Category Archives: Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 29, 2013

Botvin LifeSkills Training Program Aligned to Common Core

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST), the leading evidence-based prevention program used in schools, has produced an easy-to-use Common Core Alignment for their Middle School program. These correlate to all four ELA Anchor Standards (reading, writing, language, and listening and speaking).

The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort that established a single set of clear educational standards for K-12. The standards are designed to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared for college programs or the workforce. The LST Alignment matches the program’s objectives to the Common Core’s Anchor Standards of English Language Arts by anchor standard and by program level, and easily identifies which skill is addressed by level, book, and page number.

“School districts can now quickly see how well LST supports the academic goals of the Common Core standards,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor emeritus at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and developer of the LSTprogram. “In fact, whether a district is following the Common Core or not, these alignments demonstrate extra value that the LST program provides in addressing important ELA skills and thus academic achievement.”

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program used in schools and communities throughout the US and in 36 countries around the world. LST has been extensively tested and proven to reduce tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80%. It is effective when implemented with different delivery formats, when taught by different providers, and when delivered to different populations. It also works with elementary school, middle school, and high school students. Long-term follow-up studies also show that it produces prevention effects which are durable and long-lasting. For more information call 800-293-4969 or visit www.lifeskillstraining.com.

Contact:

Paulina Kalaj

800-293-4969

pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – National Health Promotion Associates (NHPA) welcomes a new class of interns for the 2013 summer program, Social Marketing Approaches to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Successful applicants were selected from a pool of over 200 students with distinguished academic records and evidence of demonstrated leadership in health education, wellness, and advocacy.

NHPA’s internship program is designed to provide each intern with a broad overview of the development, testing, and dissemination of effective approaches to health promotion and disease prevention as well as to capitalize on each intern’s academic background, current interests, and career aspirations. Over the course of the internship, participants will receive training and experience in several core areas related to disease prevention, health promotion, wellness and behavioral health.

In total, NHPA selected four interns from the most competitive  universities around the United States. This year’s group of interns include: Emily Hough (Bucknell University), Brittany Canter (University of Michigan), Caroline Botvin (Fordham University), and Katie Irmler (Cornell University). Two more interns from the FARO Global Programme Foreign Exchange in Spain will join the NHPA program later next month.   This FARO program provides resources for young professionals from Spain to visit an American business to refine and sharpen their professional skills.

“We are excited to welcome these bright and enthusiastic college students. We hope to learn as much from them as they learn from us,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, the founder and president of NHPA.  “Our internship program continues to grow every year—attracting students from some of the nation’s best universities.  All of the interns, domestic and foreign, were chosen because of their records of accomplishment and their expressed desire to learn more about behavioral health, wellness and social media.”

In addition to learning about the use of social media in promoting health and wellness, the interns will become familiar with the Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) Program. LST is an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program used in schools and communities throughout the U.S. and in 33 countries around the world. Over 30 years of peer-reviewed research has found that LST reduces tobacco, alcohol, and drug use by as much as 80 percent.

About National Health Promotion Associates

National Health Promotion Associates (NHPA) is a dynamic and innovative research and development firm located in White Plains, New York. NHPA focuses on developing, evaluation, and training for prevention programs related to substance abuse, violence, and other health risk behaviors, particularly those common during adolescence. For more information visit www.lifeskillstraining.com.

Contact:

Paulina Kalaj

800-293-4969

pkalaj@nhpamail.com

###

WHITE PLAINS, NY— Critics of the “war on drugs” point to the limited success of current strategies for reducing drug abuse and argue that a new approach is needed. Such an approach may now be on the horizon within the covers of a new book by New York Times best-selling author David Sheff. Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy was published in April 2013 and is quickly gaining attention. The book confronts the traditional views on addiction and highlights scientific approaches that work.

One approach featured in Clean, the Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) program, has been extensively tested and found effective in more than 30 scientific studies. After three decades of rigorous research, LST is now recognized by educators and behavioral scientists as a powerful tool for preventing addiction. As word of its effectiveness spreads, LST is gradually becoming the program of choice for schools throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

For parents who want to prevent drug addiction, Sheff offers the latest research in psychology, neuroscience, and medicine and points to LST as the key to prevention. He proposes a rethinking of addiction that relies on scientifically based approaches that work.

