Discovering Options

DISCOVERING OPTIONS DELIVERED RESEARCH BASED AFTER SCHOOL SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO AT-RISK YOUTH IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS.

SINCE THE INCEPTION OF PREP IN 2001, DISCOVERING OPTIONS DELIVERED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO OVER 1000 AT-RISK CHILDREN THAT ATTEND SAINT LOUIS CITY SCHOOLS. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF HIGH QUALITY AND EVIDENCE BASED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOR ST. LOUIS' MOST ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY IMPOVERISHED CHILDREN, DISCOVERING OPTIONS DEVELOPED AN ENRICHING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM WE CALLED PREP.THE PROMOTING RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH EDUCATION PREVENTION (PREP) PROGRAM WAS AN AFTER-SCHOOL SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM TARGETED AT 4TH AND 5TH GRADE HIGH-RISK YOUTH WHO ARE PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED HANDS-ON CULTURAL COOKING CLASSES, YOGA, ART, SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION CLASSES, CONFLICT RESOLUTION SESSIONS, BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT AND ONE-ON-ONE THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT. CHANGE IN SOCIAL SKILLS, AN IMPORTANT PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR REDUCING SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND VIOLENCE, WAS ASSESSED FOR 10-WEEK PREP SESSIONS. THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN CHILD SOCIAL SKILLS FOR THOSE ATTENDING THE TEN WEEK SESSIONS. THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PREP MAY HELP TO FILL THE GAP IN EVIDENCE-BASED AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM OPTIONS FOR AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. PREP WAS THE CORNERSTONE OF DISCOVERING OPTIONS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING. FOR MANY YEARS, DISCOVERING OPTIONS DELIVERED ENRICHING AFTER-SCHOOL AND MENTORING PROGRAMS TO FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE CHILDREN (ELEMENTARY PREP) WITH ONE OR MORE SOCIAL, ACADEMIC OR FAMILIAL RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE. EACH YEAR WE HAVE DELIVERED HIGHLY STRUCTURED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO AT-RISK YOUTH. ELEMENTARY PREP WAS AN EVALUATED, AWARD WINNING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AFTER-SCHOOL AND MENTORING PROGRAM TARGETED TO 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS WITH MULTIPLE RISK FACTORS ATTENDING ST. LOUIS PUBLIC, OR CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHEN FULLY FUNDED, THERE WERE FOUR ELEMENTARY PREP SESSIONS EACH YEAR WITH EACH SESSION LASTING TEN WEEKS. SERVICES INCLUDED CLUSTERS OF THREE AFTER SCHOOL SESSIONS, TWICE A QUARTER, WITH FIVE FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS. DISCOVERING OPTIONS STAFF CONDUCTED HOME VISITS AND WORKED WITH PARENTS, BUT IN PARICULAR, MOTHERS ON COPING, STRESS REDUCTION, YOGA AND GAMES TO PLAY WITH THEIR CHILDREN. WHEN FULLY FUNDED, PREP RAN MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FROM 3:15 - 6:00 P.M. THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WAS LED BY THE PREVENTION SERVICES COORDINATOR WHO HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK. CHILDREN WERE PICKED UP FROM THEIR SCHOOL BY FIRST STUDENT TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSPORTED TO THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH AT 5007 WATERMAN. CHILDREN WERE TRANSPORTED TO THEIR HOMES AFTER EACH CLASS.