Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Program

The Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Specialists (SAPIS) program provides a range of prevention and intervention services in grades K-12. The goals of the program are to:

• Reduce the prevalence of substance abuse among youth

• Delay the initiation of substance abuse behavior among youth

• Decrease the negative health, social, and educational consequences associated with substance abuse

• Prevent the escalation of substance abuse behaviors to levels requiring treatment 

Services include

• classroom lessons (using evidence-based programs)

• individual and group counseling

• peer leadership programs

• positive alternative activities

• crisis intervention

• conflict resolution

• assessments and referrals for mental health and substance abuse services

• school-wide prevention projects

Students who are at risk for alcohol and substance abuse, gang involvement, suspension from school, disruptive behaviors, and violations of the Discipline Code are referred to SAPIS for intervention services. SAPIS provide parent workshops that address alcohol and substance abuse issues as well as bullying and violence prevention. SAPIS provide crisis-response services to schools needing support during crisis incidents.

ReStart Academy

is for 13–21 year old students in different settings, including substance-abuse day and residential treatment. ReStart Academy provides a path to:

• middle school promotion

• high school diploma or

• high school equivalency

ReStart has locations throughout the City and two live-in locations in upstate New York. Visit the ReStart Academy website(Open external link) for contact information.

Resources

• Catch My Breath Parent Toolkit(Open external link) provides important facts about the youth vaping epidemic and strategies for parents in talking to their children about vaping.

• Talk2Prevent(Open external link) is a website for parents that includes a toolkit with conversation starters, a list of warning signs, as well as information about underage drinking and drug use.

• NY State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (Open external link)oversees one of the nation’s largest addiction services systems with nearly 1,600 prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

• Combat Heroin(Open external link): visit this site to learn about the warning signs of abusing opioids and/or heroin, the progression of addiction, and stories of hope.

• NY State Hopeline (1-877-8-HOPENY) offers help 24 hours a day for alcoholism, drug abuse, and problem gambling.

• Synthetics Toolkit(Open external link) provides resources for substance abuse of synthetic marijuana, which can cause dangerous health effects and even death.

• NYC Health(Open external link), The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website offers resources for alcohol and drug abuse as well as NYC data.

• 988(Open external link) is New York City’s free, confidential support, crisis intervention, and information and referral service for anyone seeking help for mental health and/or substance misuse concerns, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

• Partnership for Drug Free Kids(Open external link) is a nonprofit organization working to reduce teen substance abuse and support families impacted by addiction.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism(Open external link) supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being.

• National Institute on Drug Abuse(Open external link) leads the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration(Open external link) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation.