Education

Education Committee

Schools must play a role in substance abuse prevention by educating their faculty, staff and students and by implementing a multi-faceted program that must involve partnering with the community.

Objectives

The following objectives are aimed at developing a multi-faceted, community program for substance abuse prevention instituted by the Board of Education:

  • Community agencies: To involve the services of community agencies in support programs that deal with drug abuse
  • Curriculum development: To design and implement curriculum, activities and special programs which emphasize the dangers and devastating effects of illegal drug use
  • Parental and community involvement: To involve the services of community agencies in supporting programs services in working in the schools to combat/treat drug abuse
  • Staff in service: To provide a drug awareness program for all school system employees and to focus on their role in prevention
  • Student involvement: To solicit student input and to provide opportunities for them to contribute their energies to prevention
  • Utilization of community businesses: To provide opportunities for community businesses to assist in the promotion of drug education and prevention through special programs
  • Utilization of media: To solicit the media to promote, publicize and report on programs that deal with drug abuse

Activities

Youth Risk Behavior Survey/Youth Tobacco Survey (YRBS/YTS)


The Maryland YRBS/TYS is an on-site survey of students in Maryland  public middle and high schools, focusing on behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability, including but not limited to, alcohol and other drug use, tobacco use, sexual behaviors, unintentional injuries and violence, and poor physical activity and dietary behaviors.

The YRBS/YTS is a combination of the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and Tobacco Survey (YTS) and is administered every even year during the fall semester to measure and monitor youth risk behaviors.  

To access the statewide and county-level data visit the Maryland Department of Health's website.

Prior to the use of the YRBS, the Maryland Adolescent Survey was conducted by the Maryland State Department of Education, with joint support from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

The Maryland Adolescent Survey (MAS) was completed every two years by Maryland's 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders to determine the nature, extent, and trend of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse among adolescents. The survey investigates current use patterns, information, and attitudes that are believed to be associated with substance abuse.  Maryland Adolescent Survey data can be found on the Maryland State Department of Education website