Instructional approaches that promote critical thinking and enhance social and emotional skills may prevent or reduce behaviors that lead to substance use and violence. Skills-based instructional approaches can be offered as discrete "health education" courses, incorporated within existing courses (e.g., social studies), or integrated across the academic curriculum (i.e., spread throughout numerous existing courses and activities).

"Our students need help developing social, interpersonal problem-solving, and anger management skills. [Many of our prevention] activities help clarify behavioral expectations and create a calmer school climate, which should decrease the number of behavioral referrals schoolwide."
Mary Milkovich, MSC, Flint, Michigan

Ideally, skills-based instruction should: