Mar 22, 2013 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – As teens grow up and struggle to make good judgments, they are faced with tremendous peer pressure and influences that lead to choices that aren’t in their best interest. These bad choices can become a pattern, threatening their future. Underage drinking and alcohol abuse is a common, yet potentially devastating pattern of behavior for many youth. Without intervention, this behavior can lead to illness, injury, addiction and even death.

The Greene County Drug & Alcohol Program now offers a new program, “Sober Saturdays,” which helps provide a positive and effective option to help youth plan and live a responsible future. Sober Saturdays is a hands-on, interactive, underage drinking education program that guides youth to understand their own identity, think about the circumstances that brought them to the program, to understand the negative impact of underage drinking and envision their healthy, happy future.

“Sober Saturdays” begins with a comprehensive screening of the teen to determine their individual needs and motivations as well as any environmental factors that may impact their progress. The screening must take place prior to the education component of the program. This screening process provides helpful information that will be used by the instructor to make the teen’s educational experience most effective.

“Sober Saturdays” is a self-pay program, and there is a participant fee for the screening and education process. The entire fee will be collected at the time of the screening. Parents/guardians, justice system professionals and school administrators may make referrals for participation in the program.

For more information regarding Sober Saturdays, please call the Greene County Drug & Alcohol Program at 724-852-5276 or 1-888-317-7106.