Our Mission
STEPS makes prevention a priority in our community through education, limiting access, and advocacy for policy change.
Our prevention work focuses on underage drinking, tobacco/vaping, cannabis/marijuana use, prescription drug misuse, and more. We believe that positive youth development is an essential building block to create generations of youth that are caring, competent, successful, and substance free.
Our Focus on Youth
STEPS was founded in 2007 with a mission to help our youth grow up to be caring, competent and successful. We develop programs and opportunities for young people to step up and showcase their best selves.
STEPS partners with Southington Public Schools to follow an Asset Building Classrooms (ABC) model. We also have STEPS Youth Council leadership opportunities, a youth community service initiative, and a classroom-based curriculum to improve student health and safety.
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Stay informed about our latest prevention efforts, news, and events.
Our Prevention Efforts
Our work in Southington to keep young people healthy and safe is a top priority. Data shows that substance use at a young age can lead to:
All these reasons are why substance use prevention among young people is so important. Take a moment to learn more about our work in Southington right now.
We are behind in our National Prevention Week posts - but for good reason! Today was one of our favorite events of the year: Prom Perfectly! We set up in the SHS atrium to remind students that so many people care about them and want them to be safe while having fun at prom (and always)! It was the best way to close out #nationalpreventionweek25
We handed out hundreds of sunglasses, disco ball keychains, gum, stickers, and mints. Students played billiard golf, giant jenga, and cornhole then posed for a pic in our photo booth. Best of all, many students shared the “golden” thing in their lives they wouldn’t want to lose from one bad decision. In keeping with the prom’s “golden hour” theme, we linked all the gold paper responses into a chain that will be displayed the big event tomorrow!
Thank you to @shs_admin_squad, teachers, and staff for the support! Our STEPS volunteers Mrs. K, Mr. Nyerick, and Rebecca made the event a success! Prom Perfectly is made possible by funding from @dmhasct. Sending wishes for a safe, fun, memorable prom to @southington2025! ... See MoreSee Less
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It’s Day 2 of National Prevention Week and we’re celebrating the launch of our STEPS ABC curriculum in all eight Southington elementary schools!
To be “frank”, the staff who led the charge in developing a timeline, thinking up monthly themes, and crafting over 150 daily lessons are the real “top dogs”! 🌭 Let’s give a round of applause to Christina McKirryher, Annmarie Gowdy, Kate Colonero, and Amy Pajor! 👏👏👏 ... See MoreSee Less
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'Great Stuff'
It’s National Prevention Week and we’re taking time to “relish” in our accomplishments and celebrate our “top dogs”!
We must be “frank” - no one makes us more proud than the members of STEPS Youth Council! Read on to “ketchup” on the advocacy work they did this year.
#preventionhappenshereCT ... See MoreSee Less
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Love this!!! Congrats Youth Council on your successful advocacy work.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn the warning signs of suicide risk and get help if you notice them in yourself or others. You are not alone! Help is available 24/7 by texting or calling 988. ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Comment on Facebook