Sap County Coordination Update s1

SAP COUNTY COORDINATION UPDATE November, 2013

www.sap.state.pa.us

PENNSYLVANIA NETWORK FOR STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES INTERAGENCY UPDATE

Safe Schools/Healthy Students Grant Announcement The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant. DPW worked closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Education in developing the proposal and the two agencies will share responsibility for implementing the grant. The basis for the commitment to the SS/HS model is the growing realization among officials in Education, Behavioral Health, and Juvenile Justice, along with youth and families, of the need to join forces to address the most difficult challenges for schools and communities.

This will be a 4 year project with over $2 million per year in federal funding, with no state funds required. The purpose of the grant is to is to develop exemplary safe and supportive schools and communities in 3 local education agencies (LEAs), and ultimately throughout Pennsylvania. The three LEAs are Penncrest School District in Crawford County, Northeastern School District in York County, and the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit.

The State will work with these three school systems and their respective county partners to develop local needs assessment and to implement plans that organize the resources of the schools, child serving agencies, and communities. The planning process will identify ways to decrease bullying, youth violence and criminal behavior as well as to promote the healthy development, social and emotional learning, and academic achievement of all students.

There are many programs that have proven outcomes for youth with serious behavior problems. However, what is lacking is a comprehensive multi-tiered framework which brings together service agencies, community resources, schools, and families with a dedicated commitment to fully support the healthy development of young people. The Pennsylvania SS/HS Partnership will establish such an approach to prevention, early intervention, and effective services and supports in three LEAs, which will then serve as a model for schools throughout the Commonwealth. For further information, contact Stan Mrozowski, Director of the OMHSAS Children’s Bureau: [email protected].

SAP Team Highlights Looking for some new ideas for your SAP team? A new section of the SAP County Coordination Update is SAP Team Highlights. This will feature what teams across the Commonwealth are doing in their efforts to reach students and families. If your team(s) has ideas they would like to share with SAP colleagues across Pennsylvania, please contact your regional coordinator (see the regional map and contacts here). This month we are highlighting:

1 Kiski Area Intermediate School SAP Team Located in Leechburg, PA, Westmoreland County, the Kiski Area Intermediate School recently produced an engaging SAP video to help students, staff, and parents better understand their program. The video can be viewed at https://www.edline.net/pages/Kiski_Area_IHS/Student_Assistance_Program__SA/SAP_Video. Assistant Principal Matt Smith reports the team is also planning on sponsoring a dance to raise funds while increasing awareness of SAP. Ongoing activities of the team include mentoring for SAP-referred students and a tutoring program. The tutoring program began after the team noticed an increase in students referred to SAP who were struggling with failing grades. Congratulations to the Kiski Area Intermediate School SAP Team for their innovative efforts on behalf of students!

SAP Team and Liaison Surveys The annual SAP Team Surveys and Liaison Survey forms will be released from the PA Network for Student Assistance Services later this month. The surveys will also be available on the SAP website at www.sap.state.pa.us. Please complete these surveys and return to your regional coordinator. These surveys provide important information about SAP teams and SAP liaisons which allow us to serve you better and contact you when needed. Please keep checking the SAP website for further information.

SAP Liaison Frequently Asked Questions and Best Practice Responses PNSAS is drafting a “SAP Liaison Frequently Asked Questions and Best Practice Responses” document. There is already a “Frequently asked Questions and Best Practice Responses” document (located here) that addresses SAP team issues in general. The proposed new document will feature a similar format but will limit its content to SAP liaison issues. Send any proposed questions you feel should be included in the document to your regional coordinator.

RESOURCES

U.S Department of Education Teen Dating Violence Prevention Resources U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan is urging schools to be safe havens for all students. In furthering that effort The Office of Safe and Healthy Students has developed and released a fact sheet on teen dating violence, Teen Dating Violence - A Fact Sheet for Schools: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oshs/news.html. The Department’s National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments released a training module – Get Smart, Get Help, Get Safe – to help school nurses, school counselors and school psychologists identify and respond appropriately to signs of abuse: http://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/get-smart-get-help-get-safe-teenage-dating-abuse-training-specialized- instructional-support.

NIDA’s Drug Abuse Information for Teens/Families Goes Mobile Teens -- and adults who care for them -- can now find answers to questions about drug abuse and addiction more easily, and through smartphones and tablets. Spanish language versions of easy to understand resources on drug abuse and addiction are now also available. The updates, announced in October by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, were launched as part of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month events in October.

