Brief Description and Program
Background
The SIGNALS© (Setting Important Goals Now Against Life-threatening Substances)* curriculum is a substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education course for adolescents. It was originally developed as a prevention intervention for youth in attendance at the Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children & Youth. While the Methodist Home is not a chemical dependency treatment center, the youth in their care present multiple co-occurring disorders, which are adversely impacted by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD). Demographics also indicate that the majority of youth enrolled at the Methodist Home fit the profile of **selected or ***indicated at risk youth regarding substance abuse issues.
The core curriculum, consisting of twelve (12) one hour lesson plans, was carefully crafted to address specific needs of rural youth in a residential treatment setting. First implemented in October of 2000 at the Methodist Home, to date SIGNALS has been field tested with hundreds of youth. The curriculum was formally published in August of 2003 and has been purchased and taught in a variety of settings.
*Authored by David Lane Stonecypher, Director of Substance Abuse Prevention Services at The Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth
**Selected Youth: Are youth that have yet to begin using drugs or alcohol but their environment places them at higher risk for developing a substance abuse problem, the children of alcoholics would be an example.
***Indicated Youth: Are youth that have already initiated drug or alcohol usage but have not been diagnosed with chemical dependence.
