STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Emmy Award-winning actress Kristen Johnston -- best-known for her roles as Sally in "3rd Rock from the Sun" and more recently as Holly in TVLAND's "The Exes"-- has selected a Bloomfield charter school to be the New York City pilot school for her national non-profit alcohol and substance-abuse recovery program. The program, known as SLAM...
Actress Kristen Johnston, from TVLAND's "The Exes" is bringing her non-profit, recovery-support program known as SLAM to Lavelle Preparatory Charter School in Bloomfield. (TVLAND photo)STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Emmy Award-winning actress Kristen Johnston -- best-known for her roles as Sally in "3rd Rock from the Sun" and more recently as Holly in TVLAND's "The Exes"-- has selected a Bloomfield charter school to be the New York City pilot school for her national non-profit alcohol and substance-abuse recovery program.
The program, known as SLAM (Sobriety, Learning and Motivation), will serve adolescents and teens at Lavelle Peparatory Charter School.
According to the actress' website, Lavelle will be her first collaboration with a New York City school, with the goal of creating the city's first "sober high school."
"SLAM will act in an advisory capacity as well as fund-raising to provide much-needed support, including an on-site certified addiction and substance abuse counselor," she said.
In addition to focusing on adolescents and teens who need recovery, the program will also provide support to families of those students, and to students living with a parent who has an alcohol or substance-abuse problem
'OUR BLACK PLAGUE'
"Addiction is our black plague. ... The drug and alcohol epidemic in the United States is a national health crisis, especially among our teenagers," Ms. Johnston said.
"The number of teens in New York City and state suffering from drug and alcohol addiction are well above the national average. . . in the state of New York, almost 160,000 teens ages 12-17 have a substance abuse problem. If a teen is lucky enough to be sent to rehab, 90 percent of them relapse upon returning to school; 80 percent in the first 30 days."
The problem hits home on Staten Island, where the rate of alcohol and substance abuse among young people has spiked as they continue to combine drinking, addictive prescription painkillers and illegal opiates like heroin.
Ms. Johnston, 47, and now sober, battled her own addiction to alcohol and pills that started when she was a teenager in high school.
She founded SLAM eight years ago, with partners Thom Krauss and Joe Schrank, who is also a recovered alcoholic.
Lavelle president, Dr. Kenneth Byalin, said he welcomes the program to the school, which serves nearly 500 students in grades six through 12. Admission to the charter school is determined by lottery.
"It's wonderful that they will be able to bring more resources to our school, to our students and families, especially given the dimensions of the problem on Staten Island," he said.
Byalin said staff-training will get underway over the summer, so that teachers can bring the program into their classrooms in September. He said he expects the program to become part of the school's "wellness curriculum" for all students.
ISLAND ALREADY HAS PROGRAMS IN PLACE
Earlier this month, District Attorney Daniel Donovan District announced his new anti-drug initiative that will be offered to all high schools and intermediate schools on Staten Island.
Called the "No D Initiative" -- a play on the term "OD" (overdose) -- the plan focuses on interactive classroom exercises. The 35-minute presentations include real-life examples of opioid abuse, the damage inflicted on families by addicts and the legal ramifications that come with drug-related crimes, combining a Power Point display with a lecture provided by assistant district attorneys who have experience with prosecuting drug-related cases.
Borough President James Oddo also plans to bring his "Too Good for Drugs" program to Island schools.
The aptly-named program will either pair classroom teachers with police officers during the school day or pair after-school leaders with officers to teach students, starting with fifth-grade, the importance of staying away from drugs.