For teens, their parents and teachers, NIDA has upgraded its popular teen website to a “responsive design” model that automatically adjusts to fit the viewer’s screen for better viewing through smartphones and tablets. The new design is also more engaging, with larger, more vibrant buttons that link directly to resources that provide answers to questions and concerns related to drug abuse in adolescents. The teen site continues to house free, interactive resources such as its teen blog and PEERx, an online educational initiative to discourage abuse of prescription drugs among teens.

In addition to the redesigned teen site, NIDA’s improved Parents and Educators page makes it easier for caregivers and teachers to find free, scientifically based prevention and education resources. Examples include Family Checkup -- a tool for talking with children about drugs -- as well as the latest science-based information

2 on the health effects and consequences of drug abuse. Teachers can also find free resources for elementary, middle and high school students, including examples of classroom-based science experiments from the NIH Lab Challenge. To reach adults with limited literacy skills, NIDA’s Easy-to-Read website now includes Spanish-language versions of its Drug Facts pages; its What is Addiction? section; as well as two easy to understand videos explaining the science behind drug addiction. For more information on drug prevention, see NIDA’s Preventing Drug Abuse among Children and Adolescents at www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-abuse-among-children- adolescents.

Growing up Drug-Free: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (2012) The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice partnered to revise this publication that was originally published in 1998. The 55-page booklet is organized in 6 major sections: 1) How This Book Will Help You? 2) What Substances Do Kids Use? 3) Why Do Kids Use Drugs? 4) How Do I Teach My Child About Drugs? 5) What If I Think My Child is Using Drugs? 6) Resources. Parents and caregivers will find this publication a user-friendly and valuable guide for what to do and how to communicate about the harmful effects of illicit drugs and alcohol to children from elementary through high school. Go here to download the booklet. This publication can also be ordered through EdPubs.

Bullying Should Focus on the Behavior Not the Label The labels bully, victim, and target are used often by media, researchers and others to refer to children who bully others and children who are bullied. Yet, you won’t find these terms used in this way on StopBullying.gov . For example, rather than calling a child a "bully," the website refers to "the child who bullied." Read several important reasons why at the website’s blog here.

Dating Violence Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth Media attention and the literature on lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth overwhelmingly focus on violence involving hate crimes and bullying, while ignoring the fact that vulnerable youth also may be at increased risk of violence in their dating relationships. In this study, researchers examine physical, psychological, sexual, and cyber dating violence experiences among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth-as compared to those of heterosexual youth, and explore variations in the likelihood of help-seeking behavior and the presence of particular risk factors among both types of dating violence victims. Read the complete document at http://www.urban.org/publications/412892.html.

Children and Loss Schools and teachers serve as a crucial emotional bridge for a child at times of loss. What do we need to know to help students cope? Scholastic Books has partnered with New York Life to provide resource articles on their website at http://www.scholastic.com/childrenandgrief/.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice Nov. 6-8. 2013 Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, Harrisburg, PA For registration information, agenda, and featured speakers go to: https://www.jcjcjems.state.pa.us/cps/ConferenceDefault.aspx

PAPBS Network High School Forum November 14, 2013 PaTTAN, Harrisburg Harrisburg, PA The High School forum is for schools that are either currently implementing PBIS or are interested in installing PBIS at the high school level. Registration for the event is available on the PaTTAN website (www.pattan.net).

3 . Online Training on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Two-hour video-conference prepared by the OMHSAS Children's Bureau, presented by Dr. Gordon Hodas, Deborah Hardy and Dianna Broscious, and hosted by Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. FASD is the umbrella term used to describe the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, behavioral, mental and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. FASD is thought to effect 1 in 100 individuals in the United States. All of us are ultimately affected as costs for treatment, special education, medical needs and out of home placements become more apparent. This presentation gives an overview of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on an individual over his/her lifetime, intervention approaches, statistics regarding prevalence of FASD in Pennsylvania and recommended actions for the state of Pennsylvania to address the issues. Access the training here.

SAVE THE DATE

Trauma and Learning: Navigating the Crossroads. Pennsylvania Community of Practice on School-Based Behavioral Health will present a webinar series in early 2014 addressing what educators need to know about trauma and its effects on students: "Trauma and Learning: Navigating the Crossroads." The webinar series will address three major issues: 1) the physiological effects of trauma on student growth and development; 2) student's perspective on their schools' response to trauma; and 3) what educators need to know in order to assist students struggling with trauma. The series features multiple presenters including experts in psychology and school safety as well as youth, who will speak about their own experiences. Registration information will be available at www.papbs.org and www.pattan.net . The webinars will be archived and made available as streaming media on both websites, following the live broadcast. For more information, contact James Palmiero or Jenny Randolph.

