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Falmouth High Schools’ Evidence-based Survey Results are Promising

The Falmouth Prevention Partnership’s survey results of Falmouth High School students’ use of prescription drugs, hallucinogens, marijuana and alcohol found that lifetime use of prescription pain relievers has gone from 22.5% of 12th-graders in 2009 to 0% in 2015, and students that reported they had used alcohol in the past month dropped from 43.3% in 2011 to 23% in 2015.

According to the quote in the Cape Cod Times (8/18/2016), Beth Albert, director of the Barnstable County Department of Human Services stated: “We’re very interested in survey results and Falmouth is ahead of the curve… They really are to be looked at as models for other schools. We want schools to implement primary prevention with surveys that measure the prevention efforts.”

The prevention efforts in Falmouth run in conjunction with the planning work being done by Barnstable County’s Regional Substance Abuse Council and Falmouth representatives are active members of the Council.


Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council (RSAC) establishes a communication infrastructure across towns, providers, organizations, and individuals on Cape Cod to identify and address regional gaps and disparities in the substance use service provider system, maximize inter-agency collaboration and maximize funding and resource opportunities.  RSAC strives for a coordinated and comprehensive regional approach to substance use across the continuum of prevention, treatment, intervention, and recovery.