Berlin, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones announced that since Governor Josh Shapiro took office, DDAP has invested approximately $100 million in substance use disorder (SUD) prevention programming throughout the Commonwealth – making communities safer and reaching more Pennsylvanians to stop substance use before it starts.
A significant amount of that investment supports prevention programs in schools, reaching students at critical ages and stages of development.
“The Shapiro Administration is committed to investing in substance use prevention resources because prevention is our first line of defense in reducing substance use and its harmful impacts,” said Secretary Davis-Jones. “Investing in prevention means investing in Pennsylvania’s future. Across the Commonwealth, including in some of our most rural counties, these resources are empowering communities to implement prevention strategies early—helping reduce risk and build healthier futures for young people.”
In Somerset County, that includes supporting prevention programs within all 11 school districts across the county from the pre-K level through grade 12. In the 2025-26 school year alone, substance use prevention programs were provided to nearly 3,000 students countywide.
For example, through the Healthy Alternatives for Little Ones (HALO) pre-K program, children aged four and five learn how to make healthy versus harmful choices through lessons on how to communicate, knowing the difference between sad and mad, and why healthy eating and physical activity are good for their bodies. All lessons are designed to prevent future substance use and encourage healthy lifestyles.
Since 2023, more than 900 pre-K students across the county participated in the HALO program through nearly 70 pre-k classes. Through pre- and post-lesson tests, data show the children’s knowledge of the content in the prevention lessons increased by an average of more than 40 percent.
“Through all our partnerships, including the 11 Somerset County school districts, we are giving students the knowledge, skills, and support they need to make healthy choices,” said Somerset County Drug-Free Communities Prevention/Education Services Director Rebecca Mull. “Positive impacts as a result of these programs can be seen with students, in schools, within their families, and throughout our community – reinforcing that prevention works best when we work together.”
Today, Secretary Davis-Jones joined DDAP’s local prevention partner, the Somerset Single County Authority for Drug & Alcohol, at a pre-K classroom in the Berlin Brothersvalley School District to announce the latest numbers and see the HALO program in action – experiencing firsthand how prevention is helping young students build healthy skills at an early age.
“Prevention is the most cost-effective and proactive way we can address substance use disorders,” said Somerset Single County Authority for Drug & Alcohol Executive Director Erin Howsare. “HALO is a good example of an engaging and effective prevention program we offer preschool-aged children that best addresses their needs.”
From Classrooms to Communities: Investing in Prevention and Delivering Results
In addition to school-based prevention, the Shapiro Administration is investing in prevention efforts that are reaching families, older adults, and others by bringing programming directly into communities through events and programs at community centers, senior centers, and other locations.
- DDAP awarded $1.5 million in funding for seven Pennsylvania organizations to implement community-based prevention services throughout the Commonwealth to prevent opioid use disorder.
- DDAP and the Department of Aging launched a four-county pilot program to implement SUD prevention programming at senior centers to help prevent overdoses among older adults.
Funding for these initiatives is provided from multiple opioid settlements which were the result of a multistate investigation of opioid manufacturers and distributors spearheaded by Governor Shapiro when he was Attorney General.
Prevention programs administered across multiple agencies within the Administration are showing clear results.
- The results of the Administration’s most recent statewide student survey, known as PAYS, show that investments in youth mental health and school safety are delivering positive outcomes. More than 75 percent of participants reported their overall mental health is good.
- Since 2023, nearly 450,000 pounds of unused and unwanted prescription meds – the weight of the Statue of Liberty – have been collected and destroyed through the Administration’s prescription drug take-back program.
Learn more about the Shapiro Administration’s prevention resources for schools, families, and communities at ddap.pa.gov.
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