(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—The Ohio Department of Education, in partnership with the Governor’s Children’s Initiative and Recovery Ohio, today released their Prevention Services Survey Data Report indicating that at least 70% of all of Ohio’s K-12 schools offer prevention-focused programs and supports during the school day. Prevention programs offer activities and promote skills that reduce the potential of risky behaviors, including substance abuse, suicide, bullying and other harmful actions. The report summarizes the results from the first annual prevention services survey.
“Since my first day in office, by creating RecoveryOhio and the Governor’s Children’s Initiative, we have focused on providing appropriate preventive programing for kids to reduce risk factors and build resilience,” said Governor DeWine. “Providing appropriate prevention education at every grade level helps them succeed throughout their lives and knowing that at least 70% of Ohio’s schools provide this programming sets our students up to excel.”
In the 2020-2021 biennium budget, under the leadership of Governor DeWine, the Ohio Departments of Education and Mental Health and Addiction Services distributed $18 million to support prevention education in K-12 schools and allocated an additional $2 million to support prevention education professional development. This funding was in addition to the Student Wellness and Success Fund the governor created to support mental health counseling and other wrap-around services to encourage student wellness.
“We know that when local communities and schools help children build resiliency to better cope with life stresses and encourage healthy, safe and supportive behaviors and environments, students are better equipped to learn and grow,” said Interim State Superintendent of Public Instruction Stephanie Siddens. “Ohio has made a significant investment in student wellness, and we know it will pay dividends in student success far into the future.”
Other takeaways include:
Teachers and counselors are the personnel most frequently providing curricula, programs, and supports during and outside of the school day while school also leverage community-based providers for programs and supports outside of the classroom and school day.
Of the prevention programs and supports provided during the school day, outside of the classroom and outside of the school day, mental wellness and youth development (for example, counseling and social emotional learning) were the most commonly used categories of prevention programs and supports.
Schools reported that community-based partnerships were present in 40% of schools to provide prevention-focused curricula or programs and supports on site. Family engagement was the most common prevention programming offered through school and community partnerships including Parent University, Social Worker Family Coaching Sessions, Family Night Resource Fair, and support for families with gifted students.
The full report is available on the Department of Education’s website at http://education.ohio.gov/