Happy, Healthy Students
Empowered, Inspired Staff
Empowered, Informed Parents

What is Prevention?

SEP Mission

Prevention promotes the health and safety of individuals and communities by reducing the likelihood of – or delaying the onset of – behavioral health problems, including substance abuse, mental illness, suicide, problem gambling, problem gaming, and screen disorders. Quality prevention programming supports student mental wellness by decreasing risky behaviors like bullying and substance use while promoting healthy behaviors like refusal skills, stress management, and behavioral self-regulation.

Students spend five to six hours a day in school, making it the optimal place to promote healthy behaviors and student resilience (Health Policy Institute of Ohio, 2018). The mission of SEP is to assist schools with implementing best-practice prevention services and strategies in order to create healthy, drug-free environments that promote optimal mental health for students, parents, teachers, and staff in the school community.

Program Levels

How It Works

A school that achieves Bronze Level in the SEP program will meet the following criteria:

Implement one strategy or program for students that reaches 25% of the student body.
Implement one parent/guardian strategy or program that reaches 10% of the parent/guardian population (parent population will be calculated on a one-to-one ratio with the student population, e.g., 1500 students will be counted as 1500 parents/guardians).
Implement one strategy or program for staff members that reaches 25% of the staff.

A school that achieves Silver Level in the SEP program will meet the following criteria:

Implement two strategies or programs for students that reach 50% of the student body.
Implement two parent/guardian strategies or programs that reach 20% of the parent/guardian population (parent population will be calculated on a one-to-one ratio with the student population, e.g., 1500 students will be counted as 1500 parents/guardians).
Implement two strategies or programs for staff members that reach 50% of the staff.
Implement one student-risk screener that reaches 25% of the student body.
Implement one peer-to-peer engagement program or strategy.
Examine and revise one school policy/procedure related to student substance, alcohol, or tobacco use; student discipline; staff prevention programming professional development; or drug-free workplace. Examples may include revisiting the student alcohol use policy and revising the policy to provide prevention programming for students in lieu of suspension or mandating opioid training for coaches and athletes.
The person who is coordinating Schools of Excellence in Prevention in the building must take the 1 hour MCESC Prevention Science training.
Implement a Level I Prevention-Specific Plan (see details under examples).

A school that achieves Gold Level in the SEP program will meet the following criteria:

Implement a building level needs survey. Examples include a culture and climate survey for students, parents, or staff or an SEL survey such as the Panorama survey.
Implement three strategies or programs for students that reach 75% of the student body.
Implement three parent/guardian strategies or programs that reach 30% of the parent/guardian population (parent population will be calculated on a one-to-one ratio with the student population, e.g., 1500 students will be counted as 1500 parents/guardians).
Implement three strategies or programs for staff members that reach 75% of the staff.
Implement one student-risk screener that reaches 50% of the student body.
Implement two peer-to-peer engagement programs or strategies.
Examine and revise one school policy/procedure related to either student substance, alcohol, or tobacco use; student discipline; staff prevention programming professional development; or drug-free workplace. Examples may include revisiting the student alcohol use policy and revising the policy to provide prevention programming for students in lieu of suspension or mandating opioid training for coaches and athletes.
Participate in an SEP approved, prevention or student mental/behavioral health related community partnership.
The person who is coordinating Schools of Excellence in Prevention in the building must take the 1 hour MCESC Prevention Science training.
Implement a Level II Strategic Plan (see examples for details).

A school that achieves Platinum Level in the SEP program will meet the following criteria:

Implement a building level needs survey. Examples include a culture and climate survey for students, parents, or staff or an SEL survey such as the Panorama survey.
Implement four strategies or programs for students that reach 100% of the student body.
Implement four parent/guardian strategies or programs that reach 40% of the parent/guardian population (parent population will be calculated on a one-to-one ratio with the student population, e.g., 1500 students will be counted as 1500 parents/guardians).
Implement four strategies or programs for staff members that reach 100% of the staff.
Implement one student-risk screener that reaches 75% of the student body.
Implement three peer-to-peer engagement programs or strategies.
Examine and revise two school policies/procedures related to either student substance, alcohol, or tobacco use; student discipline; staff prevention programming professional development; or drug-free workplace. Examples may include revisiting the student alcohol use policy and revising the policy to provide prevention programming for students in lieu of suspension or mandating opioid training for coaches and athletes.
Participate in an SEP approved, prevention or student mental/behavioral health related community partnership.
The person who is coordinating Schools of Excellence in Prevention in the building must take the 1 hour MCESC Prevention Science training.
Implement a Level III Prevention-Specific Plan (see examples for details).

SEP Process

The Schools of Excellence in Prevention Process

Many of the programs in Schools of Excellence in Prevention are free, and your school can be connected with subject matter experts along the way to help provide, implement, consult, and support your prevention programming.

1. Apply

We are now accepting registrations for the current school year. Contact Amy Claywell at amy.claywell@mcesc.org with your school and contact information.

2. Consultation

Following your registration, you will receive a consultation with the Schools of Excellence in Prevention Services Supervisor. During the consultation process, we will evaluate your current programming and practices, assess your needs, and create a plan that will work for your school.

3. Implementation

After creating your plan, the SEP coordinator and subject matter experts will help support you in implementing the plan. This includes providing programming, ongoing support and consultation, and working with you to help develop sustainability and capacity for your prevention programming.

4. Ratings

Schools will earn a school rating that is calculated based on implementing strategies and programming across nine different categories including peer-to-peer engagement, parent education, student education, school policy, staff development, community partnerships, building level surveys, individual student risk assessments, and prevention programming strategic planning.

See the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Program Levels Above

Contact

Questions?