Medford Uses National Opioid Settlement to Tackle Teen Drug and Vaping Use
MEDFORD, Ore. — The City of Medford has concluded three-year National Opioids Settlement Fund funding agreements for a teen substance abuse prevention program launched in schools in late March that has already supported 56 students across six Medford schools.
Teen Intervene, a nationwide, evidence-based teen substance abuse prevention program, partners with the City of Medford, OnTrack Rogue Valley, the Medford School District, and Jackson County Health & Human Services.
The program is intended for youth aged 12 to 19 who are experiencing mild to moderate use of alcohol, drugs, or vaping products.
It offers an alternative to traditional suspensions by providing an in-school suspension where students are screened and provided with access to resources, and school-based certified alcohol and drug counselors work with teens to explore coping skills, set personal goals, and support behavior change aimed at reducing or eliminating substance use.
The three-year agreements funded by the National Opioids Settlement Fund, which consists of payouts from opioid-related lawsuits, are with:
- OnTrack: $40,000 per year to provide two program counselors,
- The Medford School District: $9,000 per year,
- Jackson County HHS: $43,000 to purchase the Teen Intervene curriculum.