On Wednesday, October 13th, our YSLI Coalition had its first meeting of the school year with over 80 students in attendance! At the meet and greet, they learned about the different youth-led committees in the coalition available to join. There are nine topics covered by the coalition’s committees: substance abuse, ACEs, sexual abuse, mental health,…

On Tuesday, August 24th, the Youth Service Learning Initiative students took part in their first event of the school year by serving at the Boys and Girls Club of the Cumberland Plateau’s Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony. This event honored community members who have demonstrated their dedication to the improvement of Scott County.…

On August 31st, STAND will be holding a series of events in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. This month, we have been raising awareness about overdoses with a campaign to help people recognize when an overdose is in progress to take action and help prevent deaths. Signs of overdose can include: unconsciousness, pinpoint pupils,…

“Randall Byrge is being inducted as the Citizen of the Year. Byrge, a peer recovery specialist at S.T.A.N.D. who has taken a lead role in Scott County’s battles against addiction after himself overcoming addiction, was previously named the Independent Herald/Scott County Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year for 2020.” – The Independent Herald At…

STAND’s Executive Director spoke with WKRN about the consequence of children’s exposure to drugs. STAND partners with TBI to connect drug endangered children with support services.

Youth DUI arrests have fallen significantly in Scott County over the past 10 years. While we celebrate that fact, we also know that we cannot let our guard down. Many factors have gone into this reduction; media awareness campaigns, law enforcement efforts, and involved parents are important reasons, but we cannot forget that youth play…

Last Christmas one of my co-workers gave me a small desk calendar with a daily quote on each page. It was a thoughtful gift because I’m a firm believer in taking advantage of the wisdom garnered from those that have achieved success in their lives. That being said, I thought I would start a weekly…

STAND consent forms can be found on the contact page below the contact form. The form is available as a Word document. If you have any questions about the form you can contact one of the staff members at STAND at (423) 286-9925 or reach us by email at stand@highland.net.

Risk factors determine if a person will become addicted. Biology/Genes is a risk factor and plays a role in addiction through: Genetics; Gender; and/or Mental Disorders. Environment is a risk factor and plays a role in addiction through: Chaotic home life and abuse; Parent’s use and attitudes; Peer influences; Community attitudes; and/or Poor school achievement.…

Science Has Revolutionized the Understanding of Drug Addiction: Have you ever felt shamed or degraded because of a weakness? Have you ever felt less than because of a bad habit? Have you grown up in a community where a health and behavioral problem led to punitive rather than preventative and therapeutic actions? The good news…