The impact of Tennessee’s opioid crisis is having a devastating impact on children. From babies being born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, surges in foster care youth because of caregivers fallen to opioids, or increases in teens abusing prescription pain killers, the opioid crisis is being felt by children across the state.
The resources provided by Afterschool Heals Tennessee are evidence-based practices and curriculum that will help programs be intentional about building resiliency, prevent drug misuse, and strengthen relationships with youth, caregivers and community partners.
Start with understanding the issue, identifying best practices and resources your program can easily adopt, and gradually moving toward adopting additional Afterschool Standards that are aimed at creating a model afterschool environment.
New Toolkits Available – 2021
New Afterschool Heals Toolkits for Tennessee and West Virginia are now available. Follow this link to a page dedicated to housing these new items so you can download them for use in your school or afterschool program.
Getting Started
- AHT Toolkit – The Afterschool Heals Tennessee Taskforce developed this toolkit to guide programs in their prevention education efforts. This is the new 2021 toolkit.
- Understanding Tennessee’s Opioid Epidemic – The Afterschool Heals Tennessee task force developed this resource to explain the prevalence of opioids in Tennessee and how afterschool programs can help build protective factors for youth of all ages.
- Getting Started – Creating a safe and healthy learning environment does not take a lot of time or money. Start with reviewing the afterschool standards and creating an achievable plan.
- Building Resiliency – Afterschool offers a safe space, positive youth-adult relationships, and opportunities to build social and emotional skills that lead to reductions in risky behaviors.
- Prevention Education – Afterschool programs are uniquely positioned to help youth understand the importance of and practicing skills useful in avoiding substance abuse.
- Strengthening Relationships – Healthy relationships are critical for providing a safe learning environment that empowers youth. Parents, caregivers, and community partners are also essential to reinforce positive messages with youth.
- Afterschool Heals Tennessee Resources – The road to raising and educating our children is winding and often confusing. We want to make sure that parents and afterschool staff have the resources they need to succeed. These resources have been culled from across the web, and you’ll find information to help you no matter where you are on your parenting or education journey.
Strengthening Relationships to Prevent Drug Misuse
For programs ready to go beyond the basics and make a commitment to creating the optimal afterschool environment, dig deeper into the categories below to better engage youth, families, and communities.
Top 3 Recommended Resources
Share your Successes
Are you an afterschool or summer learning program in Tennessee? Tell us a little bit about yourself – who you are and what you do – and we will feature you in our weekly blog! Or, tell us about a special project you’ve implemented at your program, and we’ll write about that. Email mary.graham@uwtn.org with your name and contact information, the name of the program, a few photos, and a description of your program or your special project. We will contact you within a few days for additional information. Thanks for sharing!