Prevention

CBHS prevention is a vital community resource for planning and offering programs aimed at preventing problems before they occur. CBHS prevention strives to promote healthy lifestyle choices by encouraging individuals, families, communities, and governments to take responsibility for reaching the highest state of health and quality of life.  We focus on reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors by developing individuals’ strengths and skills, facilitating community resources, and re-enforcing societal norms which re-enforce positive behaviors.

Education
Educational programs increase individuals ‘understanding of drug/alcohol abuse and how they can improve their well-being by making behavior and lifestyle changes. We provide sessions aimed to affect decision making skills, peer resistance skills, and critical analysis of messages received from the environment. All programs are evidenced-based and proven effective. Program length varies depending on the program.

• Life Skills
• Towards No Tobacco
• Towards No Drugs
• All Stars
• Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies
• Too Good for Violence
• Project Alert

Information Dissemination
We provide information about substance abuse to increase awareness of the impact of alcohol/drugs abuse and need for change.

• Health Fairs
• Newsletters
• Fliers, Brochures, and Pamphlets
• Workshops/trainings
• Speaking engagements in schools, workplaces, clubs, churches and other community organizations
• Media Campaigns
• Newspaper Articles

We also have a resource library for the public with free pamphlets, brochures and flyers for all ages.

Alternative Services
We host and participate in events to help develop social, leadership, and communication skills in a substance-free environment.

• Clarendon Games
• Kids Day
• SISTA Project
• Marty Mentors
• After-School Programs
• Summer Programs
• Youth Advisory Council

Environmental/Social Policy
Community attitudes about alcohol/drugs influence the incidence and prevalence of alcohol/drugs. We assist workplaces, schools, and other organizations in reviewing and enhancing their substance abuse policies. Seeking to establish or change community attitudes is part of our on-going effort. Strategies that are currently implemented in Clarendon County are

• Alcohol and Tobacco Compliance Checks
• Public Safety Checkpoints
• Media Campaigns
• Palmetto Retailer Education Program ( Merchant Education)
• Source Investigation
• Bar Checks/Fake Id Sweeps
• Saturation Patrols
• Shoulder Taps
• Controlled Party Dispersals

Community-Based Process
To enhance the ability of the community to provide effective substance abuse prevention services and address community issues and concerns, we collaborate and create partnerships with our community coalitions, schools, task forces, law enforcement, and other organizations in the community to provide programmatic oversight, funding strategies and technical assistance.

• 3rd Judicial Alcohol Enforcement Team
• Clarendon County Tobacco-Free Kids Coalition
• Wateree AIDS Task Force
• Clarendon Behavioral Health Services Advisory Board
• Clarendon County Inter-Agency Board
• Clarendon School District #1 Comprehensive Health Committee

Problem Identification and Referral
Early identification and referral programs target specific individuals for participation and are more intensive in nature than prevention efforts that are directed to the general population. This prevention strategy aims at the identification of those who have indulged in a risky behavior in order to assess if their behavior can be reversed through education.

• Tobacco Education Program
• HIV  Rapid Testing (Clients only, see Treatment Session)
• Alcohol Education Program (see Intervention Section)
• Alcohol Intervention Program (see Intervention Section)

Other Programs

• Anger Management
• Smoking Cessation
• HIV/AIDS Education
• Fatal Vision Goggles
• Prescription Take-Back

Some programs may have a cost associated with it.

Scope of Services

The Prevention Department of Clarendon Behavioral Health Services serves Clarendon County residents and we accept referrals from other counties when requested.  Although adequate facilities exist to conduct programs on-site, most programs are conducted at the requested site in the community such as schools, churches, other local agencies, and etc.  Normal hours of operations are Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5pm, except for special requests for Saturday and varying hours.   The frequency of services depends upon specific programs/services being requested but may be one to four times a week.  Most prevention programs are free to the citizens and those with a fee are self-pay.  The types of programs provided are divided into five categories – information, education, alternative, community-based process, and environmental (listed on management plans).  Referrals for services are accepted from self-referrals, schools, court system, law enforcement, and others depending on client needs.