For Immediate Release
Contact: Lindsay Corcoran 508-368-7252
WORCESTER — The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office is expanding access to the Drug Story Theater program for all middle and high schools across the county, including providing translated Spanish and Portuguese versions, so that all students can receive an education on substance misuse and the disease of addiction, according to District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
Through the federal Department of Justice Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) grant, the District Attorney’s Office is funding a $25,000 expansion of the Drug Story Theater program to include multilingual translations that will ensure all children have an equitable prevention education and resources.
“Education can combat the social pressures a child faces when making decisions around drugs and alcohol,” Mr. Early said. “Drug Story Theater provides students of all languages and backgrounds with the tools and knowledge they need to stay substance-free, keeping them out of the criminal justice system and preventing tragedies before they occur.”
The Drug Story Theater program will now be available to all schools in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
In 2018, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office hosted Drug Story Theater at their Annual Wellness Conference at Anna Maria College. The program teaches youth about peer pressure, addiction and recovery from drugs and alcohol through the first-hand experiences of teens in a theatrical setting, aiming to decrease adolescent substance misuse.