MARLBOROUGH – Aiming to educate students on the dangers of opioid use and addiction, school officials are applying for a state youth opioid prevention grant to fund a life skills program and a part-time drug and alcohol counselor.

As the opioid epidemic continues to ravage the state and country, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office will award $500,000 in grants to support school-based prevention education initiatives to address opioid dependence and addiction.

The students would participate in 15 weekly life skills sessions as part of the district’s wellness program, said Kerble.

An adult life skills program and parent training will compliment the student program. Kerble said the workshops will focus on opioid addiction and substance abuse.

The grant funds would also allow the district to hire a part-time licensed alcohol and drug counselor that would primarily be stationed at Hildreth School and Marlborough High School. The counselor will work with at-risk students. All students suspended for being under the influence of illegal substances must see the counselor as a condition of re-entry to the school, said Kerble.

Any potential grant funds would be used during the 2017-2018 school year, according to Kerble.

“If we didn’t have the need, we wouldn’t apply,” he said. “It’s going on in Marlborough. It’s going on in all communities.”

More Information: Read Full Article