Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program
Sanctuary’s DAPP program provides substance abuse and violence prevention services through the Governor’s Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Grant. Through the grant, program staff received substantial training in the areas of 12 Step Recovery Program, Developing Cultural Competency in the Therapeutic Setting, Conducting Groups, the Role of the RADAR Network, Effective Preventive Programming and Drug Treatment Models, Non-violent Crisis Intervention, Mediation Skills, Conducting Drug and Alcohol Assessments, Group Therapies for Drug and Alcohol Intervention, Relapse Prevention, and Individual Supportive Counseling for Persons with Addictions. The program utilizes a comprehensive and culturally competent service model that focuses on prevention services by providing the following activities:
Drug and Alcohol Prevention-Education Trainings and Workshops
Outreach Drug and Alcohol Education Services
Drug and Alcohol Screening/Assessments
Supportive services for youth and adults with drug and/or alcohol issues.
Annual Summer Prevention Conference
Drug and Alcohol Awareness/Prevention Presentations at schools
Mini RADAR Network Library
The program provides workshops for all of Sanctuary’s clients as well as the general public. Requests can be made for a workshop on a variety of different topics related to drugs and alcohol such as the effects of specific drug or addiction as a disease. Workshops are made to be flexible and can vary in length from half-hour to full eight-hour workshops in order to meet the various different needs of the consumer.
Drug and violence prevention workshops and activities are conducted at many of the islands public housing developments in an effort to decrease the amount of negative behavioral incidences that occur due to the use of drugs and violence by residents.
The program also offers a variety of support groups to assist young people and adults desist from using drugs & alcohol. The Youth Support Groups Na’homlo (healing or “to heal”) meets every Wednesday from 5:30pm-6:30pm at the Tiyan office located at house 507, on East Sunset Blvd. This is a support group for youth in which the facilitators discuss the negative effects and consequences of using drugs and/or alcohol. The facilitators also focus on getting group participants to understand how often, with whom and why they utilize these substances. In addition, they process with the young people and impress upon them the personal consequences of their drug and alcohol use.
Pathways is a more intensive Youth Support Group that meets once a week on Tuesdays from 3:30pm to 5:30pm at the Tiyan office located at house 507 on East Sunset Blvd. The group is for teenaged youth who currently or in the recent past have had or still have issues of drugs and/or alcohol use or abuse. The group meets for two hours rather than the standard one-hour support group time. In this group, facilitators help group participants gain a better understanding of why it is that they engage is utilizing these destructive substances. Staff focus on having young people recognize that there are consequences for each decision they make. The group is not just about alcohol and drug use, but about all the decisions they make in their life and how these decisions result in a consequence – whether it is negative or positive depends on the decision. Attendance in this particular group is by referral only and based on an assessment conducted by program staff.
The “Healing Corner” is the adult support group. They meet once a week on Saturdays from 12 noon to 1pm at our satellite office in Pagachao Agat. The group is an open drug and alcohol support group for adults and is facilitated by program staff and co-facilitated by a volunteer who has graduated from the New Beginnings Program at DMHSA and has over a year in sobriety.
“Push for Peace II” is a Prevention Campaign led by the DAPP program staff who collaborate with KUAM Channel 8 news and 94JAMZ radio personalities to bring a high energy presentation to private/public middle and high school students throughout the island. Program staff coordinate with school administrators to provide these assembly presentations for the whole school. “Push for Peace II” is able to reach massive amounts of our islands youth to promote drug and violence free lifestyles while keeping the attention of youth by mixing in some of the islands best known personalities. These individuals are able to share with these young people their opinion on drug and alcohol abuse and how they are living a productive life without resorting to them.
Sanctuary’s DAPP office in Tiyan is a satellite site for the Regional Alcohol and Drug Awareness Resource (RADAR) Network. RADAR is a Network Library and serves as an information dissemination point for the island on almost every topic related to drugs and alcohol. It is open to the public at no charge.
Annually, since the programs inception, the program has coordinated and conducted the Sanctuary “TOO COOL TO DO DRUGS” Prevention Conference. The conference is another venue in which DAPP continues to promote and help cultivate drug and violence free lifestyles. The conference is a full day event and is offered at no charge to participants. This year’s parent-child conference is scheduled for Saturday, July 15, 2000 at the Westin Resort Guam. The theme is “Cross Generation Issues” and will focus on fostering positive communication skills between the parents and their children about drugs and violence.
If you are interested in learning more about the program call (671) 475-7108 or email us at sanctuary@guamsites.com
“Sanctuary has provided me with counselling,
group activities, and rap sessions.
Most of all, it has helped me focus more into my future.”
– 16 year old TLP client, female
Mangilao
Al Cruz, CDOPE Project Director
talking at a “Push for Peace II” presentation
at Agueda Johnston Middle School. DAPP Staff
Pictured from left to right
Athena Ramos, Erlinda Blas, Al Cruz