Project Riverside Against Drugs (RAD) started in 1986 as a result of the award of a competitive grant offered by the Office of Criminal Justice and Planning. The grant resulted in the collaboration of 4 entities: Riverside USD, Alvord USD, The City of Riverside Police Department and the Riverside Greater Chambers of Commerce representing the business community.
The goal of Project RAD is for schools to provide innovative prevention, intervention and suppression curriculum and programs to assist students to live productive, drug-free lives. Project RAD’s funds in addition to other state and federal entitlement funds, including other competitive grants, provide the following intervention and prevention services to students and families:
School Resource Officers work full time at selected school sites to support campus safety. Full implementation of state approved drug education curriculum is provided in grades K-12.
Implementation of the Student Assistance Program Model provides a variety of intervention and prevention programs including support groups, conflict mediation, family conference model and classes to support the development of skills for success.
Funds from Project RAD in the past and present have funded or partially funded:
Student Assistance Program Facilitators in Alvord and RAD Coordinators in Riverside Unified to liaison with district level programs. They have many responsibilities including the implementation of special activities focusing on the anti-drug theme, documentation of the required implementation of drug education curriculum, as well as facilitation of student support groups.
Red Ribbon Week in October focuses on an awareness campaign supporting a no drug use message. Activities include a student poster contest, school decorating contests, lunch time activities and classroom presentation and/or assemblies. Parents, community members as well as students participate in this weeklong effort.
Other special weeks or days include: Suicide Prevention and Awareness Week, Week Without Violence, Kick-Butts Day, Great American Smokeout and National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month.
The presence of School Resource Officers on campuses deters some crimes. Other services School Resource Officers provide are investigation of crimes occurring on campus, assisting with truants and working positively by making presentations to students, staff and parents.
Support groups and individual counseling is provided for students determined to be at-risk or who are identified through the suspension process as being involved in drugs and/or alcohol abuse.
Utilizing the 90 minute family conference model, students and parents identify areas of concern and together develop a plan of action to address the issues identified. Often these issues involve the use of drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
Administration of the California Healthy Kids Survey to students in grades 5, 7, 9 and 11 provides extensive health related data from nutrition to drug and alcohol use. This data is required to identify needs and develop programs to address those needs. The data is reported publicly as well as to students to help in making program decisions.
Staff training on the adopted drug education curriculum is provided annually to teachers. Other opportunities to attend conferences about drug and alcohol related issues and positive youth development strategies to reduce risky behaviors are offered and supported.
Parent education classes, resource guides, pamphlets, and health fairs provide parents with information about how to identify signs of youth drug use and violence. Additionally, a positive parenting approach is taught in classes.
Student conferences, positive alternative clubs (Friday Night Live) and/or classes (drug education, anger management, skills for success to name a few) are provided to assist students in making positive, healthy life choices.
Community involvement is solicited to participate on various committees or advisories to provide input and consultation as intervention and prevention programs are designed and implemented. They assist in the evaluation and monitoring of the programs.
Every year the staff and School Resource Officers involved in Project RAD are thanked at the Mayor’s Thank You event. Riverside dignitaries come together to celebrate the work for students, families and community throughout the year by a few very dedicated individuals. Students share their success stories.
