Johnstown, PA (May 8, 2023) One-third of high school seniors in Cambria County drink alcohol regularly, according to the most recent PA Youth Survey conducted in 2021. What’s encouraging is that percentage is down from the previous survey of high school seniors in 2019, which topped 40 percent. Other improvements across all grades surveyed include reductions in regular marijuana use and vaping.
Although there is certainly more work to be done, organizations like The Learning Lamp are there to provide outcomes-driven, evidence-based substance use prevention, family strengthening, and mental health support programs to reduce and prevent the use of drugs and alcohol among our region’s young people.
This week, The Learning Lamp joins other providers in communities across the country in celebrating the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Prevention Week 2023 to increase public awareness of, and action around, mental health and substance misuse disorders. National Prevention Week is May 7–13. The theme is A Celebration of Possibility. The Learning Lamp will share program highlights and feedback from participants via social media throughout the week.
The group seen here is engaged in a Human Knot Game, part of Portage Family Fun Night’s fall 2023 program. Trained facilitators lead families through the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program for Adults and Youth 10-14—a small group program proven to strengthen family ties and reduce substance misuse among young people. Post-program surveys were overwhelmingly positive. “Great program that all parents should experience,” wrote one caregiver. A youth shared, “I liked the games the most because they were fun, and I got to spend time with my mother.”
National Prevention Week also coincides with The Learning Lamp’s Prevention Team being nominated for a PA Prevention Award from the Commonwealth Prevention Alliance in the “We Is Better Than Me” category. The award category features groups or organizations that “serve as a connector, always expanding who is involved in programs or initiatives and finding exciting ways to get more people to the table.”
The Learning Lamp, through funding from Cambria County Drug & Alcohol Program, Cambria County Children & Youth Services, Somerset Single County Authority for Drug & Alcohol, and PA Liquor Control Board, coordinates and delivers a variety of prevention programs in local schools, teaching young people in grades PreK – 12 the importance of mental wellness, making good choices, and forming strong bonds with family. Bounce Back, an elementary trauma-based psycho-educational program that teaches young children cognitive-behavioral skills to cope with stressful and traumatic events, is improving not only the lives of participants, but also those close to them.
“We’ve seen our son using the wonderful techniques taught to him in ways that his younger brother is beginning to follow, which is pretty neat to see. These amazing skills will stay with him as he grows into a young man,” said one Bounce Back participant’s caregiver.
The Learning Lamp is proud to be one of many organizations around the country encouraging people to raise awareness about the importance of substance misuse prevention and mental health promotion in their communities as part of National Prevention Week.
For more information on The Learning Lamp’s prevention efforts, click here.
The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high-quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2022, The Learning Lamp served 34,813 youth/adults from 61 public school districts and 70 other schools and organizations in 22 Pennsylvania counties.
Our programs include: child care and preschool, after-school programs, tutoring, SAT prep, school staffing, alternative education programs for at-risk students, online learning, credit recovery, drug and alcohol prevention programs, and grant writing and project consulting for schools.
@thelearninglamp:Ready to make a positive impact in the classroom? Ignite Education Solutions is hiring a part-time Substitute Personal Care Aide to work in the Greater Johnstown Area School District. Benefits include training and development opportunities and more! When school is off, you're off! Candidates must have a high school diploma and the ability to pass clearances. Apply online today at http://tiny.cc/4v3avz
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The group seen here is engaged in a Human Knot Game, part of Portage Family Fun Night’s fall 2023 program. Trained facilitators lead families through the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program for Adults and Youth 10-14—a small group program proven to strengthen family ties and reduce substance misuse among young people. Post-program surveys were overwhelmingly positive. “Great program that all parents should experience,” wrote one caregiver. A youth shared, “I liked the games the most because they were fun, and I got to spend time with my mother.”
