Northeastern Prevention Resource Center (NEPRC)
General Prevention Services
Funded by the SD Department of Human Services, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the NEPRC is available for presentations and technical assistance surrounding the issues of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and violence.
To learn more about specific trainings/presentations that can be provided, please click on the following:
Bully Prevention
COMMON SENSE PARENTING
FAMILY FUN NIGHTS
RESILIENCY
SECOND STEPS
TEACHER IN-SERVICES
WALKING THE TALK PARENT PROGRAM
Technical Assistance and trainings are available to assist with developing youth leadership programs. Staff is trained to offer assistance in MENTORING, NATURAL HELPERS, and cross-age teaching.
The NEPRC sponsors a yearly SD Peer Helper Conference. This is a youth led conference. Applications to become a youth staff or an adult staff member at the upcoming conference will be available soon. Check out the latest edition of the SD Peer Helper newsletter, HELPNOTES.
Prevention Resource Library
Over 1000 videos, books, and curriculum are available for free checkout. Topics include: information on management, depression and suicide, stress management, self esteem, eating disorders, group activities and games, communication, abstinence, parenting, Student Assistance Programming, and more!
To check out prevention library materials, please contact shariw@humanserviceagency.org or call (605) 884-3524.
Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities (Title IV) Services
Most schools receive federal funds that allow them to provide violence and drug prevention programs to their students. We assist schools and community groups with grant writing, goal setting and evaluation of prevention efforts. Click here for HELPFUL TIPS in filling out the Title IV section of the South Dakota Consolidated School Application.
Tobacco Prevention
Funded by the SD Department of Health, Tobacco Prevention Services are provided to schools and communities in 16 northeastern South Dakota counties. Tobacco Prevention assistance is provided in the form of educational training on tobacco related topics to schools, businesses and the medical communities. Free tobacco prevention materials such as bookmarks, brochures and posters are available to those in the NEPRC service area.
Assistance is provided to those communities in creating tobacco prevention coalitions that work to “tackle” tobacco problems in individual communities.
Schools that meet certain criteria are able to apply for tobacco prevention funding to assist with their tobacco prevention efforts.
Another service that is provided to professionals who have been trained in LifeSkills Training are eligible to receive free LifeSkills Training curriculum and materials. Please return the LIFESKILLS TRAINING COMMITMENT FORM to our office if you are interested in receiving free curriculum.
Community Prevention Services
Community Prevention Services are available to Watertown and the communities within the 6 surrounding counties. Information and assistance is provided on conducting student and community needs assessments (such as the Search Institute survey) and developing action plans to coordinate drug/alcohol abuse and violence prevention efforts. Also provided are “how-to’s” for conducting “asset building” events such as Block Parties, and Family Week activities.
The Watertown Healthy Youth (WHY) mission is “Raising the awareness of our youths’ developmental needs and collaborating with our community’s resources to build a safe and healthy community for our youth.”
WHY coordinates various campaign activities within the community and participates in many of the NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES and the SD CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES.
The Watertown Tobacco-Free Coalition was formed to create a heightened sense of awareness and urgency surrounding tobacco use and abuse issues; while enabling the community to utilize existing and develop new resources to promote healthy lifestyles. The Watertown Tobacco-Free Coalition recently developed a tobacco-free business guide for the Watertown area.
Prevention Curricula – Fitting It In
Educators can more easily and effectively incorporate health education and prevention lessons into the classroom if they are aligned with other content areas. The Coordinated School Health Program in the SD Departments of Education and Health, and the SD Division of Alcohol & Drug Abuse have aligned the following prevention curricula to the content areas of science, health and language arts. This list is not all-inclusive, and is meant to serve as a resource only. Schools are encouraged to review a variety of curricula to determine what is appropriate for their needs.
Meet the NE Prevention Resource Center Staff:
Dodi Haug, Prevention Coordinator
dodih@humanserviceagency.org or (605) 884-3516
Kelli Rumpza, Community Prevention Specialist kellir@humanserviceagency.org or (605) 884-3518
Brandy Jensen, Tobacco Prevention Coordinator
brandyj@humanserviceagency.org or (605) 884-3523
Shari Wirkus, Prevention Assistant
shariw@humanserviceagency.org or (605) 884-3524
