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Community prevention group offers Narcan training and youth-focused substance-use programs to Nashville schools
Summary
Representatives from Bridging the Gap Arkansas introduced their prevention work to the board, cited district survey results showing higher-than-state averages for vaping and other substance measures, and offered teacher trainings, student speakers and Narcan instruction. The board requested follow-up and data links.
Representatives from Bridging the Gap Arkansas briefed the Nashville School District board on local trends in youth substance use and offered to provide prevention programming and staff training.
Crystal Ball said her team serves as substance-use prevention coordinators and presented county-level results taken from the district’s administration survey. She cited a roughly 7% 30-day alcohol-use rate for high school students that is slightly above the state average and higher-than-average measures for 30-day flavored-vaping and injection drug indicators ("drugs being injected" cited as 2.2 percentage points higher). Crystal Ball acknowledged the APNA/admin survey provides county-level results rather than school-level breakdowns and said the group could bring grade-specific content; she offered to coordinate classroom presentations, teacher in-service days and Narcan training for staff.
Board members asked whether the organization could provide speaker bios and specialties; Crystal Ball said officials can email her (email printed on the handout) and that she could supply links to the full APNA survey and local county data. The group emphasized practical, age-appropriate messaging for middle and high school students and said staff are available to tailor programs for elementary levels when needed.
No formal board action was taken; staff will follow up on contact information and data requests.
