Drug Prevention In PR Schools

[Ecuajey]

Government begins drug prevention in schools program

Saturday, October 5th, 2002.

SAN JUAN (AP) – The Drug Control Office started Friday the first of a series of 10 orientation seminars on the Prevention Model for Non-Teaching School Personnel and State Police, officials said Friday.

Anti-Drug Czar Luis Guillermo Zambrana indicated that the seminar is part of the program "Live Without Drugs.”

"This activity is a dream come true. We know that prevention is a long-term result, but today [Friday] we start with you to plant the seed of what will be a better quality of life in Puerto Rico," Zambrana told the 487 people in attendance at the activity held in the Criminal Justice College of the Puerto Rico Police in Gurabo.

The office indicated that regional directors, school principals, school superintendents, social workers, school counselors, and state police agents who serve schools in the districts of Guayama and Humacao attended the activity.

Zambrana indicated that the prevention model will be presented in similar activities to other regions of the Education Department, with the expectation of reaching 4,846 trained people.

He explained that the plan is a collaborative effort of government agencies and nonprofit institution projects that will integrate the initiatives developed to address drug prevention in Puerto Rico.

He said the plan’s goal is to coordinate prevention resources in public schools, attend to the needs of the school population to prevent them from becoming drug victims, and plan, develop, and implement prevention programs with a scientific base aimed at reducing the risk factors and strengthening protection factors in the areas of community, school, family, and individuals.