Livingston Elementary School to Offer Substance Abuse Program

The Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention, a division of the Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Network, was recently awarded grant funding from The New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to deliver an evidence-based substance abuse curriculum in several school districts in New Jersey, including Collins Elementary School in Livingston.

Through the TALK Program, students will receive lessons on decision making, empathy, emotion management, problem-solving and refusal skills. Classroom discussions and activities will seek to promote school success, school connectedness and a safe and respectful school environment while addressing problem behaviors, peer rejection, impulsivity, antisocial behavior and low academic achievement. The program will be held in classrooms and groups and will include family/parent programs, a summer program, staff development and community partnerships.

The TALK Program will be administered by prevention specialists from the Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention.

“We are very proud to receive this funding to help us further our mission of assisting youth and families with developing life-building skills,” stated Connie Greene, vice president of the Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention.

“The TALK Program designed for youths between the ages of 6 and 14 who are exhibiting high-risk behaviors. We are excited to be collaborating with the schools on this highly successful program.”

“We are delighted and thrilled at the same time. As school districts face multiple challenges in meeting the needs of all students we are excited that this grant will allow us to serve students with unique needs in their home school environment,” stated Jim O’Neill, Interim Superintendent, Livingston Public Schools.

“The staffing and resources this grant provides will allow us to be more successful in helping students be successful personally and socially as well as academically. We believe the program will bring us a financial and staffing source that will facilitate the development of a model program characterized by an exceptionally high degree of success for all students. We are glad we were selected and look forward to a long and productive relationship with Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention.”