We know that, as a parent/guardian, you desire the best resources for your child and the young people in our community. The 2024 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (www.nrsd.net) shows that a small number of Nashoba students try tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs in middle school. By the end of high school, many more students report substance use. Research shows the younger a person is when they begin using alcohol or drugs the more likely they are to abuse substances in the future. 

In March of 2016, the Massachusetts Legislature passed House Bill No. 4056 which outlines the requirements for public schools in the Commonwealth to engage in substance use prevention and education including the use of a verbal screening process called SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) in all middle and high schools.  To prevent students from starting to use substances or at least to delay the start of use, our nursing, guidance, and social worker staff will be providing interview-based screening for 7th, and 9th grade students about the use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. The screening utilizes the most common substance-use screening tool for adolescents in Massachusetts, the CRAFFT+N.  

 Student screening sessions will be brief (approximately 5 minutes) and conducted confidentially in a private, one-on-one session. Students who are not using substances will have their healthy choices reinforced by the screener if no further follow-up is required. The screening staff will provide brief counseling to any student who reports using substances or is at risk for future substance use.  Although what your child discusses with the screener is confidential, we will inform you if your student’s health or safety is at imminent risk. The results of the screening will not be included in your student’s school record.   

As with any school-based screening, you may opt your child out by contacting the school nurse before the screening date. Your child will also be allowed to opt out of the screening when he/she meets with the screener.   If you have questions, please contact a member of the screening team.

Please visit the website for further information:https://www.mass.gov/info-details/screening-brief-intervention-and-referral-to-treatment-sbirt