Comprehensive Prevention & Life Skills Curriculum

Program Overview

Audience: Foster and system-involved youth, ages 14–17. Structure: Annual Intensive (5 Days,

Thursday–Monday) and Year-Round Plan (12 Months). The Intensive focuses on prevention and life

skills; the Year-Round Plan provides monthly workshops and mentorship follow-up.

Primary Outcomes: Increased prevention knowledge (including opioid/NARCAN training), stronger

relationship boundaries, improved coping and emotional regulation, financial literacy, and housing

stability readiness.

Part I – Annual Intensive (Every August) Thursday-Monday

Day 1 – Prevention Education

Substance-use awareness; peer pressure & refusal skills; fentanyl / opioid education; hands-on

NARCAN training; reflection “Power of One Choice.”

Day 2 – Personal & Social Relationships

Healthy vs. unhealthy relationships; boundaries and self-respect; communication skills lab;

trust-building activities; mentorship mapping (“Who’s in My Circle”).

Day 3 – Health & Safety / Emotional Regulation

Coping toolbox; DBT-inspired skills (STOP / TIPP); mindfulness & wellness habits; group reflection

“Responding Instead of Reacting.”

Day 4 – Career Exploration & Financial Foundations

Career panels (military, trades, entrepreneurship, healthcare); resume & mock interviews; Financial

Literacy 101; vision board “My Future Self.”

Day 5 – Housing & Transition Planning

Independent-living readiness; safe housing and resource navigation; transportation planning; Closing

Circle & Certificates: “My Commitment to Succeed.”

Part II – Year-Round Continuation & Mentorship Plan (12-Month Cycle)

Cycle: August–July • Cadence: One major workshop per month + mentor check-ins. Each quarter

follows a core theme mirroring the Intensive sequence, keeping prevention, coping, and independence skills active year-round.

Quarter 1 – Prevention Education (September–November)

Theme: Knowledge in Action — Staying Drug-Free in the Real World. Goal: Strengthen awareness of

substance-use risks, enhance decision-making, and empower youth with practical refusal skills.

September: Refusal Skills & Peer Influence — interactive role-plays and journaling scenario.

October: Opioid Awareness & NARCAN Refresher — practice session + guest speaker.

November: Substance-Free Leadership Project — youth-led PSA/poster/spoken word shared publicly.

Quarter 2 – Personal & Social Relationships (December–February)

Theme: Connection, Communication, and Boundaries. Goal: Build trust, respect, and conflict-resolution skills as key protective factors in prevention. Each session reinforces how healthy relationships and social support reduce substance-use risk.

December: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships — identify manipulation and isolation as early risk

factors; “Who’s in My Circle” mapping.

January: Boundaries & Self-Respect — role-play and journaling to strengthen assertiveness and

self-efficacy as prevention tools.

February: The Heart of Friendship — gratitude and trust projects reinforcing belonging as a protective

factor.

Quarter 3 – Health, Safety & Emotional Regulation (March–May)

Theme: Resilience Through Wellness. Goal: Reinforce emotional regulation, coping strategies, and

safety as core prevention education outcomes. Each activity connects stress management and mental health with substance-use prevention.

March: Coping Toolbox 2.0 — update triggers, identify early warning signs, and create safety plans for high-risk moments.

April: Wellness Challenge Month — promote mental, emotional, and physical health as natural

deterrents to risk behavior.

May: Respond, Don’t React — practice emotional regulation to prevent impulsive or high-risk decisions.

Quarter 4 – Financial Management & Housing Stability (June–July)

Theme: Building Independence & Safety. Goal: Strengthen decision-making, planning, and personal

responsibility as prevention-based life skills. Workshops connect independence and structure to

long-term protective factors.

June: Budgeting for Independence — create budgets and savings goals to reduce stress-related

relapse triggers.

July: Safe Housing & Community Resources — plan for safe environments and stable support networks that lower risk exposure.

Program Integration & Measurement

Monthly Mentor Check-Ins on prevention, coping, and goals. Quarterly Pulse Surveys to measure

growth in knowledge and self-efficacy. Attendance tracking of workshops and mentorship.

Alumni Leadership: prior participants co-facilitate select sessions.

Faith & Values Integration: reflective journaling and gratitude prompts tied to each theme.

Program Outcomes and Prevention Focus

• NARCAN training and opioid awareness are embedded throughout the Intensive and Year-Round

Plan.

• Each quarterly theme reinforces key protective factors including connection, resilience, and

self-efficacy.

• All curriculum components align with county-level substance use prevention priorities and youth

risk-reduction strategies.

• Mentorship and follow-up ensure consistent reinforcement of prevention messages in real-world

settings.