2014 PASAP/PAMLE Conference February 23-25, 2014 Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center State College, PA

PDE Conference 2014 Making a Difference: Educational Practices That Work! February 5, 2014-February 7, 2014 Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, PA Hershey Lodge reservations will be accepted at 800-437-7439 Go to http://www.pattan.net/category/Training/PDE%20Annual%20Conference for more information and to register.

Conference Highlights: RtII, Leadership, Behavior, Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Secondary Transition, Legal Issues, Parent Engagement, Gifted Education, Alternative Education, Facilitation, Telespeech, and Progress Monitoring. Registration Questions: Debra Jordan, [email protected] or 800-441-3215, ext.7224 Content Questions: Donna Salkin, or [email protected] 800-441-3215, ext. 7267

National Prevention Week May 2014 National Prevention Week is a SAMHSA-supported annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. National Prevention Week 2014 is about Our Lives. Our Health. Our Future. We’ll be highlighting the important role each of us has in maintaining a healthy life and ensuring a productive future. Check the SAMHSA website at http://beta.samhsa.gov/about- samhsa-beta for updates and contacts to prepare for this event.

4 Fourth Annual PAPBS Implementers' Forum May 28-29, 2014 Hershey Lodge and Convention Center Hershey, PA

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Power of You(th) National Teen Video Contest As part of Red Ribbon Week (October 21-25, 2013) — a nationally-observed week during which schools and communities help raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and alcohol among youth — MADD and State Farm highlighted the finding that most teens are making smart decisions about alcohol. As part of this initiative, MADD and State Farm are encouraging teens to create a 15-second Instagram video that answers the question: “If you don’t drink today, what could your tomorrow be?” This Power of You(th) National Teen Video Contest is open for entries at http://www.madd.org through December 20, 2013, and the grand prize winner will receive $1,500. Plus, the school with the most entries will also receive $1,500.

The MusiCares and GRAMMY Foundation’s Music Contest The MusiCares® and GRAMMY Foundation’s® Music Contest in Collaboration with the Partnership at Drugfree.org offers a great opportunity for aspiring teen musicians to use the healing and uplifting medium of music to help spread the message about the importance of healthy choices and the dangers of drug abuse. The contest asks young musicians to create original music and/or music videos that celebrate healthy and inspirational living, or accurately depict the dark side of drug abuse. Three winners will be selected (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) with the first place winner receiving two tickets to the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards® at the Los Angeles-based Staples Center, as well as a cash award of $500. To learn more about other prizes to be awarded and contest requirements go to http://www.drugfree.org/give- get-involved/events/teens-make-music-contest.

NEWS

New Study Shows Pennsylvania Has the 14th Highest Rate of Drug Overdose Deaths. The Washington-based Trust for America's Health said in a recent report that the state had 15.3 overdose deaths per 100,000 residents in 2010, most involving prescription drugs. That’s an increase of 89 percent from 1989, when there were 8.1 drug deaths per 100,000 people. West Virginia led the nation in fatal overdoses with nearly 29 per 100,000 people. The trust says Pennsylvania is among 28 states and the District of Columbia that received low scores on implementing strategies for curbing prescription-drug abuse the trust considers promising.

House Passes the Prescription Accountability Monitoring System In October the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed The Pharmaceutical Accountability Monitoring System Act, which establishes the Pharmaceutical Accountability Monitoring System to reduce the abuse of controlled substances and fraud by providing a tool that will ensure that practitioners making prescribing decisions have complete and reliable information about what other prescription drugs have recently been prescribed to their patients. The legislation provides specific provisions to ensure the information shared on the system is kept private. The bill has now gone to the Senate. If it passes in the Senate it goes to Gov. Tom Corbett to be signed into law. Corbett has made the establishment of a controlled substance database part of his Healthy Pennsylvania initiative.

Flesh-Eating Drug “Kkrokodil” Makes Appearance in Chicago Suburb A flesh-eating drug that became popular in Russia has made its way across the ocean and to a Chicago suburb. Dr. Abhin Singla of Presence St. Joseph Medical Center said the Joliet, Ill., facility recently treated three patients who said they used the drug known as "krokodil." The substance is similar to morphine, Singla said, and possesses some of the same properties as methamphetamine. However, it's cheaper to obtain, and like meth, users can make it with codeine and everyday products such as gasoline and paint thinner.

