Webinar: Prevention in action: Positive ripple effect of restorative school policy

The New England PTTC Prevention in Action webinar series features successful prevention programs throughout New England. In this webinar, So-Po Unite will describe their efforts to create a restorative substance use policy. The South Portland School Department revised the substance use policy from out of school suspension to restorative response in May 2018. The ripple effect has been outstanding! Students are held accountable and underlying causes of substance use are addressed. Students complete an assessment and meet with the social worker, staff and parents to create a response plan: academic support, prevention education and community service. At the re-entry meeting, students have the opportunity to repair the harm they may have caused and plan for moving forward. Over 40 school staff took a 37.5 hour course in restorative mindset and a full-time coordinator works with students. An alcohol and drug counselor provides clinical assessments. Our athletic code is now restorative; athletes are not kicked off the team and can still attend practices. Our policy has informed Maine’s Department of Education and is now the model policy for all schools!

Presenters: Lee Anne Dodge, Program Director, SoPo Unite-All Ages, All In; Liz Blackwell-Moore, Public Health Consultant, Birchlane Strategies; Kara Tierney-Trevor, Leadership Team member and Social Worker, SoPo Unite-All Ages, All In