Drug Recognition Experts
Community Resource Programs
The State Police has over 100 Drug Recognition Experts (DREs). DREs are specially trained troopers whose diagnostic skills and knowledge of drug symptoms enable them to make highly accurate assessments of persons who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Because drug impairment can be a factor in school crisis, DREs can, upon request, provide drug recognition training as a community resource that includes information on strategies for handling potentially violent drug-impaired students and assistance in developing proactive school district policies on drug impairment.
Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals
For: Teachers, school nurses, administrators and other school staff. Time:
8/16 hours
This training, which is Nationally Certified by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) and the International Association of the Chiefs of Police (IACP), is divided into two eight-hour blocks of instruction. The first day covers general drug information and is ideal for all school staff. The second day, designed for school nurses and substance abuse counselors, deals specifically with assessment skills and the evaluation process.
- Identifies drug impairment indicators.
- Helps teachers develop observation and documentation systems.
- Increases general awareness of drug impairment.
- Provides clinical and general indicators of drug symptoms - the seven drug categories, major observable indicators of impairment and methods of ingestion.
- Identifies diagnostic skills for assessing impairment - eye examinations, vital signs, psychophysical impairment and toxicology.
- Discusses the use of standard assessment forms.
- Offers strategies to respond to drug reaction situations.
DRE-CR Drugs and Alcohol Myths and Fallacies
For: Students Time: 1 hour
- Explains consequences of drug use and abuse.
- Provides medical information on drug use and abuse.
- Defines signs of illegal, over-the-counter and prescription drug use.
- Provides critical information to students to deter them from using drugs.
DRE-CR Drug Awareness Training The Team Approach
For: School/Community Time: 40 hours
This training emphasizes a team approach. Each participating school district will attend with a team of personnel consisting of, but not limited to, school nurses, drug counselors, discipline deans, superintendent, and legal counsel for the district.
The first 16 hours covers the normal drug awareness curriculum; the next 8 hours deals with pharmacology and toxicology issues. The remaining 16 hours discusses how to handle drug-impaired students and the process of developing a proactive school district policy.
- Provides awareness of drug symptoms and diagnostic skills useful in assessing student impairment.
- Discusses the use of standard assessment forms.
- Offers strategies to respond to drug reaction situations.
- Discuss issues about pharmacology and toxicology.
- Offers strategies to handle drug-impaired students.
- Assists in developing a proactive school district policy.