The Cambria County Drug & Alcohol Program has announced that Blacklick Valley, Forest Hills, and Richland school districts will be awarded funding for the purchase of vape detectors under its Environmental Strategies Reimbursement Project.
In this project, school districts examined how vaping devices are identified and classified in school policies, procedural steps to be taken when a student is found with a vaping device in school, and the disposition of students involved in vaping violations. The project promoted community-level engagement by involving local school administrators and elected school boards in the revision and approval process. The new policies impact the school environment by establishing and informing parents of standards for student behavior with the detectors providing a tool to apply and enforce policy. Funding priority was given to districts in which revised policies identified a process for impacted students to receive screening, assessment, and appropriate intervention and/or treatment services.
“It is a top priority of our agency and our school districts to identify and engage students in needed services. We are pleased to collaborate with these school districts in enhancing their process for accomplishing this,” said Fred Oliveros, administrator of the Drug & Alcohol Program.
The Drug & Alcohol Program will continue to review school district applications on a rolling basis and fund additional qualified projects as available funding permits. Schools interested in submitting application materials may contact Kate Porter, Prevention Program Manager at the Drug & Alcohol Program, at kporter@co.cambria.pa.us or (814) 536-5388.