Orthopedic surgeon and Vestavia Hills High School team doctor Jeff Dugas speaks with local students on a regular basis about drug use. Dugas said in the past six years, four former Vestavia students have died from a drug overdose.
“I wish I could say there wasn’t a problem in this community but there is,” Dugas said.
Recently, Dugas, along with board of education members, the City Council, police and fire department and school principals met to research and discuss what could be done to help this problem. An extra curricular drug-testing program is being implemented in the schools, but Director of Administrative Services David Howard said the program only reaches between 20 percent and 25 percent of students a year.
After extensive research, the committee came up with a unique pilot for a community volunteer drug-testing program for students in the seventh through 12th grades. Starting this fall, parents can pay $40 a year for the program, and with signed permission of the student and the parents, students are guaranteed two random drug tests per year.
Graduating seniors that do not test positive for drug use from the date of enrollment through graduation will receive a certificate that can be included in college application packages and job applications.
“We talked to admission counselors, military recruiters and human resource personnel in the area and asked them if they thought this would be beneficial, and they all said yes,” Dugas said.
If a student tests positive, he or she can get back in the program through written appeal, appearance before the program committee and evidence of a successful completion of a drug abuse program.
“Our idea is to reward our children, not punish them,” Dugas said. “It’s about changing their lives beginning in seventh grade.”
This past spring, parent awareness sessions for the program were held at Liberty Park Middle School, Pizitz Middle School and Vestavia Hills High School. Beginning this fall, parents can register their students online or during registration.
“Our home values will improve if we have less of this problem,” Dugas said. “I think you’ll start to see this program in a lot of other places.”