“I spent years searching for effective programs that would lower drug use and prevent addiction,” said Sheff. “Numerous scientific studies prove that LifeSkills Training has shown remarkable results. Rather than focusing on the drugs themselves, LST lowers drug use by helping kids become healthier and more resilient.”

“David Sheff’s book comes at an opportune time in our nation’s history in fighting addiction and other health risks,” commented Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor emeritus at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College, developer of the LifeSkills Training program, and an internationally recognized authority on prevention. “More and more studies are demonstrating the effectiveness and benefits of novel approaches to prevention that are based on sound science. The complexity of addiction has become increasingly clear over the years; that complexity requires solutions that transcend the rather simplistic approaches that have been, and unfortunately are still being, used throughout the world. I am not only pleased that David has featured LST in Clean but, more importantly, that he has written such a compelling book challenging the orthodoxy regarding the nature of addiction and how to combat it.”

David Sheff knows first-hand about the problem of addiction. Sheff’s previous book, Beautiful Boy, is a memoir detailing the heartbreak of his own son’s drug addiction.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program used in schools and communities throughout the US and in 33 countries around the world. LST has been extensively tested and proven to reduce tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80%. It is effective when implemented with different delivery formats, when taught by different providers, and when delivered to different populations. It also works with elementary school, middle school, and high school students. Long-term follow-up studies also show that it produces prevention effects which are durable and long-lasting. For more information call 800-293-4969 or visit www.lifeskillstraining.com.

Contact:

Paulina Kalaj

800-293-4969

pkalaj@nhpamail.com

###

WHITE PLAINS, NY—Princeton Health Press is pleased to announce the addition of three evidence-based prevention programs from Innovation Research & Training (iRT) that focus on media literacy. Media Detective, Media Detective Family Night, and Media Ready encourage healthy awareness about alcohol and tobacco use, enhance critical-thinking skills, and delay or prevent the onset of underage tobacco or alcohol use.

Media Detective is designed for 3rd- to 5th-grade students. This entertaining, interactive, activity-based program allows students to unravel the meanings behind advertisements and media messages. For families, there is Media Detective Family Night, which is a one-time workshop that welcomes parents and guardians into a school-based media literacy education and substance use prevention program.

Media Ready is for use with 6th- to 8th-grade students. Through ten lessons of interactive activities, hands-on practice, and small group work, students discover the media world around them and develop skills to better understand the messages that are being sent to them.

“We are so pleased and honored to have Media Detective and Media Ready be represented by Princeton Health Press, our country’s leading drug abuse prevention publishing company,” said program developer Dr. Janis B. Kupersmidt, an internationally known expert on positive youth development and substance abuse and violence prevention. “Their global reach and stellar reputation will help us to reach more youth, schools, and communities about the importance of developing critical thinking skills regarding unhealthy media messages.”

Dr. Kupersmidt is President and Senior Research Scientist at Innovation Research & Training, a behavioral sciences research company that conducts translational scientific studies; training, technical assistance, and evaluation projects; and dissemination of products and services designed to improve the health and well-being of youth, families, organizations, and communities.

“We are delighted to welcome Innovation Research & Training into our stable of valuable and respected prevention products,” noted Craig Zettle, Vice President of Princeton Health Press. “Their evidence-based media literacy programs are a great addition that fits with our mission of bringing quality evidence-based programs and services to agencies and institutions serving at-risk youth.”

About Princeton Health Press

Princeton Health Press (PHP) is located in White Plains, NY and is one of the country’s leading health education publishing companies. PHP publishes the highly acclaimed Botvin LifeSkills Training series, as well as many other substance abuse and violence prevention titles that can be used in schools, communities, and families to promote health and personal development. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Contact:

Paulina Kalaj

800-293-4969

pkalaj@nhpamail.com

###

WHITE PLAINS, NY – The highly acclaimed Botvin LifeSkills Training program recently unveiled its much anticipated new edition at the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) 23^rd Annual National Leadership Forum. This unique prevention program has been proven to cut tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by up to 80%. Rather than emphasizing the risk associated with substance use, it promotes resilience and positive youth development by teaching students a general set of life skills.

