Safe and Sober

During the 2020-2021 academic year, Safe and Sober saw the impact of COVID on program consumption. As schools rapidly switched to virtual learning, Safe and Sober was able to immediately pivot to virtual distribution thanks to the strong technology backbone of the Safe and Sober website. Safe and Sober content was accessed by 270 schools and organizations and reached over 93,000 students. The Safe and Sober geographic footprint continues to expand and now includes schools in 20 states. Students watch a video featuring real stories about real people designed to show the importance of staying safe and sober. This includes alcohol and drug prevention messages and includes mental health coping mechanisms. Students are asked to take a pledge to make safe choices. Positive peer pressure, mental health coping tips and messaging and support from parents and teachers holds students accountable. Our goal is to normalize not using substances and address mental health as an important part of our individual health. So we teach students how to take care of their mental health as an important part of substance misuse prevention. Safe and Sober also provides parents with information about the dangers of underage drinking and drug use as well as tips for setting limits and expectations for their teen to stay sober. Safe and Sober primarily operates from revenue from private donors and a state highway safety grant.