Prevention

The Prevention Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) offers a variety of services to the community, schools, preschools, daycares and families to help build resiliency in hopes to prevent the onsite of substance use and mental health concerns.  Prevention focuses on helping individuals develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to make good choices or change harmful behaviors. Substance use and mental health disorders can make daily activities difficult and impair a person’s ability to work, interact with family and fulfill other major life functions. Mental illness and substance use disorders are among the leading conditions that cause disabilities in the United States. In addition, drug and alcohol use can lead to other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Preventing mental health and/or substance use disorders and other related problems is critical to Americans’ behavioral and physical health.

Prevention 2

C&A, in collaboration with the Stark County Board of Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR), Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offer the following services to the local community.

These programs in order of age group include: Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC), Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership (OPEPP) Hotline, Incredible Years Dina Dinosaur, LifeSkills Training, All Stars Core, CAST (Coping and Support Training), Stark County Youth Led Prevention (SCYLP) and Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), Below please find a brief description of each these programs:

  • ECHMHC builds protective factors in young children, increases skills of parents and promotes the competencies of early childhood providers for children ages birth to six years. ECMHC targets the healthy, social and emotional development of all young children to ensure they thrive and are ready for school.
  • OPEPP is a free, statewide program that aims to reduce the rate of expulsions in preschool age children. If you are a parent or a provider, please visit the website: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/behavioral-health/for-providers/ohio-preschool-expulsion-prevention-partnership for more information prior to requesting a free consultation.  This service is available as last report for those student who are most at risk of being expelled, removed or expulsed from their current education setting in order to offer immediate onsite consultation in order to personalized classroom strategies and offer additional resource for both the student, center, family and teacher in order to maintain placement.  The hotline telephone number is: (844) 678-2227.
  • Incredible Years Dina Dinosaur curriculum is offered to the local school districts in Stark County in order to strengthen children’s social, emotional and academic competencies. These skills are taught in fun ways using puppets, special activities, books, and games using real life events from the classroom and playground to discuss and practice new skills.  The competencies embedded within this curriculum include: understanding and communicating feelings, using effective problem-solving strategies, managing anger, practicing friendship and conversational skills as well as appropriate classroom behaviors.
Kindergarten teacher reading to children
  • LifeSkills Training is a highly effective curriculum that has been proven to help increase self-esteem, develop healthy attitudes, and improve knowledge of essential life skills, all of which promote healthy and positive personal development.  Within this program student will: learn personal self-management skills, develop skills that enhance self-esteem, develop problem-solving skills, help them reduce stress and anxiety, and manage anger, improve general social skills, increase their ability to meet personal challenges such as overcoming shyness, communicating clearly, building relationships, and avoiding violence. For more information, check out website:  https://www.lifeskillstraining.com/botvin-lifeskills-training-elementary-school-program.  If you have a student who you feel would benefit from this group, please reach out to the prevention team to determine if this service is currently being offered within the child’s school district and then reach out to either the student’s school counselor or parent to obtain parental consent for the student’s participation.

 

  • All Stars Core is a research-based program designed to delay the onset of risky behaviors with middle school age students. The five All Stars Core strategies that are focused within this curriculum are the following: building idealism and a belief in the future; establishing a positive norm; establishing personal commitments to avoid risky behaviors; promoting bonding to school or the group; and promoting positive parent/adult attention. If you have a student who you feel would benefit from this group, please reach out to the prevention team to determine if this service is currently being offered within the child’s school district and then reach out to either the student’s school counselor or parent to obtain parental consent for the student’s participation.

 

  • CAST is an evidence-based curriculum has been proven to cause significant and sustained reduction of drug use, reduction in anxiety and depression, reduction of suicide risk behaviors, increase in personal control, increase in problem-solving, and increase in family support.  The primary focus of this group is to improve mood, decrease risky behavior and improve overall school performance. The CAST program is offered to high school youth.  If you have a student who you feel would benefit from this group, please reach out to the prevention team to determine if this service is currently being offered within the child’s school district and then reach out to either the student’s school counselor or parent to obtain parental consent for the student’s participation.

 

  • SCYLP is a youth-led program where members encourage fellow youth to continue to make positive choices regarding substance use. SCYLP is a safe place for youth to come together and encourage their peers to make healthy decisions through planning and implementing various prevention and leadership development activities (i.e. hosting different events for back to school, Canton First Friday’s, etc…).  To learn more about this program and for a calendar of meeting times, locations and events, please visit: https://childandadolescent.org/services/stark-county-youth-led-prevention/

 

  • The Positive Parenting Program, commonly referred to as Triple P , is a parenting and family support system designed to prevent and manage behavioral and emotional concerns in children ages 0-16. This program offers several different levels that are all aimed to prevent concerns in the family, school, and community, and to create family environments that encourage children to realize and reach their full potential. For more information, please visit the Family Programming page at https://childandadolescent.org/family-programming/ or call 330-454-7917.

Supervisors

Marissa Cooney 3.5 x 4 - 4.12.21

Marissa Cooney
MSSA, LSW, OCPS, CDCA

Behavioral Health Prevention Providers

Jill Beachy 3.5x4 - 7.5.22
Alexandria Peoples 3.5
Taylor Pfister 3.5 x 4

Early Childhood Providers

Jessica Bobby1
Victoria Harris 3.5x4 3.1.22
Carrie Jones 3.5x4
Sarah Koncz 3.5x4

Jessica Bobby
LSW, ECHMHC

Sarah Koncz

State Support Team Consultant

Hannah Cowie 3.5

Hannah Cowie
MPH, OCPS, CDCA,
ECMHC, OIFP-II