Category Archives: Press Releases

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST), an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program, is pleased to announce the launch of Transitions, a unique program designed to help adolescents navigate the transition from high school into the workforce and higher education. This exciting addition to the LST programs allows school districts and community-based organizations to provide to prepare their upper secondary students for successful futures.

LifeSkills Training Transitions is a highly interactive skills-based program that promotes health and personal development. The program contains six engaging sessions, as well as a companion website and podcasts.  The program contains relevant topics and skills for teens such as decision-making, managing stress, and managing time and money.

“Research has shown that engaging young people in pro-social activities and encouraging them to use life skills can lead to a decrease in risk behavior such as drug-use and drinking,” said program developer Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin. “School-to-work programs contribute to the overall well-being and healthy development of youth by providing greater opportunities for exploration and an increased desire to meet their goals.”

The program is based on the research and evidence demonstrated through more than 25 scientific studies of the Botvin LifeSkills Training approach and can be used as a maintenance level for LifeSkills Training High School program or as a stand-alone program.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 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. Dr. Botvin is also founder and president of National Health Promotion Associates which markets health materials. 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 cited for 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

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Botvin LifeSkills Training is a proven evidence-based violence prevention program according to a report issued by California’s “gang czar.” Paul Seave, Anti-Gang Director of the Governor’s Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy, hired experts to conduct a comprehensive survey of 63 violence prevention methods found effective by four sources. LifeSkills Training was rated the top substance abuse prevention program.

“We issued the report because there are so many ‘evidence based’ practices out there, but most don’t really have the scientific support,” Seave said. “We need to think about this as an investment. We have enough knowledge not to have to put money in programs based [only] on anecdotal evidence.”

With more than $2 billion being spent each year on youth violence prevention efforts in California, Seave hopes the “Preventing and Reducing Youth Crime and Violence” report will assist county organizations and schools in getting the best return on their investment.

“We are honored to be recognized as a proven program,” said program developer Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin. “As schools deal with reductions to their budgets, it is imperative that they be able to focus their funds on programs that have been proven to work.”

The report’s author, Peter Greenwood, is Executive Director of the national organization, Association for the Advancement of Evidence-Based Practice.  In writing the report, he selected the programs to review that have already been evaluated by the widely respected Blueprints for Violence Prevention, Mark Lipsey, PhD., and Washington State Institute for Public Policy and Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy (Top Tier). Botvin LifeSkills Training has been identified as a Top Tier program by The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy. The Top Tier initiative, which is being followed closely by Congress, focuses on identifying and validating social programs meeting the highest standard of evidence of effectiveness.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 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. Dr. Botvin is also founder and president of National Health Promotion Associates which markets health materials. 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 cited for 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

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) has been selected as a “Top Tier” program by The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy. The Top Tier initiative, which is being followed closely by Congress, focuses on identifying and validating social programs meeting the highest standard of evidence of effectiveness. LST is a substance abuse and violence prevention program that has been extensively tested and proven to produce “sizeable and sustained effects” on teen tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use. Research shows that the LST program can reduce substance use by as much as 80% and produce effects that last for up to 10 years. LST is the only classroom-based substance abuse prevention program selected for “Top Tier” honors.

Several recent Congressional actions have sought to focus funds in certain federal social programs on models and strategies meeting the “Top Tier” evidence of effectiveness — that is, programs “that have been shown, in well-designed randomized controlled trials, to produce sizeable, sustained effects” on participants and/or society. To assist policymakers in implementing these provisions effectively, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Coalition launched an initiative to identify models meeting this evidence standard.

“We are honored to be selected as a Top Tier program by an independent expert panel that recognizes the high quality of our research and the effectiveness of LST,” said program developer Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin. “As we consider strategies for improving the health and well-being of America’s youth, it is more important than ever that decision-makers select programs based on the strongest scientific evidence of what works.”

About Botvin LifeSkills Training Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 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. Dr. Botvin is also founder and president of National Health Promotion Associates which markets health materials. 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 cited for 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

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Botvin LifeSkills Training delivered an illuminating workshop at the National Prevention Network conference on “Research to Practice: Prevention Science and Evidence-based Practices” held in Anaheim, CA, from September 15-18, 2009.

The workshop, titled “Process Evaluation Results from the Implementation of a Workplace Wellness Program for Young Adults,” addressed how substance use negatively affects the workplace. Researchers Christopher Williams, Ph.D., and Brian Cesario, M.A., presented the Botvin LifeSkills Training Wellness Program (LST-WP), which is based on the highly effective, evidence-based LST program. Dr. Williams and Mr. Cesario talked about the process evaluation efforts for the program and discussed fidelity of implementation.

“The results from the Botvin LST-WP study offer insights into how to integrate, implement, and sustain similar programs,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Christopher Williams.  “In the workshop, we discussed several practical implications involved in instituting an evidence-based prevention program in today’s workplace.”

The National Prevention Network is composed of state representatives for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention programs.  The Network provides a national advocacy and communication system for prevention to ensure the provision of high quality and effective alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse prevention services in each state.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. LifeSkills Training is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been cited for excellence by numerous organizations including the National 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). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact:
Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY –Botvin LifeSkills Training delivered an intensive training workshop on the LifeSkills Training High School program at the 3rd Annual Georgia School of Addiction Studies (GSAS): “Keys to Change: Prevention, Treatment & Recovery” conference held in Savannah, Georgia, from  August 31 through September 4, 2009.

The day-long workshop, titled, “LifeSkills Training: Delivering Prevention to Older Adolescents and Young Adults in School and Community Settings” was presented to Savannah-area prevention, treatment, and juvenile justice providers. The training incorporated hands-on, interactive learning activities that explored effective prevention education for older adolescents in the classroom, treatment, or juvenile justice setting.  Those participants who successfully completed the workshop were certified to deliver the Botvin LifeSkillsTraining High School program.

“The LST High School Provider Training program prepares health educators in school and community settings to effectively deliver best practices in substance abuse prevention education to older adolescents,” said Lead Trainer Alayne Macarthur.  “Participants had a hands-on opportunity to practice and share the teaching techniques that are most effective in engaging high school students to learn health-protective knowledge, skills, and attitudes in competency areas such as setting goals, decision-making, managing stress and anger, media influence, family communication, risk-taking, and building healthy relationships.”

The annual Georgia School of Addiction Studies offers a unique opportunity for professional development, information exchange, and networking. It is designed to address the need for knowledge and skill development through advanced training.

“This was the first year that the Georgia School had a workshop on a federally recognized evidence-based curriculum, and we couldn’t be happier,” said conference organizer and Georgia State Prevention Specialist Christopher Wood. “The LifeSkills Training workshop was completely full and participants who attended expressed a very high level of satisfaction with the workshop.”

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. LifeSkills Training is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been cited for excellence by numerous organizations including the National 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). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact:
Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Top-rated substance abuse and violence prevention program Botvin LifeSkills Trainingcongratulates new drug czar Gil Kerlikowske on his position as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

The Senate voted 91-1 to approve Kerlikowske’s nomination as director of the ONDCP. During his confirmation hearing, Kerlikowske promised a balanced, science-based approach to fighting illicit-drug use and faced few difficult questions from lawmakers.

“We are very optimistic that Director Kerlikowske will support President Obama’s prevention efforts as a way to combat not only drug abuse but also unemployment and crime,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, an internationally known expert on drug abuse prevention and developer of the highly effective LifeSkills Training prevention programs. “Now more than ever, it is imperative that we focus our efforts on science-based prevention, which has been proven to reduce drug use and offers the potential for significant cost savings over time.”

Kerlikowske will not serve as a member of the presidential Cabinet but rather, he will have a strong ally in Vice President Joseph Biden, who helped shape federal drug policy while in the Senate. Kerlikowske who was the Chief of Police for Seattle for 9 years, supports combating drug use and crime with enforcement, prevention and treatment.

Historically the ONDCP has focused its prevention efforts on comprehensive drug policies and activities that include evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs.  These programs have resulted in fewer first-time illicit drug users, significant reductions in youth drug use, and an increased perception of the adverse health and social consequences associated with drug use.  Recently, the ONDCP announced plans to award $17 million in grants to community drug prevention coalitions across the country.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. LifeSkills Training is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and has been cited for excellence by numerous organizations including the National 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). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – The Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) program has been awarded top ratings from the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). LST, a drug abuse and violence prevention program, received a perfect 4.0 for its overall Readiness for Dissemination (RFD) score, which rates the quality of LST curriculum materials, web site, training, technical assistance, and overall support infrastructure. LST also received a near-perfect 3.9 for the Quality of Research score, which assesses the quality of the research supporting the effectiveness of the LST program (including the validity and reliability of outcome measures, the appropriateness and strength of research designs, the appropriateness of data analysis, and the measures of implementation fidelity).

“We are both pleased and proud that LST received such outstanding scores. The selection of the LST program by NREPP and these truly excellent scores highlight the quality of the program and the research supporting its effectiveness. Everyone involved with LST has worked hard to develop the highest quality materials, training, and support structure” said program developer Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin.

NREPP is part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) efforts to help community organizations and state and local officials make informed decisions about evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders. The searchable resource provides users with a way to identify mental health and substance abuse interventions that have been evaluated and rated by independent reviewers. Review processes generally take several months to complete and involve identifying, reviewing, and disseminating information about programs; NREPP reviewers are recruited, selected, and approved by SAMHSA based on their experience and areas of expertise.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective and well-respected evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. He is also president of National Health Promotion Associates, which promotes evidence-based prevention and provides teacher training and technical assistance. Dr. Botvin is the former president of the Society for Prevention Research and the founding editor of Prevention Science, a highly regarded international scientific journal on prevention. LifeSkills Training has been cited for excellence by numerous organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, developer of the highly acclaimed Botvin LifeSkills Training substance abuse and violence prevention program, was an invited speaker at a scientific meeting sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in collaboration with the U.S. Army and other national organizations. The two-day meeting, titled “Addressing Substance Abuse and Co-morbidities Among Military Personnel, Veterans and Their Families:  A Research Agenda,” was held in Bethesda, MD, on January 6 – 7, 2009.  Dr. Botvin described the LifeSkills Training program, summarized the 25 years of research supporting its effectiveness, and discussed the potential application of the LST approach for military personnel and their family.

The meeting focused on understanding the intervention needs of military personnel, veterans, and their families regarding substance abuse, as well as the potential of current prevention and treatment approaches for the military. Recent reports indicate that military personnel returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq experience serious challenges including traumatic brain injury (TBI), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse. “The stress that these service members and their families are under can unfortunately lead to substance abuse problems,” Dr. Botvin noted. “This conference was an extremely important first step in applying the advances in prevention and treatment to this population,” he continued. The LST approach offers considerable potential. In addition to the school-based LST program, similar approaches have been developed for families and young adults in the workplace. Application of the LST model to the military would be an important new adaptation of this successful prevention model.

Participants reviewed existing prevention interventions to understand how to successfully conduct research in military and veteran settings. In a recent study of soldiers who had returned from Iraq, those screened several months after their return reported more mental health concerns and were referred at significantly higher rates for treatment than those at the initial post-deployment screening. Alcohol problems were frequently reported, but very few personnel were referred to alcohol treatment. Military operations have been described as particularly difficult for those in the reserve and National Guard. Deployed reserve and National Guard personnel with reported combat exposures are at increased risk of new-onset heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems. The National Institute on Drug Abuse plans on developing a new grant initiative to address the problem of substance abuse and related co-morbidities in the military.

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective and well-respected evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. He is also president of National Health Promotion Associates, which promotes evidence-based prevention and provides teacher training and technical assistance. Dr. Botvin is the former president of the Society for Prevention Research and editor-in-chief of Prevention Science. LifeSkills Traininghas been praised for its effectiveness and excellence by numerous organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NY— Pennsylvania will benefit a potential $16 million return on investment for its implementation of the top-rated Botvin LifeSkills Training program, a drug abuse and violence prevention program.  According to a report released by the Prevention Research Center at Pennsylvania State University, the low cost and wide reach of this highly effective program yields a return on investment of more than $25 for each dollar invested. Researchers calculated the projected economic impact using data from a landmark assessment of costs and benefits performed by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy and applying those figures to data on implementation of the LifeSkills Training program.

Over the past decade, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has provided funding of more than $60 million to its communities to implement proven-effective programs under the state’s Research-based Programs Initiative. The Prevention Research Center at Pennsylvania State University analyzed the results of this investment in its report entitled “The Economic Return on PCCD’s Investment in Research-based Programs: A cost-benefit assessment of delinquency prevention in Pennsylvania.” The Center found that investing in these programs represents a potential $317 million return to the state in terms of reduced corrections costs, welfare and social services burden, drug and mental health treatment, and increased employment and tax revenue.

