School works to halt addiction issues

SUPERIOR - Stephanie Quick and Superior Public Schools are working together in hopes of halting drug and alcohol use among teens in Mineral County.

Quick, who is a mental health professional with Western Montana Addiction Services, has spoken with Superior High School about starting Alateen.

Alateen serves as a peer-mentoring program for those students who are suffering from addiction issues, Quick said. 

“I have talked to Superior High School about getting a program going,” Quick said.  “I got a receptive response from Superior.”

Scott Kinney, superintendent for Superior Public Schools, said Quick and his self have had conversations about establishing some type of program, but are still working on one that would be the right fit for Superior.

“She was making sure we knew she was available,” Kinney said. “We are going to meet over the summer with the counseling staff. Once we have options we will loop our school board in.”

According to Quick, the school wouldn’t sponsor the program itself, but instead students would be able to get involved with the group if they choose. However, the school could provide a place for those interested.  

“There would also be an opportunity for a student to take on a leadership role and facilitate the group,” Quick said.  

Right now, Mineral County schools have Elevate Coalition, which is a group that holds drug awareness activities at various times of the school year. 

Alateen would be operated under a new group, Mineral Cares for Kids Network, which originally met on April 28 to discuss the formation of the group and network. The next network meeting will be on June 26 at 12 p.m. at the Superior ambulance station. 

WMAS is provided annually with a state block grant to provide counseling to adolescents in schools. The Mineral Cares for Kids Network would be funded in part through that grant.  Quick hopes to eventually establish a long-term partnership with all the schools in the county to help curb alcohol and drug abuse.

Further, she believes with more educational programs, the county drug activity can be reduced significantly, or could one day be completely eliminated.

Quick feels that if a school-based program were established in the coming year it would be very beneficial for the community in stopping drug and alcohol abuse. 

Although Alateen would be more peer based, Quick would be able to host more intervention-type programs under the kids network umbrella. She would work with parents one-on-one to find the best course of action and could also determine if treatment is warranted.

“Meeting with them and doing a screening would help determine if they have a substance abuse problem, and whether they need actual treatment or just an intervention,” Quick said. 

In the long term, Quick hopes to increase kids awareness and reduce substance abuse in the schools. Without the proper education, she fears that children will continue to make bad decisions. 

The Mineral Cares for Kids Network would also be used to educate parents on how to contain prescription drugs or alcohol, so it doesn’t end up in their child’s hands, which can then be passed through to others. 

“The most abused substance right now is alcohol,” Quick said. “Methamphetamine is back on the rise while marijuana use is still prevalent.” 

Kinney said there will be a more concrete resolution some time in June.

“Right now all we talked about was the need and the different opportunities to bring different programs to the schools for kids,” Kinney said.