A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

"Healthy Steps for Safe Living"
Columbia, South Carolina

Richland County School District is one of the largest districts in South Carolina with 45 schools and an additional 8 specialized/alternative schools. The district serves over 27,000 students. The district is located within an urban Empowerment Zone characterized by high rates of poverty, significant numbers of confirmed child abuse cases, and a disproportionate number of referrals to juvenile court. Almost 40% of children live in single-parent homes and 22% entering the district are judged "not ready for first grade." Limited access to early childhood education and poor developmental skills are evident in student behavior. One in four 4^th to 6^th grade students report being regularly bullied. During the 1997-98 school year, 364 school crimes were reported—14% of those weapons violations. Students consistently score below the state average on standardize tests. On any given day, 100 students are in secure juvenile care.

Stakeholders in this effort include the Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council, The Children?s Center of South Carolina, the Columbia Urban League, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and the Rape Crisis Network. This consortium has developed a full continuum of services to prepare children for school, reduce student drug and alcohol use, and create a safe school environment.

To address the multitude of problems facing Richland youth, a special emphasis has been placed on early childhood education and intervention. A Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation Program will be implemented for young mothers. Mental health professionals will link with police officers for cross training and support services as part of a Child Development-Community Policing program. A quick response intervention team consisting of a psychologist, social worker, guidance counselor, and family liaison will provide therapeutic and crisis intervention. New curricula will concentrate on increasing life skills, reducing bullying, and promoting healthy lifestyles. Mentoring programs will be expanded and peer mediation will be implemented in all middle and high schools. To achieve a safe school environment, law enforcement will provide school security assessments, staff training, and law-related education. A transition plan will also be developed to integrate youth returning from secure care back into school.

The evaluation plan will be a comparative study of high risk and non-high risk students to measure violence and alcohol/drug behavior, developmental youth assets, and standardized test scores. Benchmarks have also been identified for a process evaluation.

Future funding to sustain these efforts will be sought through state appropriations, the United Way of South Carolina, and through a potential linkage with Empowerment Zone programs.

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