LAS VEGAS

– Jan. 19, 2009. The Solutions Foundation will continue its Opiate Awareness training for counselors and

health instructors at the Clark County School District (CCSD) during Staff Development Day on Jan. 23, 2009.

The Solutions Foundation has launched an opiate campaign aimed to combat the use of opiates by introducing an

informational booklet, and creating a parent tool kit which will provide educational material on the opiates and

suggestions for discussing drugs with children.

“There has been a marked increase in the number of people addicted to prescription pain pills and more and more of

Nevada’s youth are experimenting with black tar heroin,” said Michael R. Adams, LCSW, a board member for The

Foundation as well as a licensed social worker in Nevada. “We want to offer a proactive response to the problem.”

The Opiate Awareness Campaign will be introduced to Clark County School District students via “It’s Tough Being a

Teen, Don’t Make it Tougher,” a handbook which will be distributed to 6

th to 12th graders. The handbooks were developed

by local clinicians along with multiple healthcare professionals. The handbooks describe the cognitive, physical and

psychological effects of opiates. Additionally, over 1,000 individuals will receive training in order to educate other adults

and children on opiates and its consequences.

"I am proud of the continued and focused efforts within the Clark County School District to ensure students have the

brightest, possible future beginning with drug free schools", says First Lady Dawn Gibbons.