substance use is a priority of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.  

Life Skills Training (LST), developed by Botvin and colleagues, is one of the most successful substance use prevention programs available for use. The LST approach was designed to take a holistic approach to address risk factors for substance use.    The program consists of 15 lessons, and teaches a variety of personal self-management skills and social skills in order to increase perceived self-efficacy and reduce the perceived incentives of substance use in youth and young adults.  Evidence provided by Botvin touts that the LST program is proven to reduce drug use in adolescents and young adults by up to 75% and reduce alcohol use by up to 60% in the same population.  

University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, in partnership with the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, secured a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to provide funding to institute the LST program in rural Kentucky communities.   

Over the past year, UK FCS Extension has trained 28 Extension staff and 10 community partners to deliver the LST program in 12 Kentucky counties (Allen County, Breathitt County, Carroll County, Fulton County, Hickman County, Lee County, Magoffin County, McCreary County, Mercer County, Morgan County, Nelson County, and Wolfe County). Kentucky Extension staff have devoted over 300 hours of time to implement this program across the state. Thus far, 809 students either have completed or are currently enrolled in the LST program.   150 students completed the program in 2020. Looking ahead, all counties with trained staff have plans to continue to implement the program next school year.

One student who participated in the LST program stated, “No one had ever told me before about why drugs are bad, or why I should stand up for myself.  I’m glad that now I know what to say if I get pressured to make bad choices or feel stressed out.”