Jasper Middle and High Schools facing high rates of substance abuse prompting new task force
In response to annual surveys of substance abuse among middle and high school students conducted by Indiana University, the Greater Jasper Consolidated School Corporation has formed a task force to deal with high rates of substance abuse among its students.
“We received our Indiana University Surveys back,” Assistant Superintendent Bob Hacker said. “The kids do them each year and our numbers were very high.”
The “numbers” Hacker is referring to are based on answers to surveys among students from sixth through twelfth grade about their alchohol and drug use. The most recent survey results have not been released yet but Hacker stated the amounts among Jasper middle and high school students are alarmingly higher than the state and national average usage rates.
The school corporation is working with students and school administrators of Jasper Middle and High Schools, the Dubois County Substance Abuse Council, Southern Hills and the Crisis Connection to form the Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools (GJCS) Substance Abuse Task Force. The task force has met two times in the past month and will meet one more time before the November 6 community forum being held for the school district.
A study completed by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center (IPRC) in 2011 found that among 2883 students – 6th through 12th graders in the Greater Jasper, Northeast Dubois, Southeast Dubois, and Southwest school districts in Dubois County – rates for binge drinking were higher than state (18.1) and national (16.3) rates among 10th graders.
The study also heard from Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Psychiatrist Dr. Robert White about substance abuse cases the facility sees. He stated in the report the most common substances abused are prescription pain medications, alcohol and marijuana, but they also see cocaine, meth, sedatives, K2 (synthetics) and bath salts.
Here are percentages by those surveyed in 2011: Grade 6 (11.9), 7 (23.1), 8 (28), 9 (33.4), 10 ( 33.4), 11 (39.2), and 12 (50.6).
Johnston, et al., National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010
Currently Jasper High School and Middle School works with students through the Health curriculum, but the task force is investigating other avenues of education and prevention. Hacker stated areas that are being explored include enhancing the current curriculum at the schools, adding new programs and enhancing the school disciplinary code.
These changes include items such as peer mentoring groups; student pledges to remain substance free; partnerships with community groups, Indiana State Police and Jasper Police; education of parents and students in identifying usage; an anonymous hotline; and even drug testing.
The task force recognizes the fact that its greatest challenges will be in reaching at-risk teens or teens from families facing histories of substance abuse. At the last meeting the group heard from two such families and their experiences with drugs and alcohol abuse that began when they were young teenagers. These families made suggestions for reaching all parents to break the cycle of substance abuse.
Hacker stated the task force is a transparent organization and open to individuals wishing to join to work on solutions to this problem. The next meeting is Tueday, October 30 at 6 p.m., at the Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools Central Office Board Room.
More information on the Substance Abuse Task Force will be reported at the November 5 Public Forum.
I’m pretty sure very few students take them seriously, I know we didn’t in high school.
I am sure random drug testing and an occasional visit from the drug dog would go a long way to detour students from using. . Several years ago the school board voted to take the back bone out of the consequences for being caught. Cutting down on the number of strikes will reduce drug and alcohol usage with the students that participate in extracurricular actives.
Punishment rarely solves behavior like this. Most alcohol and drug users are repeat offenders because there is more punishment, less treatment. As a recovering alcoholic myself, I was a repeat offender, with punishment after punishment. It wasn’t until I entered into a good treatment program that I broke the cycle of addictive behavior. Programs like the Dubois Co. drug court, and A.A. are going to be what helps people. Not jail/work release/house arrest. These may, in combination with an intensive treatment regimen prove more effective, but, by themselves sometimes compound the problem.
Quoting —
“Hacker stated the amounts among Jasper middle and high school students are alarmingly higher than the state and national average usage rates.”
—–Curious. Does he have a different chart than the one that is printed? From what I can see, the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grade numbers are all at or below the reported state or national figures. That would seem to be in contradiction to his assertion that the middle school substance abuse rates are above their peers elsewhere in the state or nation.
The chart above is based on study results over a period of several years for the entire county. Mr. Hacker would not divulge the results of Jasper Schools in particular at the meeting due to plans to release those numbers through the school’s site and the upcoming public forum.
Maybe there should be a title on the graph. We were always taught to label graphs in high school to avoid confusion.