Substance Abuse Prevention Services
Albion Leader Recognized
Longtime youth advocate Harry Bonner was recognized for his achievements with the presentation of an honorary doctorate at Albion College's 2015 Commencement on Saturday, May 9, 2015.
A native of Tennessee and a 1965 graduate of Albion High School, Bonner spent 10 years working for Albion's Corning Glass plant. In 1975, Bonner began working with Albion High School students, later becoming director of the Albion Drop-In Center, where he provided crisis intervention services to the community. This program, now known as Substance Abuse Prevention Services, is still headed by Bonner. This organization also operates the Kids at Hope Youth Development Center at the First United Methodist Church.
Among many commendations for leadership and service, Mr. Bonner has received the Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement in Community Service Award, the South Central Michigan Substance Abuse Commission Distinguished Service Award, and an Albion High School Distinguished Alumni Award. Photo shows Mr. Bonner with Dr. J. Dan Skein prior to the ceremony. Text courtesy Albion E-News.
Creating Substance Abuse-Free Communities
We are committed to be, and to be recognized as, a community where all people have the opportunity for good health and educational opportunities.
Substance Abuse Prevention Services of Michigan is committed to: the full participation of people in health decision making, the availability of high quality preventive and primary care services to support the health of people at every stage of life, community-wide collaboration to draw on organizational, financial and human resources to improve health, community wide access to appropriate health services, and cost effective use of all community resources.
Kids at Hope Youth Academy
The Kids at Hope Youth Academy involves college students mentoring high school students with specific challenges. The challenges might be the home environment, or limited English language challenges for international students attending Albion Public Schools. The Kids at Hope Youth Academy works in conjunction with the Greater Albion College Access Network (see sidebar at right.) See more information also on the "Services" page, link above.
Across Ages Mentoring Program
- Mentoring. Older adults (age 55 and older) are recruited, trained, and spend a minimum of two hours each week in one-on-one contact with youth.
- Community Service. Youth spend 1 to 2 hours per week performing community service.
- Social Competence Training. Across Ages uses the Social Problem-Solving Module of the Social Competence Promotion Program for Young Adolescents, which is composed of 26 weekly lessons of 4 minutes each.
- Family Activities. Monthly weekend events are held for youth, their family members, and mentors.
Albion Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition
The Albion Substance Abuse Coation was created by the Anti_Drug Abuse Act of 1986. AASAPC is the focus of local efforts to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug progrmes nationwide. ASAPC provides information and assistance to national, regional, state and c o mmunity prevention efforts. Research has shown that virtually no one initiates use of tobacoo, alcholol or other illegal durgs after the age of 25, so ASAPC efforts focuses its efforts on young people. The primary target of ASAPC is "high risk youth". See more information on the solutions page.
Substance Abuse Prevention Services has been recognized state wide and nationally as a leader in working with youth and enabling them to reach their potential.. |
Today's youth face challenges and pressures that were not present even a decade ago. Kids at Hope gives youth tools they can bring with them and live life more fully. |
We use positive mentoring to show youth their potential and let them set worthy goals. |
Who are some of our former clients?
Our program has made a difference in many lives. The youth of yesterday are the adults of today. Some of those we had a privilege to mentor are now mentors of today's youth.
“Harry Bonner made a difference in my life”
-former client