Over 2,600 substance abuse prevention specialists and advocates from around the country got a first look at the fresh new user-friendly materials for teachers and middle school students. The new edition, available in Spring 2013, provides schools with the same effective LST prevention approach in newly designed materials. Its exciting contemporary look and many new features include a clean new format and updated statistics; modern graphics, icons, and images; and teaching enhancements such as clearly marked time guidelines, enrichment activities, and detailed fidelity checklists.

“I love the fresh new look and modern edge of the Teacher’s Manual and Student Guides,” said Darren Mattozzi, CADCA attendee and Prevention Coordinator, Lincoln County Alcohol/Drug Center in Davenport, Washington. “I really like how the definitions and key points stand out more in the student guides, and the updated Teacher’s Manual makes it quicker and easier to prepare and deliver the lessons.” Mattozzi serves five school districts and has implemented the program since 2004.

Community prevention leaders converged on the Gaylord National Hotel and Capitol Hill for the nation’s largest substance abuse prevention training conference. The Forum focuses on helping CADCA’s network of 5,000 coalitions to develop comprehensive evidence-based prevention strategies, including the use of model programs such as the Botvin LifeSkills Training, for community-level change.

“We’re very excited about the new edition of the LifeSkills Training program materials,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor emeritus at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and developer of the LST program. “It has a fresh, accessible, and contemporary look while retaining the interactive methods and engaging activities that make the program so effective. We’re particularly excited about the new enrichment activities, which give teachers the option of using different teaching techniques with the program’s activities so that they can better accommodate different student learning styles.”

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program used in schools and communities throughout the US and in 33 countries around the world. LST has been extensively tested and proven to reduce tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80%. It is effective when implemented with different delivery formats, when taught by different providers, and when delivered to different populations. It also works with elementary school, middle school, and high school students. Long-term follow-up studies also show that it produces prevention effects which are durable and long-lasting. For more information call 800-293-4969 or visit www.lifeskillstraining.com.

Media Contact:  Paulina Kalaj, 800-293-4969 pkalaj@nhpamail.com

In April 2012, Washington State Institute for Public Policy updated their report entitled “Return on Investment: Evidence-Based Options to Improve Statewide Outcomes.” The report, similar to an investment advisor’s “buy-sell” list, contains current recommendations on policy options that can give taxpayers a good return on their investment (“buys”), as well as those that apparently cannot (“sells”). Investing in LST represents a 38-to-1 return to communities in terms of reduced corrections costs, welfare and social services burden, drug and mental health treatment; and increased employment and tax revenue.

“It has been clear for many years that effective prevention programs offer the potential for producing a powerful public health benefit by helping teens avoid the damaging effects of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drug abuse, and violence. Now, this new report proves that it has the added benefit of making good economic sense,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor of public health and psychiatry at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and developer of the LST program. “A relatively small upfront investment can yield tremendous health and economic benefits in terms of both the immediate- and long-term positive effects our program has on the students who participate in it.”

In the mid-1990s, the Washington State Legislature first began to direct the WSIPP to identify “evidence-based” programs and policies that have been shown to improve particular outcomes. WSIPP summarized their results in a list of what works and what does not, ranked by benefit-cost statistics and a measure of investment risk. Washington is already investing in several of these options including LST. Additionally, they also found other prevention approaches that did not produce favorable results.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program used in schools and communities throughout the US and in 33 countries around the world. Over 30 years of peer-reviewed research found that LST cuts tobacco, alcohol, and drug use by as much as 80 percent. For more information call 800-293-4969 or visit www.lifeskillstraining.com.

Media Contact: 

Paulina Kalaj

800-293-4969

pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – A new study presented at an international conference in Texas demonstrates the long-term effectiveness of a classroom-based prevention program targeting teen drug use. The study tracked teens who participated in the Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) program as 7^th graders and found that their participation in the program produced long-lasting reduction in drug use 12 years later. The study’s findings were presented in April at the Blueprints for Violence Prevention conference held in San Antonio, Texas.

