Taking a multifaceted approach to opioid misuse education and prevention, Texas Opioid Prevention for Students (TOPS), an interdisciplinary research team at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) is offering staff training for schools to implement Think Smart, an innovative, life skills-focused prevention education curriculum that targets opioid misuse prevention education for students in Texas schools. The team received grant funding from the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC or the Council) to help support schools to comply with House Bill 3908, Tucker’s law, aimed for 6th to 12th grade education requirements. The curriculum is being offered state-wide as an opioid use prevention and awareness program for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. In addition to this free staff training, schools that utilize this program for prevention education will also be provided with technical support, allowing schools to tailor the program to meet your LEA's student needs.
This engaging training will walk participants through the curriculum’s age-appropriate content, focusing on increasing knowledge, developing problem-solving and refusal skills, applying harm-reduction strategies, and fostering healthy decision-making. The training offers hands-on activities, strategies to facilitate engaging class discussion, and classroom management techniques for effective student engagement.
This training is ideal for school educators and school counselors as well as mental health specialists. Let’s work together to promote awareness, resilience, and opioid prevention skills in Texas youth!