Of the seven research-based programs funded by the PCCD, the Botvin LifeSkills Training program showed the highest per dollar return on investment.

An estimated 20,000 Pennsylvania middle school students currently receive the Botvin LifeSkills Training program at approximately 100 sites statewide. The LifeSkills Training curriculum aims to prevent substance abuse and violence by teaching middle school students about resisting peer pressure, decision-making skills, separating drug myths from facts, communication, healthy ways to reduce anxiety, goal-setting skills, and critical thinking skills regarding advertising and media messages.  The lessons are distributed over a three-year period and last approximately 45 minutes each, and teachers receive a thorough training before implementing the curriculum.

“The LifeSkills Training program’s goal is to help communities across the country create safe, drug-free communities for their youth,” said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, developer of the program and an internationally known expert on drug abuse prevention and youth development. According to Dr. Botvin, “The LST program works by targeting the risk and protective factors associated with drug abuse and violence, and by providing youth with the skills needed to navigate their way through the challenges of adolescence.”

Federal funding for prevention has declined dramatically over the past few years, and schools are finding it more and more difficult to fund prevention programs. “It is important for schools and communities to use their limited prevention resources wisely,” Dr. Botvin pointed out. “That means not only using prevention programs that work. It also means choosing programs that have the potential to pay for themselves by producing cost savings over time—something that’s even more important during difficult economic times.”

About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective and well-respected evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. He is also president of National Health Promotion Associates, which promotes evidence-based prevention and provides teacher training and technical assistance. Dr. Botvin is the former president of the Society for Prevention Research and editor-in-chief of Prevention Science. LifeSkills Traininghas been cited for excellence by numerous organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

Media Contact:             

Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com

WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the winners of its prestigious 2008 Science and Service Awards.  This is the second year of the award, which was created to recognize exemplary implementation of evidence-based prevention programs by community organizations and coalitions nationwide.

Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) is an integral component of multiple recipients in the Substance Abuse Prevention category. New York’s Broome County Mental Health Department and Ohio’s Wood County Educational Service Center have been implementing LifeSkills Training (LST) to prevent substance abuse and promote healthy choices among their youth.  “These award winners are blazing the trail to show how it can be done,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H.

TheBroome County Mental Health Department created the Keeping Youth Drug-free and Safe (KYDS) Coalition to develop and provide evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs.  A comprehensive assessment of the community’s needs led them to select Botvin LifeSkills Training to provide a comprehensive youth prevention program.  Evaluation results show that students enrolled in the LifeSkills Training program demonstrate improvement in multiple key areas.  Furthermore, LST students show a reduction in 22 out of 23 risk factors and an increase in 9 out of 10 protective factors. The Coalition’s success has led it to expand its services to eight school districts and two alternative schools in the county.

The Wood County Educational Service Center (WCESC) uses Botvin LifeSkills Training as part of their multiple-systems approach to preventing substance abuse in the county’s youth. Since WCESC began offering the LifeSkills Training curriculum, more than 10,000 students in Wood County have received the program.  Comprehensive tests of students both before and after receiving the program show that LST students hold more realistic views of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, have increased their knowledge about the decision-making process related to substance use, and are more likely to decline substances offered to them than do youth in grades 7 through 12 who did not receive the program.

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About Botvin LifeSkills Training

Botvin LifeSkills Training is a highly effective and well-respected evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program with more than 25 years of peer-reviewed research behind it. 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. He is also president of National Health Promotion Associates, which promotes evidence-based prevention and provides teacher training and technical assistance. Dr. Botvin is the former president of the Society for Prevention Research and editor-in-chief of Prevention Science. LifeSkills Traininghas been cited for excellence by numerous organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). Studies testing its effectiveness have found that the Botvin LifeSkills Training program can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by as much as 80 percent. Visit www.lifeskillstraining.com for more information.

About Princeton Health Press

Princeton Health Press (PHP) is a health education publishing company located in White Plains, NY.  PHP publishes the highly acclaimed Botvin LifeSkills Training series, as well as many other titles for use in schools, communities, and families that promote health and personal development.

Media Contact:

Paulina Kalaj
(914) 220-9431
pkalaj@nhpamail.com