DENVER — There is a program reaching into Denver Public Schools to help students on the cusp of addiction. It's going on it's 11th year and the need keeps growing.
Denver7 sat down with Director of Mental Health for Denver Public Schools Meredith Fatseas.
She said the program is designed to both educate kids about early signs of addiction and how to prevent it from spiraling any further.
"We're really looking at supporting prevention, first and foremost, of really supporting those life skills on making proactive and good decisions in in your life. And substance misuse is very connected to mental health," Fateas said. "When students are stable and have strong coping skills, they're more likely to make better choices. So we first start focus on prevention, but then also that early misuse and really getting kids connected to intervention early."
Fatseas said kids have been receptive to the help and the district has seen the program help change a kid's trajectory away from addiction.
"It might look like a kid being caught with a vape or, you know, in a counseling session, sharing that they use alcohol over the weekend," Fatseas said. "As soon as we become aware that a kid is using substances, then we really want to connect them with early intervention and talk about the effects on their body and really how to make good choices."
Now DPS is working on growing this program, while also navigating a changing financial landscape. The program relies on a variety sources of funding, including grants and city money.
"Our substance prevention programming is multi- grant funded. Primarily grant funded. Some of it is through the recent settlement with the Juul funds out of the district attorney's office. Some come through grants for behavioral health, focused on youth substance prevention," Fatseas said.
Denver City Council also just gave approval to extend its contract through the middle of 2027. The contract amount is staying the same. This makes up a significant part of the budget.
"I would say the trends that we've kind of been monitoring over the past few years have really stayed consistent," Fatseas said. "I would say we're seeing decrease in early use. In middle school, with our last Healthy Kids, Colorado, we saw an increase in vaping, and so that's been a pretty significant focus of our programming."
Program leaders say the program works because of the multiple community partnerships
"We have a great partnership with Denver Health and their step therapists who can come into our schools and carry a case load. It may look like us going in and doing training, so that staff in the schools are more equipped with supporting the students where those connected relationships are already in place, those trusted adults. It can look like us providing some intervention or group work as well,"Fatseas said.
If you think this could be helpful to someone you know, you can reach out to your individual school and they will connect you with the program.
