The Evidence-to-Impact Podcast · The Social Science Research Institute

Episode 27: Addressing Adolescent Substance Use Through School Outreach

·21 min·1 clip

Steve says adolescents are taking counterfeit pills that can contain fentanyl and cause respiratory arrest from one use.

Michael Donovan frames the podcast as a bridge between academic research, practical work, and policy solutions in Pennsylvania and beyond. He centers adolescent substance use and introduces Dr. Steve Sandlich and Sarah Ballard from the Penn State Addiction Center for Translation. The conversation begins with brief introductions. Sandlich says his interest in adolescent substance use grew out of his work in the pediatric emergency department, where he saw teenagers come in with substance use problems, including withdrawal. He describes wanting to respond earlier and better. Ballard joins the discussion as the Assistant Director of Outreach at PSACT. The focus then shifts to the Substance Use School Outreach Initiative. Donovan asks how the work is being built in schools and how it can grow. Sandlich and Ballard describe the barriers schools face when substance use comes up. They point to fear that the problem exists in their student population. They also point to fear that staff may not know what to do once it is acknowledged. Another concern is parental backlash over the materials or education being offered. The outreach team tries to meet those concerns with a neutral, fact based approach. They avoid inflammatory language and try to stay steady and practical. Ballard notes that even the phrase harm reduction can still trigger resistance. Donovan then shifts to the question of scaling the effort across Pennsylvania and into other settings in the U.S. Sandlich connects that larger question to the prevention mindset in pediatric emergency medicine. He compares substance use prevention to work around car seats, gun safety, and bicycle helmets. The point, he says, is to prevent harm before it reaches the trauma bay. The episode closes with an invitation for researchers, practitioners, and people with lived experience to reach out and collaborate.

As heard by us

A calm, practical look at teen substance-use prevention without panic.

The piece treats adolescent substance use as a school and systems problem, and that framing gives Michael Donovan, Steve Sandlich, and Sarah Ballard room to make the Substance Use School Outreach Initiative feel grounded.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For a measured look at adolescent substance use prevention, school partnerships, and why neutral language matters.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Evidence-to-Impact Podcast