5 Krokodil, which is the Russian word for crocodile, causes gangrene and abscesses on the user's body, Singla said, noting it has maimed his patients' arms and legs. “It is a horrific way to get sick," he said. "The smell of rotten flesh permeates the room. Intensive treatment and skin grafts are required, but they often are not enough to save limbs or lives.” Singla said some cases are so serious that muscles and bones become visible. The dead skin can also lead to infections that result in amputation or even death. The drug can be injected or taken orally and has become a cheap alternative to heroin. Because of this, Singla said, these incidents might not mark the end of its use in Joliet. Krokodil originated in Russia, but made its first U.S. appearance in Arizona at the end of September.

A study of sixth, ninth, and twelfth grade students in Minnesota studied youth involved in one of three types of social and verbal bullying: those who bully others, are bullied, and are both victim and perpetrator. The authors identified self-injury as "the most powerful risk factor associated with thinking about or attempting suicide" for young people in all the groups. Emotional distress was also found to be a significant risk factor. The most significant protective factor was parent connectedness

The authors suggested that the finding that “a physical examination in the past year was not significantly protective against suicidal thinking or behavior” represented a “missed opportunity” to prevent both suicide risk and bullying, given that more than half their sample had an examination in the 12 months preceding the survey. The study did not include physical or electronic bullying.

“Molly”, Seems to Be the Social Drug of Choice for Many Young People Molly, a form of the synthetic drug ecstasy, or MDMA, seems to be the social drug of choice for many young people at parties and festivals. Celebrity Miley Cyrus sung about Molly’s attributes on her latest album and raved about it to Rolling Stone. Others such as Madonna, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West have also sung the drug’s praises. DJ’s are known to support its use by blending melodies and beats in a sequence that enhances the up and down, or “rolling”, feeling that Molly produces to increase the user’s energy and sociability levels.

In response to two drug-related deaths that occurred over Labor Day weekend at New York City’s Electric Zoo music festival, the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition sent out a letter to parents and educators warning about the danger of the club drug called “Molly.” “Thousands of young adults and teens attend the event every year but the third day of the concert this year was cancelled due to the drug related deaths,” Coalition Coordinator Elaine Santos said.

The Drug Enforcement Agency notes that “Molly” can cause confusion, anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleep problems and drug craving, according to the letter sent out by Putnam County CTC. The letter also said that other health risks of “Molly” can include anything from involuntary teeth clenching, sudden loss of appetite, a loss of inhibitions, transfixion on sights and sounds, nausea, signs of depression and/or sadness, not being able to get out of bed for extended periods, blurred vision and chills and/or sweating, and even increased heart rate and blood pressure and seizures. It is difficult for law enforcement or parents to detect Molly’s presence because it usually doesn't show on a toxicology screen.

A recent DEA statement on Molly’s use: Middle-aged professionals are the newest group obtaining and experimenting with the drug. Molly is being marketed as pure MDMA, as organic, natural or holistic. The opposite is true, Santos said. “Dealers mix Molly with other substances. Molly is MDMA mixed with other products such as rat poison, acids and other chemicals,” she said.

The New York coalition suggests that coalitions raise awareness about the drug by: • Providing information (to counter the misnomer that Molly is safe). • Enhancing skills by having parent seminars so parents know what Molly is and what to do if they suspect their child might be using it. • Go to colleges and provide fact sheets on its dangers. • Talk to school staff (nurses and clinic directors).

6 • Write an editorial or op-ed for your local newspaper. See if you can get on the radio.

Four in 10 Teens Have Experienced Dating Violence: What Parents and Providers Can Do The American Psychological Association issued a press release this week, summarizing some new and alarming statistics on teen dating violence in the United States. Their report focused on findings from a recent study, which found that more than one in three teens has experienced dating violence. This study, which drew from data collected in 2011 and 2012 from a national, online survey funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), examined both victimization and perpetration of dating violence, defined as physical, sexual or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship. Read more here.

Adolescent Intimate Partner Violence Shows Some Impact on Women’s Educational Attainment and Earnings Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious, widespread problem that negatively affects women’s lives, including their economic status. A recent study explored whether the financial harm associated with IPV begins as early as adolescence. With longitudinal data from a sample of 498 women currently or formerly receiving welfare, researchers used latent growth curve modeling to examine the relationships between adolescent IPV, educational attainment, and women’s earnings. They found that women who had been victimized by a partner during adolescence obtained less education compared with non-victimized women, with victimization indirectly influencing women’s earnings via educational attainment. The findings support the need for intervention strategies aimed at preventing IPV and promoting women’s educational and career development over the life course. For more information regarding this study click here.

