Pubdate: Mon, 15 Jun 2009
Source: Signal, The (Santa Clarita, CA)
Copyright: 2009 The Signal
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/942n6o2y
Website: http://www.the-signal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4221
Author: Tammy Marashlian

DRUG TESTING DRAWS 300

About 300 students have signed up for the Hart  district's voluntary 
random drug testing program since  it was started three months ago. 
The district plans to  expand the program for the 2009-10 school year.

Hart board members approved the district-wide drug  testing program, 
known as Comprehensive Alcohol and  Drug Reduction and Education 
(CADRE), in February. A  three-month trial period soon started as 
Hart district  officials began promoting the program to parent 
and  student groups.

"It had a really good response," said Darryl Adams,  director of 
human resources for the William S. Hart  Union High School District.

The program runs off of a $216,000 Department of  Education grant for 
the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12  school years.

Since the program is voluntary, students who take part  must sign a 
permission slip with their parents. In the  three months before the 
2008-09 school year ended, 150  students were randomly selected to 
undergo drug testing  by a third-party drug-testing company, Adams said.

About 10 of the tested students underwent secondary  tests, Adams said.

Adams called the results a "very small amount of  positive tests," he said.

Along with the drug testing, the program includes an  education 
component in which parents are invited to  presentations about drug 
and alcohol use in the Santa  Clarita Valley. The meetings, led by 
former and current  narcotics officers, were well-attended, Adams said.

"Parents are asking for more of it," he said.

To meet the needs of parents, the district plans to  offer a 
presentation every six weeks once the 2009-10  school year begins, he said.

"If we can save one life, then it's worth it," he said.

A new component of the program will involve students  forming 
coalitions on their campuses to raise awareness  about the program 
and to encourage classmates to join.

"We hope to build the program to over 1,000 or more  (participants) 
by the end of next year," Adams said.

Hart district parent Heidi Espinosa said she found one  of the 
drug-information sessions to be informative.

"It gave you a lot of information as to how kids get  drugs on the 
Internet and the different types of drugs  kids are taking these 
days," she said.

Espinosa's son, a junior at Hart High School, has been  attending 
Action Family Counseling meetings.

Action Family Counseling is a locally-based  organization that 
provides counseling and services to  families and teenagers facing 
substance abuse.

She anticipates that her son will join the voluntary  random drug 
testing program in the fall, she said.

She remains grateful for the Hart district's efforts to  keep kids off drugs.

"I think it's great. I feel that a lot of parents don't  realize how 
many drugs are out here in the valley," she  said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart