Substance use prevention education for youth is an essential element of addressing our community’s concern around substance misuse and creating healthy environments for future generations. CARE Coalition has assisted local schools and youth-serving organizations in offering prevention education, as well as programs that respond to nicotine and drug violations.

Effective prevention programs provide factual information about drugs but focus on the development of social-emotional skills, such as healthy coping strategies, emotional regulation, communication, the ability to resist peer pressure, and the ability to make informed choices. Programs should be implemented along with strategies like fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment, clear policies and consequences, parental involvement, and support for students who are using or in recovery from using substances.

• CATCH My Breath is shown to reduce the likelihood of vaping among youth. Available for grades 5-12 in both English and Spanish, it offers a peer-led model with adults acting as facilitators, empowering students to make informed decisions about e-cigarettes and resist social pressures to vape. The curriculum includes 4 scripted lessons each lasting 30-45 minutes, along with parent resources and additional supplemental lessons.
• Vape Educate is a self-guided online training offered to students who have violated the school’s nicotine and tobacco policy. Designed for middle and high school students, it has 7 modules and takes 4-6 hours to complete.
• INDEPTH is taught by a trained adult to students who have violated the school’s nicotine and tobacco policy for a second time. Each of the 4 sessions takes 50 minutes to complete.
• All Stars Core is a research-based program designed to delay the onset of risky behaviors including alcohol and drug use through highly interactive group activities, games, art projects, video making, small group discussions, partner work, and a celebration ceremony. It is intended for students ages 11-13 or in grades 6-7.

In 2025, CARE Coalition staff delivered evidence-based substance use prevention programs to more than 600 Transylvania County youth both at school and through after-school programs to build skills, resilience, and healthy decision making. Curricula include:

• “All Stars” presented to 71 youth in 6th-10th grades in partnership with RHA Prevention Services and The Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club.
• “Project Alert” presented to 32 youth in 6th-10th grades in partnership with RHA Prevention Services and The Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club.
• “Catch My Breath” presented to 329 students in 5th and 6th grade in partnership with Transylvania County Schools.
• “You & Me, Together Vape-Free” presented to 180 students in 4th grade, plus 11 students in 9th-12th grades, in partnership with Transylvania County Schools.

 To supplement the direct education efforts, CARE staff also worked to increase public knowledge of substance-related issues that affect youth. CARE staff provided education to parents via social media and community events on how to have conversations about alcohol and underage drinking and hosted a youth focus group on underage drinking to inform development of a logic model and action plan.

This note will be updated at the end of the 2026 calendar year.