INSPIRE

Innovative Strategies for Prevention and Intervention through Restorative Education

Prevention Services & Youth Development

The Drug Free Communities Program has been a part of JUHSD since 2005. It consists of two community coalitions: Pacifica Prevention Partnership and the newly formed Daly City Prevention Collaborative. This model involves individuals from key sectors including schools, law enforcement, youth, parents, healthcare, media, and others. These groups have deep connections to the local community and serve as a catalyst for reducing local substance misuse rates.

Community coalitions are not traditional prevention programs that provide direct services; rather, they are directed by sector representatives who have a genuine voice in determining the best strategies to address local problems. Environmental prevention strategies that address social norms, laws and policies, and media messaging are implemented throughout the community. Strategies include:

Community education presentations: cannabis, vaping, alcohol
Alternative to suspension program in Jefferson Union High School District. Youth who have been reprimanded for vaping on school campus have the option to attend a special program that allows youth to learn about the effects of vaping, to recognize triggers, and create a plan to stop vaping.
Responsible Alcohol Merchant Awards Program
Cannabis merchant education and training

Brief Intervention

Youth who are identified as using substances (marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, vapes, etc.) on school campuses can face disciplinary action. These youth have the option to attend INSPIRE, which is an alternative to suspension program that allows youth to learn about the effects of their substance use in order to recognize triggers and create a plan to address it. INSPIRE helps students have an in-depth understanding of the dangers of their use, optimize decision-making skills, develop better communication skills, increase emotional control and self-awareness. This program utilizes three 30-45 minute sessions, including brief interventions, that help to assess the students' readiness to change. All information in INSPIRE sessions is confidential.

INSPIRE is also available to youth who self-identify as needing support around substance use. Currently, this service is available to all JUHSD students, with hopes to grow our capacity in the future.

For any questions about INSPIRE please email Miguel Duenas.

For JUHSD students who would like to self-refer to INSPIRE please fill out this form.

Be the Change Youth Coalition (BTC)

BTC, the youth component of the Pacifica Prevention Partnership program, has successfully advocated for policy change based on their own youth-led research. Youth-led advocacy allows the voice of young people to be recognized by local decision makers.

Current Programs:

Youth-led research (Youth Access Survey)
Community-based research, surveys and focus groups
“It’s Always Something Podcast”
Youth Civic Empowerment Training

Political Advocacy Conducted:

Cannabis Retail Policy
Flavored Tobacco Ban Compliance
Access and Availability

It’s Always Something

"It's Always Something" is a youth-led podcast that focuses on current events and topics important to young people. The purpose is to provide a safe space to have open conversations about difficult issues and to offer information and resources to young people in San Mateo County.

Each month, members of the Be The Change Youth Council will tackle the many life challenges of being a youth student in today's ever-changing world. Topics include: COVID, Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health, Climate Change, Racial Bias, Substance Use, and more!

It’s Always Something Podcast: anchor.fm/itsalwayssomething
Spotify: spotifyanchor-web.app.link
YouTube: youtube.com/live/2lgGbKDG8YM

BTC in the News

Click here to read and/or listen: kalw.org

The Pacifica Prevention Partnership (PPP)

The Pacifica Partnership is a grassroots community coalition that formed as a response to an alcohol-related accident that took the lives of two Pacifica teens, Jonathan Bier and Stephanie Echeverri on February 04, 2005. Partners from Jefferson Union High School District (JUHSD), Asian American Recovery Services (AARS) and Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) took the lead in convening the community around reducing youth access to alcohol in the retail and social settings. Working together with youth in youth/adult partnerships creates fun and powerful projects that have positive outcomes. Support from the community is necessary to sustain the work and create positive change.