Did you know that as little as two milligrams of Fentanyl, about the size of five grains of salt, can cause negative health effects including trouble breathing, dizziness, possible overdose and even death? With the recent uptick in Fentanyl deaths, especially among teenagers, we must work together as a community to eliminate drug abuse and educate our parents, teachers, caregivers and students on the dangers of taking drugs.

The city continues to do this through the partnership with our local school districts as part of the Drug Free Youth in Santa Clarita Valley program, better known as DFYinSCV.

This school-based drug prevention program is held at the elementary, junior high and high schools throughout Santa Clarita. The program’s three-prong approach to drug prevention includes education, prevention and wellness.

Our dedicated team members provide a variety of school presentations, facilitate student-led club meetings, monthly activities and more. The DFYinSCV staff members spend time creating a fun and welcoming environment to encourage living a drug-free lifestyle and provide students with resources to make good choices.

Just last month, DFYinSCV completed 12 Lifeline Assemblies which were attended by over 3,000 sixth-grade students from the four local elementary school districts. The Lifeline Assemblies prepare students for middle school by informing them of the dangers and harmful effects of drugs, provide strategies to help them make positive choices and introduce them to the DFYinSCV program so they can participate in the club when they enter junior high school. After the assemblies concluded, each student received an information and activity booklet that reinforced the presentation points. This includes the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol, providing lifelong skills to combat negative peer pressure and easy-to-remember strategies to say no to drugs.

In addition to the Lifeline Assemblies, DFYinSCV also partners with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station to provide support and resources to the community through the implementation of the Juvenile Intervention Team (J-Team).

This team was designed to address drug-related crime and its impact on youth. This team is comprised of seven resource deputies who actively work with city staff and school administration at each of the junior high and high school locations.

The goal of the program is to reduce the availability and use of drugs in the community by proactively identifying at-risk youth who may become a crime statistic without intervention. Since the launch of the J-Team, the SCV has experienced a significant reduction in drug-related crimes among youth, including a 49 percent decrease from 2016 through 2020.

I am proud that our city continues to impress upon our students the importance of living a drug-free lifestyle. Whether you are a parent, teacher or caregiver, these resources are critical in keeping your students safe from the dangers of drug abuse.

If you would like to learn more about the DFYinSCV program, please visit dfyinscv.com.
Ken Striplin is Santa Clarita’s City Manager and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com.