The study assessed LST’s impact on young adults in their early to mid-20s who received the program when they were in the 7^th grade. The results of the study found that participants were 23% less likely to have ever used illicit drugs than were individuals who did not receive the LST program. They were also 22% less likely to have used marijuana and 26% less likely to have engaged in non-medical pill use (such as amphetamines, barbiturates, and tranquilizers). Over 2,000 individuals participated in the follow up study; their average age at the 12-year follow-up was 24.  “We are extremely excited by the results of this study,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, an internationally renowned expert on drug abuse prevention, and developer of the LST program. “This study provides still more evidence that drug use can be prevented using a classroom program taught during the early teen years. More importantly, it also shows that these effects are long-lasting.” Evidence that prevention programs such as LST can produce long-lasting reductions in drug use are particularly important at a time when decreased funding is forcing educators and policy makers to carefully consider how best to allocate dwindling resources. The LST program is a top-rated prevention program that has been proven to reduce tobacco use, binge drinking, and illicit drug use. It has been tested in a series of carefully designed and peer-reviewed studies, and more than 30 papers reporting the results of these studies have been published in top scientific journals. Together, they provide powerful evidence that LST can cut teen tobacco, alcohol, illicit drug use, violence, and delinquency. Research shows that this approach works with a diverse range of students, is flexible, and can be effectively taught by teachers, peers, or health professionals.

The conference was part of a major initiative to identify and promote the use of effective prevention programs. Blueprints for Violence Prevention was established in 1996 by Professor Del Elliott from the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Blueprints for Violence Prevention monitors the effectiveness of prevention, early intervention, and treatment programs in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 30 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. Studies testing its effectiveness have found that LST can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. The program was developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and director of Cornell’s Institute for Prevention Research. LST has been used with youth in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in 33 countries around the world. LST is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been selected for prevention excellence by numerous organizations including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Recently LST was selected as a Top Tier prevention program by the Coalition for Evidence-based Policy, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.comfor more information.

Media Contact:  Paulina Kalaj, 800-293-4969, pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, delivered the keynote address at the International Life Skills, School Health and Well Being Summit on April 20th in New Delhi. Dr. Botvin is an American psychologist who is an internationally renowned prevention expert and developer of the highly acclaimed LifeSkills Training (LST) substance abuse and violence prevention program. The Summit was organized and sponsored by India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with Expressions India.

Attendees of the conference learned what makes the LST program the top-rated prevention program in the U.S. Dr. Botvin described the prevention approach, explained its theory, and summarized over 30 years of rigorous research documenting its effectiveness. He also discussed the unique benefits of LST as a method for preventing multiple problems–alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug abuse, and violence—using a single prevention approach.  The centerpiece of the LST strategy is a middle school curriculum designed to be taught by classroom teachers, health educators, prevention specialists or student peer leaders. However, LST also includes a family program as well as a program for elementary and high school students and a transitions program to help youth succeed in the workplace.

“It was a great honor and privilege to visit India and participate in a conference committed to improving the health and well-being of India’s youth,” said Dr. Botvin. “I also want to commend the CBSE for their support of the conference and dedication to life skills education.”

Representatives of over 200 schools from all over India participated in this event, which was organized by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with Expressions India. Over the years, CBSE has taken a leadership role in spearheading the introduction of Life Skills Education as an integral part of the school curriculum. Expressions India, a community-based outreach program for promotion of child & adolescent life skills education and mental health, aspires to develop and nurture a supportive environment conducive for various aspects of adolescents’ health and development.

“Dr. Botvin’s participation was very significant and helped in achieving our goals with unquestionable success. We could not have made this dream of hosting this international summit come true without your erudite presence,” said Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, Expressions India Program Director. “We look forward to the effective implementation of LST in India.”

In addition to giving the keynote address at the Life Skills Summit, Dr. Botvin toured several schools in and around New Delhi. “I was very impressed with the energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence of the students I met at the conference and at the schools I visited,” said Dr. Botvin. “They are clearly India’s future…the leaders of tomorrow.”

The conference was designed to underscore the importance of life skills education, highlight the excellent outreach work done so far by Expressions India, and to lay the foundation for expansion of these efforts through the dissemination of a cultural adaption of the LST school program designed to be suitable to the needs of India’s youth.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 30 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. Studies testing its effectiveness have found that LST can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. The program was developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and director of Cornell’s Institute for Prevention Research. LST has been used with youth in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in 33 countries around the world. LST is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been selected for prevention excellence by numerous organizations including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Recently LST was selected as a Top Tier prevention program by the Coalition for Evidence-based Policy, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.comfor more information.

