in the Pittsburgh School District is LifeSkills Training, which starts in elementary school and has been implemented in other southern Pennsylvania districts.
Paulina Kalaj, the communications director at the National Health Promotion Associates, stated that the purpose of LifeSkills is to show kids how to resist drugs and handle social situations. She added that it enables them to learn how to communicate better and become more assertive.
Kalaj said that when kids are taught these skills, it will more than likely lead to a healthier lifestyle and better behavior. She highlighted that studies have indicated that the drug abuse program they taught works even 12 years after the students have taken the program.
This year, Alleghany County Department of Human Services plans to spend $2.4 million to help school districts in Pittsburgh educate adolescents on the dangers of substance abuse with more drug abuse programs.
