Outcomes

• Court-ordered youths were required to attend educational meetings in which participants were educated on the long-term physical and psychological effects of meth addiction. Also, volunteers were presented to share stories of their struggle with addiction. Participating youths were required to use journals to vent and tell stories of living with other family members who are addicts.
• Provided educational courses at two school settings in East Arkansas.
• Participants in the program were required to be subjected to random drug testing by juvenile probation officers.

Lives Affected

587 youths participated in program.

Cost Effectiveness

Although results will be measured through one year follow-up with program participants, 93% of participants successfully completed the Choices program and their juvenile probation. This will affect the costly need for residential treatment, emergency room treatment and school behavior remediation.