
The CAST Program Goals:
Decreased Drug Involvement
Decreased Emotional Distress
Increased School Performance
The CAST Curriculum:
- Welcome & Orientation
- Group Support & Self-Esteem
- Setting & Monitoring Goals
- Building Self-Esteem, Beating the Blues
- Decision Making – Taking STEPS
- Anger Management #1
- Anger Management #2
- Drug Use Control – Making Healthy Decisions
- School Smarts
- Preventing Slips & Relapses
- Recognizing Progress & Staying on Track
- Celebrating Graduation
CAST (Coping And Support Training) consists of twelve, 55-minute sessions facilitated by an adult who works well with at-risk youth and who is trained to implement the CAST program. The 12 CAST sessions are offered twice per week in a (middle or high) school setting as a pull-out program, or outside of the school setting by youth-oriented agencies, mental health professionals, and community centers.
The RY and CAST curricula align with the National Health Education Standards of CDC’s School Health Education Resources.
CAST Participants:
The CAST Group is comprised of 6 – 8 students, who are INVITED to participate. CAST can be offered to an entire population (as “universal” prevention), to a high-risk group (“selective” prevention), or to specific at-risk students (“indicated” prevention).
CAST is an evidenced-based program:
In NIH-funded studies, relative to controls, CAST youth evidenced significant and sustained changes:
- 65% reduction in suicide risk behaviors
- 34% reduction (for females) and 27% reduction (for males) in anxiety
- 44% reduction in depression
- 62% reduction in hard drug use
- 16% reduction in alcohol use
- 24% increase in problem-solving coping
- 24% increase in personal control
- 27% increase in family support
Go to Research for more details.
CAST is recognized for Excellence by:
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center/American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Best Practice Registry for Suicide Prevention
- National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (Model Program)
- Healthy Communities Institute – Promising Practices Library
- Child Trends – What Works/LINKS
- Student Mental Health Initiative Clearinghouse
- Indian Health Services, Community Suicide Prevention Website: Promising and Effective Programs