Prevention Classes During the Pandemic

Townhall II and Portage County School Districts Continue to Teach Health and Wellness During Closures

Schools may be closed, but the Portage County school districts and Townhall II are still delivering important drug prevention lessons to students.

Townhall II’s Prevention and Education Department provides education and activities essential to improving critical life skills and social/emotional learning such as decision-making, refusal skills, goal setting, healthy friendships, and feelings recognition and management.

“All the school districts have been overwhelmingly supportive in helping Townhall II make sure that Portage County students stay informed and educated not only in the common core areas, but also in the areas of social and emotional learning, during a very stressful and challenging time,” commented Sarah McCully, Director of Prevention & Outreach at Townhall II.

Townhall II Prevention Specialists are creating “virtual type” lessons through fun power points that the kids can watch in addition to interactive games that are similar to the workbook pages that would have been done in class. The lessons will be emailed to the classroom teachers on the day the specialists normally would have been presenting programming such as “Too Good for Drugs,” “Project Alert”, “Personal Body Safety” and “Stand Up” in that particular classroom. Each classroom is unique, and adjustments will be made to fit the learning style of the students.

“This is a great time for parents to get involved and talk to kids about not using alcohol, marijuana, and e-cigarette products,” stated John Garrity, PhD, executive director of the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County. “Studies show that children of parents who talk to them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are less likely to use.”

Programming is funded by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County. Townhall II provides counseling and treatment for substance use disorders, gambling addiction, prevention, education, advocacy, the 24-hour helpline, and is located in Kent. Contact 330.678.3006 for information and appointments.