Through contracts with three local school districts, PDAP sends counselors to various middle and high schools to meet with students referred by school staff. Currently, the Oxnard Elementary School District contracts for counselors to schedule time each week at all the middle schools and K-8 schools in their district to meet with sixth, seventh and eighth graders who show indications of alcohol and drug use. The Rio Elementary School District has requested similar services at their middle schools. Experience has shown us that this on-going intervention throughout the school year is often impactful in persuading these younger students to stop using these substances and seek the help they need to improve their functioning with schoolwork and classroom behavior and in their families. In the Santa Paula Unified School District, our counselors meet with students weekly at Isbell Middle School for individual counseling, and at Santa Paula High School for an after-school group.
