Rite Aid Foundation Launches Prescription Drug Safety Initiative in Scranton-Area High Schools
December 07 2018 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
In an effort to help address adolescent drug abuse and misuse in
Pennsylvania, The Rite Aid Foundation is bringing the
Prescription Drug Safety program, an innovative digital
course about prescription drug abuse prevention, to Scranton-area
high schools.
The program, developed by EVERFI, the nation’s leading
technology innovator used in one in seven schools nationwide, will
be made available to high schools in the Scranton area, at no cost.
Representatives of The Rite Aid Foundation, U.S. Senator Bob
Casey’s office, U.S. Senator Pat Toomey’s office, U.S.
Representative Matt Cartwright’s office and local community
officials from the City of Carbondale announced the launch of the
new program during a press conference and demonstration at
Carbondale Area High School.
“Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem across
the United States. Every day 116 people die from opioid-related
drug overdoses,” said Tracy Henderson, director of The Rite Aid
Foundation. “Our nation is in the midst of an unprecedented
epidemic that threatens the health, safety and wellbeing of our
young people. The Rite Aid Foundation is proud to introduce this
important prevention education to Scranton-area students. We hope
it arms them with the skills and knowledge to make smart decisions
and prevent abuse before it occurs.”
The Prescription Drug Safety program uses an
evidence-based, public health approach to empower high school
students with the skills and knowledge they need to make safe and
healthy decisions about prescription drugs. Through interactive
scenarios and self-guided activities, students learn the facts
about drugs, how to properly use and dispose of them, and how to
step in when faced with a situation involving misuse. The course is
aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
National Health Education Standards and state academic standards.
There is also a microsite with additional resources including
parent guides and information on local safe medication
disposal.
Pennsylvania is one of the states hardest hit by prescription
drug abuse and the opioid epidemic. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania is among the top five
states with the highest rates of opioid-related deaths. In
addition, the number of drug overdose deaths is increasing more
rapidly in Pennsylvania than any other state in the nation.
“Prescription drug abuse and the opioid epidemic are serious
public health and public safety challenges,” said Brian Bognatz,
Carbondale Police Chief. “Collaboration is vital to reversing this
disturbing trend. Law enforcement, state lawmakers, medical
professionals, educators and community members need to join forces
and partner on solutions that help prevent abuse before it
occurs.”
Carbondale Area School District is implementing the six-lesson
online Prescription Drug Safety program as part of the
health education program. Carbondale Area High School is the first
Scranton-area school to integrate the program into its curriculum.
Over the next year, numerous other local high schools will activate
the program.
“We pride ourselves in preparing our students for the world they
will enter into after graduation. Prescription drug abuse and
opioid addiction are important issues that impact every member of
our community,” said Robert Mehalick, Superintendent, Carbondale
Area School District. “We are grateful to The Rite Aid Foundation
for helping us provide this meaningful program. We know it will
empower our students to make healthy decisions and help our
community overcome this growing epidemic.”
In addition to the activation in Scranton-area high schools, as
part of its commitment to creating safe and healthy environments
for children and teens, The Rite Aid Foundation, through its
KidCents program, will also fund the introduction of the
Prescription Drug Safety program to high schools in the
Harrisburg/York/Lancaster/Lebanon and Pittsburgh markets in
Pennsylvania as well as several communities in Washington,
California, Michigan, Oregon and Ohio. In all, The Rite Aid
Foundation made a three-year, $1.7 million commitment to the
Prescription Drug Safety program, which is expected to reach
more than 400 high schools.
Through KidCents, members of Rite Aid's loyalty program,
wellness+ rewards, can round up their in-store or online
purchases to the nearest dollar and give their change to one of
more than 440 nonprofit organizations focused on improving the
health and wellbeing of children. For more information, visit
www.kidcents.com.
Since its inception in 2001, The Rite Aid Foundation has awarded
more than $36 million to nonprofit organizations. Additionally,
Rite Aid, through the efforts of its customers, supplier partners
and associates, has also raised more than $87 million for
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals across the country since
1994.
Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) is one of the nation's leading
drugstore chains with fiscal 2017 annual revenues of $32.8 billion.
Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and
press releases, is available through the company's website at
www.riteaid.com.
The Carbondale Area School District is a small, suburban school
district that provides education services to the children residing
in the City of Carbondale and Fell Township in Lackawanna County,
Pennsylvania.
EVERFI, Inc. is the leading education technology company that
provides learners of all ages education for the real world, through
innovative and scalable digital learning. Founded in 2008, EVERFI
has certified over 16 million learners in critical skill areas with
more than 4,300 partners in all 50 U.S. States and Canada. EVERFI
is an industry convener that builds Networks to tackle the toughest
social issues, including the Campus Prevention Network, a coalition
of higher education institutions committed to campus sexual assault
and alcohol abuse prevention; and the Financial Capability Network,
a coalition of industry leaders dedicated to improving financial
outcomes for communities across the country. Some of America’s
leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EVERFI investors
including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Google Chairman Eric
Schmidt, Twitter founder Evan Williams, TPG Growth, and The Rise
Fund.
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MEDIA:Rite AidPete Strella717-975-5718pstrella@riteaid.com
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