The DARE Program
The pervasiveness of substance addiction has compelled governments, organizations, families, and people to seek alternatives to the practice. Substance misuse among school-age children is on the rise, necessitating the development of effective interventions. According to the DARE website, the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program is one of the most prominent projects that target public schools specifically for educating the youth on the significance of resisting drug abuse. Furthermore, DARE is regarded as one of the most influential drug education initiatives in the United States. An in-depth outlook on the program reveals that the curriculum is structured in a friendly manner that is easily understood by the target population. Notably, it begins with information about drug effects, consequences and beliefs concerning drug use. This is then followed by provision of resisting strategies, stress management, assertiveness, violence reduction and appropriate decision-making. A lot of emphases is placed on the need to have positive role models, dealing with media influence and taking a stand against drug abuse.
One of the remarkable aspects of this program that makes it even more useful is the inclusion of various stakeholders in the society including teachers, families, administrators and law enforcement officers. In fact, the incorporation of police facilitators who teach survival skills, common traffic rules and policies go a long way in fostering familiarity with law enforcement while at the same time developing the children's character and mindset. Teacher and parent inclusion further improves rapport between the children and other members of the society through the creation of a positive image (DRCNet). Despite its popularity, DARE still has a long way to go through a continuous evaluation of the education process. It is evident that the real picture of whether or not the program reduces cases of drug abuse is still not apparent. Local-level facilitators, evaluation experts, and prevention specialists must work together to produce findings that will guide the operations of the program in the future.
Discussion Question 2
Drug prevention programs are based on data collection for the subsequent planning and evaluation of improved programs. The issue of obtaining accurate data have made it challenging to establish static guidelines for the effective control of drug use among students. Nevertheless, the government has put in place specific measures that can be used by schools to carry out programs that prevent drug abuse. Although the website does not directly provide the guidelines, it directs to various resources that contain these guiding principles. As such, the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools website reveals several documents that highlight some of the essential drug abuse prevention strategies.
First is that schools must put in place standards of conduct that prohibit the possession, use, and distribution of drugs including alcohol. Secondly, the institution must take the necessary disciplinary measures to students who engage in unlawful possession use and distribution of illicit drugs as well as alcohol. Where applicable, the guidelines recommend the establishment of drug counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation to reduce the vice. Furthermore, the schools should utilize educational approaches to disseminate information about health risks of drug and alcohol consumption. For student-athletes, drug testing methods are recommended. Lastly, learning institutions can also impose sanctions such as expulsion, referral for prosecution as well as setting up drug-free awareness programs (Federal Student Aid, 2016).
References
DRCNet. (n.d.). The Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Retrieved from DARE: http://www.drcnet.org/DARE/
Federal Student Aid. (2016). School Eligibility and Operations Handbook 2016-2017. Retrieved from IFAP: https://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1617FSAHbkVol2.pdf
