Virginia Department of Education expands Botvin LifeSkills training for K–12 educators with OAA funding

The Virginia Department of Education on Oct. 5 described an opioid education plan funded by the Opioid Abatement Authority that uses the Botvin LifeSkills curriculum to provide prevention instruction across K–12 divisions in the Commonwealth.

Nenea Shields, opioid abatement program manager for the Virginia Department of Education, said the program’s goal is to “provide students in the commonwealth with social, emotional, and interpersonal skills to navigate the current opioid crisis so that altogether we can prevent opioid misuse and abuse.”

Shields said the department is in year two of the funded program, is active in 19 divisions and has trained “over 300 teachers who go on to deliver the program to tens of thousands of students each year.” The department’s stated aim is to train 200 new educators annually; registration, training and classroom materials are provided at no cost to participating educators, and educators receive an $800 stipend for completing the 6–8 hour training and preparing to deliver the curriculum.

Why it matters: Shields framed Botvin LifeSkills as an evidence-based prevention program with research showing reduced substance use after delivery. She said the curriculum aligns with Virginia health Standards of Learning (SOL) and can be delivered by health teachers, school resource officers and school-based mental-health professionals when divisions supply a clear implementation plan.

Details: Shields described multi-level delivery options: elementary, middle and high-school modules, with middle-school core courses comprising 15 lessons and booster levels available in subsequent years. The department provides an asynchronous online training option and in-person training; educators can deliver lessons in a single block, weekly lessons or other pacing as long as fidelity to the model is maintained.

Scope and compliance: Shields said local school boards must develop plans per state guidance and that each public secondary school (grades 9–12) is required to provide opioid overdose prevention and reversal instruction; she said Botvin LifeSkills qualifies as meeting those instructional requirements when delivered according to guidance.

Availability and support: Shields said VDOE provides onboarding support and coordinates with Virginia Cooperative Extension and other partners to register educators and support implementation. She directed attendees to an online interest form and said free materials and training links were shared in the webinar chat.

Ending: Shields closed by inviting school divisions interested in evidence-based prevention training to register; she emphasized that training and program materials are free and supported by state partners so divisions can scale delivery without incurring material costs.