Toxico: Prevention and Intervention in Schools

The Toxico program aims to prevent substance abuse. It is deployed in schools to address the questions and curiosity of students between the ages of 12 and 17, and help them overcome challenges related to the use and abuse of psychoactive substances.

Harm Reduction

Underpinned by a harm reduction approach, qualified prevention workers provide evidence-based interventions, which meet youth where they are, all in a warm, welcoming, and non-stigmatizing environment. 

The program’s 3 foundational approaches are:

Universal prevention

Prevention workers prepare and facilitate grade-specific workshops in schools. These workshops aim to educate students on the risks associated with psychoactive substances and include addiction awareness activities.

Targeted intervention

The program offers individual support to youth who need it. The prevention workers meet with youth to identify substance or screen use problems and help them set goals. Follow-up meetings allow the prevention workers and the youth to work together on achieving these goals.

Community integration

The prevention workers become familiar faces in students’ everyday life at school and students become used to seeing them daily, creating a sense of proximity. Prevention workers also participate in various activities outside of school to sustain the relationships built, particularly during the summer break.

Direct links

With the collaboration of the Direction régionale de santé publique (DRSP), and aligned with the Healthy Schools approach, the Toxico program aims to ensure that all youth have access to substance prevention services to curb the development of problematic or improper use of psychoactive and non-psychoactive substances and screens.  

Students in our partner schools can request to join the program on their own or be referred to the program by school staff.

Partner schools

Since 2012, the YMCA has been working directly with Montréal schools and school boards and, to date, the program has been implemented in close to 20 schools. The Toxico program also relies on funding from the Direction régionale de santé publique (DRSP) to carry out its mission.

The YMCAs of Québec offers the Toxico program in the following school boards:

Community partners also offer the Toxico program in other schools.

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