Pubdate: Wed, 05 Jun 2013
Source: Vindicator, The (Youngstown, OH)
Copyright: 2013 The Vindicator
Contact:  http://www.vindy.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3298
Author: Emmalee C. Torisk

STRUTHERS GRANT WILL OFFER STUDENT DRUG SCREENINGS

City residents concerned their children may be using drugs soon will
have access to free instant drug screenings, thanks to a $600 grant
from Camp Frederick, a retreat center in Rogers.

The grant money will be used to purchase 100 tests. Each test can
screen for 11 drugs, including marijuana and cocaine, said Yvonne
Wilson, juvenile-diversion officer for Struthers City Schools. Testing
will be confidential, and neither the school district nor the police
department will take disciplinary action based on a student's test
results.

A recent survey conducted by the Coalition for a Drug-Free Mahoning
County showed that students in the Struthers School District
demonstrated a more significant increase in marijuana use and
prescription-drug misuse than several other districts throughout the
county, Wilson said.

"I've received calls where parents are concerned their children may be
experimenting, and they don't know where to go," she said. "Instead of
waiting until [drug use is] out of control, parents who are seeing
some signs that their child might be using can get tested and find out
for sure -- then get them the help they need."

The drug screenings are a tool to help students and their families,
Wilson said. Previously, free testing was offered only to students in
the Struthers Juvenile Diversion Program, which works with the
district's at-risk students to help them make good choices and avoid
ending up in the criminal-justice system.

Angela McClellan, director of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Mahoning
County, said coupling the drug screenings with an existing diversion
program not only gives parents results, but also provides access to
other resources to help determine "what comes next." "Anybody can go
into the corner drugstore and buy an instant test and test their
student," she said. "But if it comes back and they found something,
what do you do? Now, you have professionals who have those answers at
their fingertips."

Wilson applied for the Camp Frederick grant in March and found out
last week that the city's diversion program had been selected to receive it.

Justin Landry, camp director, said Camp Frederick, which is owned and
operated by a corporation of Lutheran churches, has put aside 10
percent of the profits from an oil and gas lease to distribute as
community grants.

Camp Frederick's maximum grant amount is $1,000, and the committee has
received 15 requests, all of which have been approved for funding.
Projects funded by the grant must work to improve the quality of life
for youths or adults, Landry said.

"[Camp Frederick] can't offer something like that," he said of the
drug program in Struthers. "We want to be able to support them."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt