Press Release – LifeSkills Training

Date: September 26, 2007

Contact:        Mary Siembida

                    Licking Co. Health Dept.

                    #349-6535

This month, over 90 sixth grade students in Licking County finished their coursework about the dangers of tobacco use and the value of good life choices through a program called LifeSkills.  This is the first year that LifeSkills has been offered to area schools through the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation.   Through the Southeastern Ohio Regional Tobacco Consortium, over a thousand youth in Fairfield, Vinton, Ross, Pickaway, Hocking, Licking and Perry Counties received education this past year on the dangers of tobacco use through prevention programming.  

These efforts have had an impact in decreasing not only tobacco use rates, but creating a generation of youth who are tobacco free and standing up for what they believe in. According to National Health Promotions Associates, Inc, LifeSkills has been scientifically researched with the results proving that it can reduce the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and drug use by as much as 87 percent.  LifeSkills has also been shown to reduce violent and aggressive behavior. 

The curriculum consists of 15 class sessions dealing with topics like self-image, smoking, violence, coping with anxiety and communications skills.  Many schools lack the resources and staff to address these skills that teens need to make positive life choices.  By offering the LifeSkills program, the Licking County Health Department is able to fill a void in the student’s lives. 

For more information, please contact Mary Siembida with the Licking County Health Department at 740-349-6535.