District joins state pilot for in‑school, evidence-based substance-use interventions

Blackstone-Millville school leaders on Sept. 15 briefed the committee on a new in‑school intervention pilot aimed at students who need intermediate supports for substance use, vaping and related behaviors.

Superintendent Jason DeFalco said the district joined an early-access group of roughly 100 schools for a tier‑2 program developed with Mass General Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health. "This is keeping them in school and educating them," Karen, who presented the handbook and program details, said of the model that pairs short curriculum modules with facilitator sessions.

Key elements described at the meeting:

- The program is evidence-based with four core weekly modules delivered in one-to-one or small-group formats by trained facilitators (local clinicians, counselors or nurses); parent consent is required for students under 18.

- A school-wide 15-minute survey (planned for Nov. 3) covers demographics, mental health, substance use and school culture; parents may opt students out of the survey and may later opt out of student referrals.

- There is no cost to the district; the program is being supported via state arrangements for early-access sites.

- The pilot includes a data-collection and evaluation component led by program partners; district staff will track outcomes and will discontinue approaches that fail to show impact.

Committee members pressed on age-appropriateness of the survey for middle-school students and how the district will handle students whose parents decline participation. Karen said the facilitators and staff will be trained and that referrals and interventions will differ if parents opt out: students not enrolled in the program will receive in-district supports (meetings with counselors and adjustment staff) but the district will avoid sending students home as a consequence when possible.

DeFalco framed the approach as combining accountability with intervention: students will still face consequences such as in-school suspension for two or three days, but those days will include program participation when appropriate so students remain in school.

Next steps: distribution of opt-out letters (deadline reported as Sept. 30), selection of facilitators and stakeholder interviews; the district will share more information with families via email and the school website.