On October 19th, 2007 at the Drachman Montessori Magnet Elementary School located at 1085 S. 10th Ave from 5:00 to 7:00pm CODAC Behavioral Health Services, City of Tucson Parks & Recreation Santa Rosa Neighborhood Center, Tucson Pima Public Library, St. Elizabeth of Hungry, and PIO Decimo Center will host a Community kick off celebration for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Over 330 students and their families will be invited to learn how to reduce bully/victim incidents among students in and outside of the school setting; to prevent the development of new bully/victim incidents; and to achieve better peer relations at school and create conditions that encourages a positive relationship in and outside of the school setting.

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a model program recognized by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, and “Blueprint for Violence Prevention Program” chosen by the Center for the Study for the Prevention of Violence. This multilevel, multi-component school-based program is designed to prevent or reduce bullying in elementary and middle schools with students 5 to 15 years of age.

For more than 35 years, CODAC has worked to eliminate the harmful effects of substance abuse, addiction, and mental illness in Pima County by providing a comprehensive array of nationally recognized prevention and treatment services to more than 10,000 individuals and families each year.