The Kent County Health Department in Michigan plans to expand a program meant to promote positive development and prevent substance use in grade school students.

The department has been piloting the Botvin LifeSkills Training program to ninth- and 10th-grade students at Sparta High School and Cedar Springs High School.

The program is an interactive, skills-based program designed to promote positive health and personal development to help students achieve competency in the skills that have been shown to prevent substance use, violence and other health risk behaviors, the county said.

The expansion of this program is included in the work plan by the Kent County Opioid Task Force, according to a letter sent to the board by Teresa Branson, Kent County deputy administrative health officer.

There is a waitlist of schools interested in offering the program, and the department is ready to meet the “vital opportunities to expand our reach to youth with the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy choices,” Branson said.

Read full article: Kent County to expand positive health directive