Tarzana Treatment Centers Partners with Glendale Unified School District to Offer Youth Behavioral Health Services

A pioneering venture between TTC and GUSD provides counseling to students and conducts awareness-raising drug prevention workshops.

GLENDALE, CA, UNITED STATES, October 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In a proactive joint venture, Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC) has partnered with the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) to offer youth prevention, counseling, care coordination, and field-based services (FBS) to address alcohol and substance use among young people. Substance use disorders (SUD) are on the rise nationally.

With unintentional drug overdoses eclipsing car accidents as the number one cause of accidental death for youth, the stakes are higher than ever before. TTC and GUSD, two respected Southern California organizations, are coming together to help raise awareness and save young lives.

TTC will provide an alcohol/drug prevention and treatment program for diverse and ongoing behavioral health services for GUSD students. The program began in late September with the FBS counseling initiative at Crescenta Valley High School, Allan F. Daily Continuation High School, Glendale High School, and Herbert Hoover High School. Using FBS, TTC aims to provide ongoing, individualized support to students impacted by alcohol/drug use. Services include one-on-one counseling, care coordination, group sessions, and referrals to in-patient services if needed.

The second tier of the program involves ongoing cooperation and collaboration with GUSD counseling staff and on-campus student support programs. The goal is to integrate TTC services seamlessly into existing school-based support. By developing a referral system and communication protocols, the second tier will ensure smooth coordination between TTC and the existing support structures at each school.

The third tier implements the Future Leaders Program (FLP) at the schools that provide SUD prevention and awareness workshops. This program aims to equip students with tools to navigate substance use challenges. Conducted in ongoing ten-week cycles, it starts in mid-October at Crescenta Valley and Hoover High Schools. Utilizing multimedia resources, FLP delivers content on age-appropriate themes, including coping strategies, peer pressure resistance, and healthy lifestyle choices.

The fourth tier of the initiative is designed to empower parents and teachers to support students in the process of keeping them safe. TTC staff will conduct educational sessions to help parents and teachers recognize signs of substance use. Additionally, the sessions will emphasize effective communication strategies and intervention techniques. Finally, a feedback process will help hone the sessions by raising emerging issues and concerns.

“Pioneering this initiative with the Glendale Unified School District is a tremendous opportunity to address the drug epidemic on the ground floor. It means so much that GUSD has decided to take this proactive step. Indeed, I believe through this partnership, we will be able to impact many young lives,” said Mark Winkler, Program Operations Supervisor at TTC, who runs the FLP and co-leads the FBS counseling initiative.

“We are proud to partner with Tarzana Treatment Centers to equip our students with tools to help them lead healthy, successful lives in school and beyond,” said GUSD Superintendent Dr. Darneika Watson. “By taking on this pioneering initiative with TTC, we are providing a multi-faceted approach that educates, prevents, and treats young people who are struggling with substance abuse.”

The long-term goal is to make such programs the rule rather than the exception. Given the dangers to youth in today’s world, such proactive measures are necessary. Please contact the Glendale Unified School District or Tarzana Treatment Centers to learn more about this innovative program.

Mark Winkler
Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc.
+1 818-996-1051
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok