Adopted January 1995 – Revised February 2014 – Revised May 2020– Health, Community Concerns and Family Engagement Commissions
California State PTA believes in the importance of preventing and eliminating factors that may be detrimental to the health, safety and well-being of all children, families and youth.
PTA believes that prevention efforts must involve the home, the school, and the community seeking effective ways to address the use and abuse of drugs, alcohol, and nicotine-containing products. The issues should be faced through improving family communication skills, knowledge of primary prevention education programs in the school, and developing community programs.
PTA believes every child has the right to develop to his fullest potential and is firmly committed to helping ensure that development through proactive methods. To fulfill this commitment, PTA initiates and supports legislation aimed at education, abuse prevention and control related to issues of drug, alcohol and nicotine-containing product use.
Recognizing that any circumstance that interferes with a child’s potential to become a healthy, educated, productive citizen places that child at risk, California State PTA believes prevention and intervention programs are vital.
California State PTA further believes that collaboration must occur between the school, health, social services, and other community agencies to design and provide intervention and prevention/support programs for youth. Early intervention is needed to end the escalating patterns of alienation, which often lead to anti-social and criminal behavior. Prevention and intervention programs must include the areas of physical health, mental health and be designed to enable children and youth to become productive citizens in their communities.
Such programs may include strategies that will:
- Enhance self-esteem and self-confidence;
- Emphasize disease prevention, immunization, visual screening, auditory testing and dental care;
- Educate youth on proper nutrition, appropriate prenatal care, and the dangers of using alcohol, drug, and nicotine-containing products;
- Provide counseling, and where appropriate, mentoring;
- Strengthen and expand alternative education programs;
- Provide life skills education including parenting and vocational training; and
- Provide positive age appropriate recreational, social, and cultural activities in the community before and after school hours and on weekends.
