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.
The final year of our Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services “Prevention in CT Communities” grant started on Tuesday. We’ve had four years working alongside this amazing group, and we can’t wait to see how everyone wraps up
the fifth and final year of hard work and big impacts in their communities. Stay tuned - you know STEPS always has something amazing up our sleeve!⭐️ DMHAS funded Prevention in CT Communities (PCC) and Partnerships for Success (PFS) Prevention Program Coordinators attended a Learning Community to share and celebrate their past year successes to reduce underage drinking within their communities. Celebrating successes is just as important as navigating challenges. 👑The energy, collaboration, and passion among these community leaders creates a safer, healthier CT. ⭐️
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Southington native and personal trainer Tyler Wall, who was famous for his role in helping a man lose 100 pounds in a MrBeast challenge, unexpectedly passed away in February. Our hearts are with his family and all of those who loved him.
Sadly, the cause of his death was recently revealed to be mitragynine toxicity. Mitragynine is the main compound in kratom, an opioid-like substance that comes from the leaves of a plant found in southeast Asia.
Kratom (and its dangerous derivatives like 7-OH) is not a substance many have heard about although it’s being increasingly linked to fatal overdoses in the US. Kratom and 7-OH are not regulated federally or on the state level. It is sold at vape shops and corner stores with no minimum age to purchase, including right here in Southington.
This was very worrisome to Southington high school students who are part of STEPS Youth Council, so they decided to take action to try to change state law. They researched kratom and wrote to our state legislators. In response, State Representative Chris Poulos and State Representative Rebecca Martinez proposed a bill to limit sales to individuals 21+, mirroring age restrictions for sales of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and vapes. They invited our students to the Capitol, where they hosted an advocacy day to educate lawmakers about the dangers of kratom, especially 7-OH which is nicknamed “gas station heroin.”
On the same day we learned that kratom and its derivatives were included as part of a larger bill from
the Department of Consumer Protection that would also regulate many other substances. This bill - HB6855 - passed the House and Senate this legislative session and is awaiting Governor Lamont’s signature. When this happens, kratom and 7-OH will be regulated in our state.
We are so impressed by the tenacity and vision of our students, who sought to change laws to prevent future tragedies like the death of Tyler Wall. They had the chance to tell this story to our Board of Education and at a recent statewide conference for youth doing the same prevention work. ... See MoreSee Less
MrBeast trainer coach Tyler Wall: What we know about cause of death
www.newsweek.com
MrBeast's latest video—titled "Lose 100 LBs, Win $250,00!"—took a tragic turn after the fitness trainer featured in it unexpectedly passed away.Comment on Facebook
We are beaming with pride after watching three Youth Council leaders present to their peers at the Future Prevention Leaders Conference hosted by The Governor's Prevention Partnership! 😊
Ava, Jackie, and Katie shared about their It’s Not Cheesy campaign and their advocacy work at the Capitol to restrict kratom - two amazing accomplishments spearheaded by Youth Council members. Additionally, Ava was co-emcee, Jackie photographed workshops, and Katie participated in a youth in prevention panel discussion.
As we heard many times today, youth are our future - but they’re also our here and now. 🌟They are using their voices to be changemakers not only in Southington, but for our whole state. ... See MoreSee Less
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I love this!! Great job by all 👏🏼
Congratulations on a job well done. So proud of all the hard work the Steps Coalition does in educating and encouraging young people in our community.
Congratulations! 👏👏
Amazing work!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Absolutely phenomenal students!
Great job!
So much to be proud of! Way to go Southington STEPS Coalition Youth Council! 👏🏻❤️
Awesome work! Glad they got to share and receive well deserved recognition!
Outstanding🏆🏆🏆🏆🤩🤩🤩🤩
Awesome!!!
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Last week we had the pleasure of visiting Ms. Colonero's fifth grade class at Derynoski and Mrs. Buonanni's kindergarteners at Oshana with the one and only Mr. Pepe to "celebrate our journey". We joined the students as they worked on their memory books, reflecting on the first year of our ABC Curriculum. This program is made possible through a partnership with Southington Education Foundation, Inc. and funding from the Bradley H. Barnes and Leila U. Barnes Memorial Trust at the Main Street Community Foundation. ... See MoreSee Less
Southington School Administrator Visits With Young Students To Encourage Them
patch.com
Southington's assistant superintendent of schools last week visited elementary school classrooms as part of a program with STEPS.Comment on Facebook