Since 2001, the Clean Teens organization has provided parents and youth with effective substance abuse prevention and intervention programs that have been proven to delay and eliminate alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs use by adolescents.
Established by the current executive director, Justin Bishop, the Clean Teens organization was built on the assumption that widespread, meaningful, multi systemic and sustainable substance abuse prevention can; reduce adolescent substance use/abuse therefore reduce the number of criminal behaviors and financial burdens to the community.
Organized exclusively for adolescent substance abuse and crime prevention purposes, more specifically, the organization shall provide comprehensive, science-based, multi systemic substance abuse prevention and intervention programs for at-risk and high-risk youth. Ideally, through the Clean Teens programs, we work in partnership with the parent/s or guardian/s to achieve set goals developed by the parent/s or guardian/s.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, adolescent alcohol and drug abuse is not inevitable. It is preventable. Clean Teens prevention programming provides maximum benefit to parents by curbing substance abuse among their children as well as other promising strategies that have increased school academics and reduced truancy among many students in high school.
Goals & Objectives:
We recognize our responsibility to maintain the highest standards of quality services for our clients through the employment, retention and promotion of staff who demonstrate an attitude of service excellence and a commitment to all aspects of the Clean Teens mission. We strive to provide an environment conducive to personal and professional growth for our employees, a setting for community/home research and teaching, and a "client first" attitude toward the day-to-day conduct of our business.
Taking the Time
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Clean Teens is about understanding young people and their families within their social worlds, and using thier environment to adjust behaviors as needed and improve their life, social and decisionmaking skills. The fundimental principles to empower and motivate youth and parents reflect our many success stories. |
Substance Abuse is NOT Inevitable, It is PREVENTABLE!
Collaboration Goals:
Clean Teens collaboration philosophy is to work in cooperation with and to promote collaboration among the diverse elements of the community to support prevention efforts that are mutually equitable, beneficial, and well-defined to achieve ultimate results.
Our goal of collaboration is to bring individuals and groups from diverse communities, agencies, and organizations together in an atmosphere of support to solve existing and emerging problems that perpetuate adolescent use and access to use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in Washtenaw County.
Collaboration reflects a point of view: that by working together with partners, formal or informal, can bring different perspectives to bear to solve problems and work toward the common goal of providing positive opportunities for youth, strengthen families, and promote healthy communities.
Currently, there is no one prescribed formula for Clean Teens collaboration with organizations and agencies. There are many different levels at which organizations and agencies can collaborate with Clean Teensfrom having and loose and informal relationships, to integrating visions, and services that support and further research based prevention concepts and programs that are measurable and accountable for use of funds and impact in the community.
Why Clean Teens?
Preventing adolescent substance use/abuse is not only one of our nations highest priorities but a local priority for parents as well. Although the latest national report from Monitoring the Future has indicated a marginal increase in teen perceived risk and disapproval rate of drugs, substance abuse rates among adolescents remain high - both nationally and locally. Washtenaw County Community Partnership, a local nonprofit organization, has provided a summary of adolescent Alcohol, Tobacco, and other Drug use within school districts of Washtenaw County during the 2000-2001 school year. As reported on the evening news (WXYZTV, Channel 7) on September 5, 2001, that in a national survey of high school students, 50% reported being able to buy or obtain illicit drugs at school. Over 50% of the students polled in this survey knew someone who used drugs or used drugs himself or herself. There is a pressing need for effective programs for adolescents that focus on prevention. There is also a great need for treatment programs for young addicts and users that are at risk.
In Washtenaw County, use rates for high school seniors exceeded national rates for a number of drugs. The health and safety of our community is jeopardized by the problems associated with youth substance abuse. Listening to local parents about how their child is experiencing physical, mental, and legal consequences due to drug use/abuse or their experience of burring their child due to overdose or accident is just horrendous. Substance abuse is not inevitable. It is PREVENTABLE! To this end, Clean Teens is built on the assumption that widespread, meaningful, and sustainable substance abuse prevention can; reduce adolescent substance use/abuse, the number of criminal events, prevent harm to the child and prevent harm to the community.
Although the latest national survey results from the 2004 Monitoring the Future Study (University of Michigan Institute for Social Research) reports an increase in adolescent perceived risks, and disapproval of some drugs, others such as inhalants have decrease in perceived risk and disapproval by teens. To view this report click Monitoring the Future.
Clearly, the tragic events of 9/11 and the current war on terror in the east have had the effect of reducing news coverage of many domestic issues, drug use among them, therefore reducing the amount of disseminating information of the potential harm of drugs. That leaves young people less likely to be exposed to messages about adverse consequences that may result from using many of these drugs.
Substance abuse prevention needs are relative to the current communities health and safety strategies that address substance abuse. Clean Teens of which address youth social systems (e.g., family, school, peer groups, & community) and cognitive factors (e.g., community centers, available & affordable activities, leadership opportunities, etc.). Clean Teens will soon be expanding its services to offer many youth & parents the needed assurance that they can access reliable support &/or activities when they need it. When social systems for at-risk youth carry far more risk factors (less support) than protective factors in their family, school, peer groups, and community, not only do the child and parent experience physical, metal, and spiritual consequences, the community suffers in many financial areas. Children are influenced by each of these systems, but also exert some influence on these systems. Either at-risk youth & their parents have not the resources to address current risk factors or the community offers insufficient resources to address these risk factors. To learn more about these risk and protective factors, click Risk and Protective Factors.