Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill on Friday announced that an interactive online prescription drug safety course for high school students is expanding to eight additional Indiana counties through a strategic partnership with EVERFI Inc., a leading social impact technology innovator.
High school students in Allen, Clark, Delaware, Hancock, Lake, Morgan, Vanderburgh and Wayne counties now have access to the course, “Prescription Drug Safety.” This brings the total number of counties sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General to 18.
“Prescription Drug Safety” is designed to provide high school students with the knowledge and tools to make healthy, informed decisions when it comes to prescription medications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five high school seniors reports having misused prescription drugs at least once.
Hill
“We are proud to bring this vital education to students in eight additional counties in Indiana,” Hill said. “Prescription-drug misuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in America, and it profoundly impacts teenagers.”
The course uses interactive scenarios and self-guided activities to help students learn the facts about prescription drugs, how to properly use and dispose of them, and how to step in when faced with a situation involving misuse. The program includes six learning modules that cover topics such as the principles of addiction and the medical uses and potential dangers of using different types of drugs – including opioids, stimulants and depressants – without a prescription.
“Our communities are being devastated by the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs,” said Jon Chapman, founder and president of EVERFI. “We are focused on providing a system of prevention education, which we believe is a powerful tool in reaching youth, who are one of our most at-risk populations, so they feel empowered to make healthy and informed decisions when it comes to prescription medication.”
“Prescription Drug Safety” uses an evidence-based, universal, public health approach to learning, along with interactive, true-to-life scenarios that reinforce key learning objectives. An important component of the course is teaching students how to deal with situations involving misuse. Students explore the thoughts of their peers and debunk common myths. They also step into the shoes of a student engaging in misuse and get to see the real results of their choices.