Media Contact:  Paulina Kalaj, 800-293-4969, pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Botvin LifeSkills Training, a top-rated prevention program proven to reduce substance abuse and violence, was featured at the 2012 Blueprints for Violence Prevention Conference. The conference was held in San Antonio, Texas and featured Botvin LifeSkills Training and other programs identified as effective by a national panel of leading experts. The Blueprints Conference is part of a national initiative to promote the sustained use of effective prevention programs.

Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, an internationally known prevention expert and developer of the highly acclaimed LifeSkills Training (LST) substance abuse and violence prevention program, was an invited speaker at the conference. Attendees learned what makes the LST program the top-rated prevention program in the U.S.  Dr. Botvin described the prevention approach, explained its theory, and summarized the 30 years of rigorous research documenting its effectiveness. He also discussed the unique benefits of LST as a method for preventing multiple problems–alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug abuse, and violence—using a single prevention approach.  A series of carefully designed and conducted studies published in top scientific journals show that LST can cut tobacco, alcohol, illicit drug use, violence, and delinquency by 50% or more.

The goal of this international conference was to motivate the violence and drug prevention field to adopt evidence-based programs and provide support, guidance, and tools to help practitioners implement these programs successfully in their own communities. There were more than 500 people in attendance, including professionals working in the areas of juvenile justice, violence, and drug abuse prevention for youth.

“The Blueprints initiative has a tremendous impact on all prevention because it gives decision-makers the tools necessary to identify the most effective programs,” said Dr. Botvin. “In order to improve the quality of health in America and reduce future health costs, it is vitally important that those responsible for selecting and adopting programs have access to information about the most effective and scientifically proven prevention programs and policies.”

LifeSkills Training is one of 11 model prevention programs identified by Blueprints for Violence Prevention, the national violence prevention initiative. Established in 1996 by Professor Del Elliott from the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Blueprints for Violence Prevention monitors the effectiveness of prevention, early intervention, and treatment programs in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse. Studies consistently show that the LST program dramatically not only reduces the use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, meth, and other illicit drugs but also prevents violence and delinquency. The LST program works with a diverse range of adolescents; produces results that are long lasting; and is effective when taught by teachers, peer leaders, or health professionals.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 30 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. Studies testing its effectiveness have found that LST can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. The program was developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and director of Cornell’s Institute for Prevention Research. LST has been used with youth in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in 32 countries around the world. LST is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been selected for prevention excellence by numerous organizations including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Recently LST was selected as a Top Tier prevention program by the Coalition for Evidence-based Policy, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.comfor more information.

Media Contact:  Paulina Kalaj, 800-293-4969, pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – The ABC news magazine show 20/20 recently reported on what one school is doing to help combat the problem of in-school bullying. The Alliance School, an alternative Milwaukee public school, uses the Botvin LifeSkills Training(LST) program to teach students key lessons such as respect and conflict-resolution.

LifeSkills Training promotes healthy alternatives to risky behavior by helping students develop greater self-esteem and self-confidence and by enabling them to effectively cope with stress and anxiety. Not only is LST the top-rated substance abuse prevention program in schools today; a recent study also showed that LST prevents physical and verbal aggression as well as delinquency and fighting in schools.

“Bullying is an epidemic that affects everyone—victims, bystanders, and the bullies themselves. An effective school-based prevention program can help build an atmosphere in schools so that kids feel safe, and when they feel safe, they learn better and thrive,” said program developer Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin. “I am proud that LST is an integral part of this.”

The Alliance School is a charter school of the Milwaukee Public School system that strives to provide a safe, student-centered, and academically challenging environment to meet the needs of all students. The 6th – 12th grade school, which opened in 2005, teaches LifeSkills Training to help reinforce a safe and accepting environment where students are treated fairly regardless of sexuality, ability, appearance, or beliefs.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 30 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. Studies testing its effectiveness have found that LST can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. The program was developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and director of Cornell’s Institute for Prevention Research. LST has been used with youth in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in 32 countries around the world. LST is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been selected for prevention excellence by numerous organizations including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Recently LST was selected as a Top Tier prevention program by the Coalition for Evidence-based Policy, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact: Paulina Kalaj, 800-293-4969, pkalaj@nhpamail.com