For Hub City Times

MADISON – Sixty-six school districts throughout Wisconsin have received funding to help reduce or prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs among their students

The Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Program Grants provide funding to public schools to teach skills and supply information aimed at preventing alcohol and illegal drug use.

The school district of Marshfield received the maximum amount awarded of $25,000 for the 2017-2018 school year.

The grant money was used to fund the LifeSkills curricular resource, the Coping Cat intervention, and staff training in implementation of both resources. LifeSkills and Coping Cat were recommended after a thorough review of student service district needs as part of the student service curriculum review process.

LifeSkills is a universal program, used in elementary and secondary guidance and health classes and targets not only drug prevention, but also resiliency factors such as personal self-management skills, and general social skills. Coping Cat is an intervention provided by student service staff for students who have anxiety.