Our Services

The primary objective of the Regional Prevention Centers is to empower communities to implement policies at the local level that will have a positive and lasting effect on the community environment, thereby reducing the harmful consequences of illegal use and abuse of substances.

The Regional Prevention Center (RPC) assists individuals and groups in developing prevention programs that will encourage healthy choices about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Prevention specialists provide education and training programs, information and consultation services.

Our Programs

The goal of the prevention coalitions is to increase public awareness and involvement in alcohol and drug prevention programming. The RPC facilitates twelve coalitions covering eight counties: Breathitt KYASAP Local Board; Breathitt UNITE Coalition; Knott Drug Abuse Council (KDAC); Lee KYASAP Local Board; People Encouraging People Coalition (PEP); Leslie Drug Awareness Council; Letcher ASAP; Owsley Drug Awareness Council (OCDAC); Perry KYASAP Local Board; Perry UNITE Coalition; Wolfe KYASAP Local Board; Wolfe UNITE Coalition.

The RPC provides material, training, and technical assistance for the Too Good for Drugs curriculum. Too Good for Drugs is a universal K-12 prevention education program designed to mitigate risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; the lessons introduce/develop social and emotional skills, building the self-confidence young people need to make healthy choices and achieve success. Too Good for Drugs promotes positive, pro-social attitudes and behavior, while fostering healthy relationships, resistance to substance abuse and conflict, and resistance to negative peer pressure and influence.

The RPC provides material, training, and technical assistance for the Too Good for Violence curriculum. Too Good for Violence promotes character values, social-emotional skills, and healthy beliefs in elementary and middle school students. The program includes seven lessons per grade level for elementary school (K–5) and nine lessons per grade level for middle school (6–8). All lessons are scripted and engage students through role-playing and cooperative learning games, small group activities, and classroom discussions. Students are encouraged to apply these skills to different contexts. Too Good for Violence High School (9-12), students learn how to navigate the challenges of social and academic pressures like making responsible decisions, managing stress and anger, reflecting on personal relationships, and resolving conflict peacefully. Interactive games and activities provide techniques for students to avoid participation in cyber-bullying and practice responsible digital citizenship.

The RPC provides training and technical assistance for Sources of Strength program. Sources of Strength is a middle and high school youth suicide prevention program that is designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. This program aims to prevent suicide by increasing help seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults. Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard, they have strengths to rely on.

The RPC staff provides Youth Mental Health First Aid training designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.

This workshop is for educators, prevention providers, coalition members, law enforcement, prosecutors, probation officers, school administration, treatment, counselors, and parents. This workshop covers alcohol and drug concealment methods and containers youth may use. This workshop provides visual aids for attendees to hold and become familiar with, aiding in becoming informed and then intervening if you think youth you serve or your child might be using drugs or alcohol. Addressing problem behavior early is important to preventing negative consequences of use including unsafe decision-making, car crashes and dependence.

The RPC staff provides QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Gatekeeper Training for suicide prevention. QPR is a brief educational program designed to teach "gatekeepers"--those who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide (e.g., parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, coaches, caseworkers, police officers) -- the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond by following three steps: question the individual's desire or intent regarding suicide, persuade the person to seek and accept help, and refer the person to appropriate resources. This 1- to 2-hour training is delivered by certified instructors in person or online, and it covers (1) the epidemiology of suicide and current statistics, as well as myths and misconceptions about suicide and suicide prevention; (2) general warning signs of suicide; and (3) the three target gatekeeper skills (i.e., question, persuade, refer).

The RPC partners with local schools and other agencies to get out monthly newsletters that include easy recipes, conversation starters, fun games to play at the dinner table, and much more. The Dinner Table Project was created in 2015, with the idea that families that eat together, have better relationships. If children have better relationships with their family, they are less likely to try drugs and alcohol. Children of families that share meals together also do better in school, have higher self-esteem, a greater sense of resilience and a lower risk of teen pregnancy, depression, obesity, and a lower likelihood of developing an eating disorder. Throughout the years, The Dinner Table Project has changed, but the core has stayed the same. We encourage families to eat together at least once a week with no electronics.

KY MOMS MATR is a program funded by the Early Childhood Development Authority to help identify and provide services for women at risk for substance use during pregnancy. The RPC offers a community outreach program where women can learn the risks of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use to the fetus during pregnancy. Participants are screened and offered additional prevention, intervention, or treatment services. The RPC also offers selective and indicated prevention program involving basic information on reducing harm to the fetus from substance use during pregnancy along with reducing risk for developing an alcohol or drug use problem across the lifespan.

Purple Star Program is a non-profit Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) that is the national advocate for Purple Star Schools, a grassroots initiative that encourages states and school districts to establish Purple Star School programs. A Purple Star School designation lets military parents know, whether they are on active duty or in the National Guard and Reserves, that a school is dedicated to helping their child gain the educational skills necessary to be college-, workforce- and life-ready. It signals that a school supports the social and emotional wellbeing of military kids adjusting to new schools and the absence of a parent during deployment.

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The Pact

The Pact (grades 10-12) - A 12-episode video series that addresses risk and protective factors for substance use/misuse prevention, suicide prevention, dating violence, trauma, and other related issues. Created by the Kentucky River Regional Prevention Center and filmed in the Commonwealth with Kentucky actors in the summer of 2019. Recommended use is supplemental to evidence-based programs and as enrichment. The Pact was awarded a 2021 Bronze Telly Award.

Additional Services

The RPC employees three (3) Certified Prevention Specialists. Each Prevention Specialist has completed the certification process which includes 150 hours of training in identified domains, 2,000 hours of professional ATOD prevention experience, and a passing score on an international examination. Not only does certification enhance the field of alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention but more importantly, assures the quality of service to the individuals and communities served. The RPC provides an array of coordinated services to accomplish their mission including:
• Community prevention coalitions and Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy (KY-ASAP) Local Boards in Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry and Wolfe Counties.
• Community development to assist community residents in assessing the needs and strengths of that particular community and developing a prevention plan.
• Consultation and technical assistance to provide information on model prevention programs and strategies and how to tailor them to a particular environment.
• Training and education for youth and adults on implementing prevention strategies.
• Delivery of educational programs and presentations on alcohol and other drug issues.
• Provision of a multimedia resource library with books, videos, documents and periodicals on substance abuse and related fields. These materials are available for use on-site or for lending.
• Dissemination of pamphlets, posters and other alcohol and drug prevention messages.
• Production of materials for local media to publicize prevention message.
• Efforts to get accurate and helpful information to the public.

Our Services

The Pact

Additional Services

Location

Contact

Kentucky River Community Care