Study Compares Bullying and Suicidality A study of sixth, ninth, and twelfth grade students in Minnesota studied youth involved in one of three types of social and verbal bullying: those who bully others, are bullied, and are both victim and perpetrator. The authors identified self-injury as "the most powerful risk factor associated with thinking about or attempting suicide" for young people in all the groups. Emotional distress was also found to be a significant risk factor. The most significant protective factor was parent connectedness

Any involvement in bullying was found to be associated with a higher risk of suicidality. Suicidal thinking or suicidal attempts (during the 12 months prior to the survey) was reported by: 38 percent of the perpetrator/victims; 29 percent of the victims, and 22 percent of the perpetrators. This contrasts markedly with youth who were not involved in bullying. Only 6 percent of uninvolved youth reported suicidal ideation; 1 percent reported suicide attempts.

Young people who reported both frequent victimization and perpetration were at highest risk for suicide. Girls, young people living in a home without two biological parents, non-white youth, and young people who received free or reduced-price lunch in schools were significantly more at risk for suicidal behaviors in all three bullying categories.

Borowsky, I., Taliaferro, L., & McMorris, B. (2013). Suicidal thinking and behavior among youth involved in verbal and social bullying: Risk and protective factors. Journal of Adolescent Health 53(1) Suppl., S4-S12 This is the third of four summaries of articles that appeared in a special supplement to the Journal of Adolescent Health on the issue of bullying and suicide, published in July 2013. The supplement can be downloaded at no cost from the ScienceDirect website

Self-Harm Blogs Pose Problems and Opportunities Self-harm blogs are a problematic phenomenon for clinicians and academics. They are used mainly by female teens who find them to be one of the only places where they can share their experiences of self-harming without being

7 judged and obtain the support of an online community. Experts in the field are very concerned because these blogs not only make information available on how to inflict self-harm, but they also spread misinformation about treatment.

Self-harm blogs also can reinforce the feelings and behavior of self-harm bloggers and make self-harm seem normal or even healthy. In addition, these blogs can trigger relapses by those who are recovering from self-harm. Teens are a particularly vulnerable group because they can be easily swayed by information they see online. This leaves clinicians and social networks grappling with the question of how to harness the benefits of social media to help young people with depression, eating disorders, and other mental illnesses while avoiding the pitfalls. The National Eating Disorders Association and the anti-suicide organization To Write Love on Her Arms have made strides by entering the social media space with their own blogs, which aim to provide social support while focusing on messages of hope.

Early Puberty Linked To Higher Substance Use throughout Adolescence A new University of Texas at Austin study reveals that teens who begin puberty early and who have rapid pubertal development are at greater risk for experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana. The study, “Perceived Pubertal Timing and Recent Substance Use Among Adolescents: A Longitudinal Perspective,” was conducted by public health researcher Jessica Duncan Cance and colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was published in the October issue of the journal Addiction. The study included almost 6,500 male and female adolescents of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds. Participants’ perceived pubertal timing was measured with the Pubertal Development Scale (PDS) as part of a larger school-based survey. The PDS contains five questions each for male and female adolescents concerning body hair growth, skin changes, height, voice and facial hair growth for boys, and breast development and menstruation for girls.

Although puberty typically begins between the ages of nine and 10, there is wide variation in the onset of puberty as well as how long it takes adolescents to complete puberty. Results from this sample corroborate national estimates of pubertal timing; for example, girls report developing earlier than boys and non-white adolescents report developing earlier than white adolescents.

The research was inspired by a gap in the current understanding of the cultural context of puberty. “While puberty is often thought of as a solely biological process, our research has shown that pubertal development is a combination of biological, psychological and social processes that all likely interact to influence risk-taking behavior like substance use,” said Cance.

Decades of research have been devoted to the psychological and social factors that make adolescents more prone to substance use, but relatively little is known about how the perception of pubertal timing could play a role, said Cance.

“We all go through puberty,” she said. “We remember it being either an easy transition or a very difficult one. Our study suggests that being the first girl in the class to need a bra, for example, prompts or exacerbates existing psychological and social aspects that can, in turn, lead to substance use and other risky behaviors early in life.”

Alcohol Abuse Develops in Nearly One Third of Bipolar Teens Thirty-two percent of adolescents with bipolar disorders developed abuse or dependence of alcohol or drugs on average 2.7 years from the start of a study designed to measure the frequency and possible predictors of first-onset substance abuse in teens, ages 12 to 17, who met criteria for a bipolar diagnosis. Researchers, supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, interviewed the study’s subjects an average of seven times in 4 years. The team, led by Benjamin I. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., identified factors present at the start of the study that also predicted later substance abuse: oppositional defiant disorder, panic disorder, family history of substance abuse, low family cohesiveness, and absence of antidepressant treatment. Predictors of First-Onset Substance Use Disorders During the Prospective Course of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in Adolescents appears in the October 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.