SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: Too Good for Drugs Program 2018

This summer the Glen Cove Youth Bureau’s Glen Cove After 3 Program and the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition have teamed up with the National Guard Counter Drug Task Force to successfully implement the Too Good for Drugs program. This program was debuted to educate youth about facts and other important information regarding tobacco, alcohol and drugs. The Too Good for Drugs program was conducted within Finley H. Middle school with students grades 5-9 for four weeks by Sgt Sean Cassidy, Civil Operations Specialist with the National Guard Counter Drug Task Force.

The Too Good for Drugs program is an evidence-based prevention program that focuses on skill development and designed to mitigate the risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. The program introduces and develops social and emotional skills for making healthy choices, building positive friendships, communicating effectively, and resisting peer pressure.

It teaches five essential social and emotional learning skills, which research has linked with healthy development and academic success: goal setting, decision making, bonding with pro-social others, identifying and managing emotions and communicating effectively. Interactive lesions, activities, and discussions were used within the program to fully engage students in learning the important skills and information highlighted within the program.

The New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force offers partnership and support to community groups and law enforcement agencies to enhance their efforts to counter the drug threat. The guard is a longstanding member of the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition, providing evidence based prevention education at school and in the community.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE" to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.

For more information about the Task Force please visit. https://dmna.ny.gov/counterdrug/.

For more information about the Too Good for Drugs program visit the Mendez Foundation at: https://toogoodprograms.org.