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Preventing Substance Abuse in Special Education Students

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 1R43DA014731-01
Amount: $99,992.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
1839 GARDEN AVE
EUGENE, OR 97403
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 JENNIFER WELLS
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: (541) 342-7227
Email: DARY@ORASINC.COM
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): The overall goal of this project is to create an interactive program designed to prevent use and abuse of illicit
substances among youth with mental retardation and developmental disabilities
(IMRDD). Young people with MRDD want to be like, and be accepted by their
non-disabled peers. Research has shown that MRDD youth are more apt to use
illicit substances in response to social (i.e., peer) pressure than their
non-disabled peers. Additionally, approximately half of individuals with MRDD
who use substances (including alcohol) may be characterized as substance
abusers. Individuals with MRDD that abuse substances suffer the same
health-related, social, economic, and emotional consequences as people without
MRDD.

This project will develop four stand-alone gender-specific CD-ROM substance
abuse prevention programs for youth with MRDD at middle school and high school
age levels. Within each program, the social and behavioral skills required for
(a) recognition of, (b) response to, and (c) retreat from substance use risk
situations will be taught via an interactive text-free program that
incorporates graphic, animation, and video components. Direct Instruction (DI)
methodology will be employed to facilitate mastery of program content for all
program users. Forty MRDD high school males in a pre/post test design will
evaluate the program.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS:
This program fills a unique need: Substance abuse prevention for youth with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (MRDD). This product will be attractive to people with MRDD, and anyone serving this population (e.g., schools, health clinics, parents, services for at-risk youth, training centers, vocational and residential services.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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