Project Addiction Support Services to Increase Safety and Treatment
(ASSIST)
- Health & Wellness
- Circle Of Strength (COS)
- Circle of Strength for Child Victims of Addiction Crisis (COS-CVAC)
- Opioid Prevention Project (OPP)
- Project Addiction Support Services to Increase Safety and Treatment (ASSIST)
- Screening Testing Education And Prevention Urban Partnership (STEP-UP)
- Supporting Mental Health Awareness, Recognition, and Training (SMART)
- Supporting Urban Populations With Prevention Opportunities To Reduce Transmission (SUPPORT)
Project Addiction Support Services to Increase Safety and Treatment (ASSIST)
Middle school youth and their families
Broward County
Provide programs and services to youth and families impacted by opioid addiction
According to SAMHSA and the CDC, prescription drug misuse (including opioids) is one of the fastest-growing drug problems in the US. Youth in our community are exposed to glamorized versions of substance use on a regular basis. By providing prevention, intervention, and treatment programming to youth and their families, we can reduce risk at the individual, family, and community levels.
Addiction Support Services to Increase Safety and Treatment (ASSIST ) provides prevention through a curriculum during the school year that focuses on the importance of healthy decision-making and life skills and intervention through case management and therapy for youth and families affected by opioid use. The initiative falls under our Health and Wellness Pillar and is a holistic program focused on reducing risk in youth to prevent opioid misuse, as well as delay the onset of any alcohol or drug use within high-risk communities.
We also serve a youth’s entire family through monthly parent and caregiver support groups, case management, and in-home therapy as needed. Some of the ways we provide support are through:
- Training in schools to increase resiliency and protective factors by providing accurate information and teaching techniques to support a healthier lifestyle
- Implementing and building upon parental engagement activities
- Providing a safe space for parents to talk about the support they need for their children as well as themselves, staffed by experienced professionals
- Providing in-home substance abuse counseling to families and linking them to other meaningful services as needed
- Building community-based informational campaigns through Town Halls and PSAs
ASSIST is funded by the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention.