ASACS keeps substance abuse out of classrooms

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jamal Sutter
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  It isn't always easy to identify at-risk or substance-abusing adolescents, but if it's ever an issue at Robert D. Edgren High School, Jennifer Gurski, Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling Service counselor, steps in.

Mrs. Gurski, also a licensed clinical social worker and certified addiction specialist, specializes in the prevention, treatment and education of alcohol and drugs. Through the ASACS program, she serves active-duty U.S. military dependents and their families by providing treatment services to adolescents experiencing substance abuse problems.

Mrs. Gurski strives to build trust and better relationships with Edgren High School students both on and off school grounds. She describes the importance of her relationship with the teenagers as a way of assuring them they have no reason to be afraid to talk to her about their problems.

"The first thing, like with any therapist, is setting a rapport with the kids," she said. "They see me in the hallway, and they know who I am."

This rapport is also part of what she calls community outreach, where she lets students, parents and the community know what she is here for and how she can assist them. This is done through parent support groups, information sessions, consultations with community organizations and going out to meet students face-to-face. In fact, during this year's school prom, Mrs. Gurski used a unique method to raise awareness about drinking and driving.

"I had them sign contracts with their parents in hopes to get some conversation between the parents and kids," she said. "They both signed saying they weren't going to drink or get into a car with somebody who was impaired."

Another focus of Mrs. Gurski and ASACS is identification and referral. This pertains to identifying the teenagers who need to participate in her program, whether they are actively using or are at risk of using substances, she said.

"They may be smoking ─ yes that's a risk factor," she explained. "But so are poor grades, more responsibility, something going on at home and parent deployments."

Once identification is established and a student is recommended for the program or the student takes it upon himself to take the first step, Mrs. Gurski gives the teenager an assessment. The assessment is used for teens to communicate why they feel they need the services, she said. Parent participation is highly encouraged, and any teen under the age of 15 needs parent consent to be in the program.

Anything said during sessions while in the ASACS program falls under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, so nothing a student says can be reported to parents or school administration, unless they speak about hurting themselves or someone else.

Nearly every base in every service has an ASACS program. Program representatives from bases throughout Japan meet twice a year, and they constantly stay in contact with each other to stay in tune with what's going on. Mrs. Gurski takes what she learns from other bases and caters those techniques and practices to the population and needs of Misawa, while sharing what's working for her.

"Each base and branch is very unique," Mrs. Gurski said. "So they all have different perspectives."

To learn more about the ASACS program, Mrs. Gurski can be reached at 226-4250 or jennifer.gurski@pac.dodea.edu.