decision-making skills
I think CAST is great because it’s really helping me make good choices, and I know I can get support from the other people in group if I need help!
CAST Member, Hannibal, MO
CAST Program
The CAST Program Goals:
- Improved Moods
- Decreased Drug Use
- Improved School Smarts
The CAST Curriculum:
- Welcome & Orientation
- Group Support & Self-Esteem
- Setting & Monitoring Goals
- Building Self-Esteem, Beating the Blues
- Decision Making – Taking STEPS
- Anger Management #1
- Anger Management #2
- Drug Use Control – Making Healthy Decisions
- School Smarts
- Preventing Slips & Relapses
- Recognizing Progress & Staying on Track
- Celebrating Graduation
CAST (Coping And Support Training) consists of twelve, 55-minute sessions facilitated by an adult who works well with at-risk youth and who is trained to implement the CAST program. The 12 CAST sessions are usually offered twice per week in a (middle or high) school setting as a pull-out program, or outside of the school setting by youth-oriented agencies, mental health professionals, and community centers.
CAST Participants:
The CAST Group is comprised of 6 – 8 students, who are INVITED to participate. CAST can be offered to an entire population (as “universal” prevention), to a high-risk group (“selective” prevention), or to specific at-risk students (“indicated” prevention).
CAST is an evidenced-based program:
In NIH-funded studies, relative to controls, CAST youth evidenced significant and sustained changes:
- 65% reduction in suicide risk behaviors
- 34% reduction (for females) and 27% reduction (for males) in anxiety
- 44% reduction in depression
- 62% reduction in hard drug use
- 16% reduction in alcohol use
- 24% increase in problem-solving coping
- 24% increase in personal control
- 27% increase in family support
See Research for more details.
Recognized for Excellence by:
- SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP)
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center/American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Best Practice Registry for Suicide Prevention
- National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (Model Program)
- Healthy Communities Institute – Promising Practices Library
- Child Trends – What Works/LINKS
- Indian Health Services, Community Suicide Prevention Website: Promising and Effective Programs
Where to go from here:
- Show me the Research supporting CAST.
- I want to sign up for CAST Training
- I want to Order CAST Curriculum materials
- I want to read more Testimonials about CAST