Intervention
Intervention strategies like individual or group counseling, intensive educational programs, and peer-to-peer programs can help move students toward quit attempts and cessation.
Alternatives to Suspension (ATS)
“Alternative to suspension” strategies focus on non-punitive approaches to discipline. Instead of suspending students for tobacco-related incidents, schools can provide support through educational programs, counseling sessions, and referrals to cessation services.
Suspension often leads to negative educational outcomes and does not address the root cause of the behavior. It’s also beneficial to have a plan for supporting students who repeatedly use tobacco or nicotine products, using a structured approach.
Below, you’ll find resources on alternatives to suspension, guidance on implementation, and information on the legal aspects of students purchasing, using, or possessing tobacco products.
TUPE ATS Toolkit
Recommended Programs
YVAPE
The Youth Vaping Alternative Program Education (YVAPE) is an alternative to suspension program for students facing disciplinary action for vaping in California public schools. It utilizes phone counseling sessions and educational materials to establish a relationship with students, help them learn about their vaping behavior, and promote a dialogue between students and parents.
Sequence: Two 20-minute counseling sessions and 30-60 minutes of videos and discussion
Grades: Middle (7/8) and high school (9-12) students
Enrollment: All YVAPE services are provided at no cost by Kick It California at UC San Diego. Visit the website or contact the YVAPE Team to enroll your school.
Brief Intervention Strategy
Brief Intervention Strategy is a counseling intervention for adolescents who use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. Developed by Dr. Ken Winters, it uses motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and the stages of change model to meet the needs of students. It is designed for use by paraprofessionals in school and community settings.
Sequence: Two to four 45-minute sessions
Grades: Middle (7/8) and high school (9-12) students
Training: Contact EMT Associates, Inc. for information about training on the Brief Intervention Strategy.
Healthy Futures
The Healthy Futures alternative to suspension curriculum is a newer component of the Tobacco Prevention Toolkit from Stanford University. It adapts some materials from the prevention modules of the Toolkit while incorporating aspects of motivational interviewing.
Sequence: 1, 2, and 4-hour curricula available
Grades: Middle (7/8) and high school (9-12) students
Training: Contact the Stanford REACH Lab Team about the Healthy Futures Curriculum or other components of the Toolkit.
INDEPTH
Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health (INDEPTH) was developed by the American Lung Association in partnership with the Prevention Research Center of West Virginia University. INDEPTH is an interactive program that teaches students about nicotine dependence, establishing healthy alternatives, and how to move past nicotine addiction.
Sequence: Four 50 minute sessions
Grades: Middle (7/8) and high school (9-12) students
Training: INDEPTH facilitator training is free and self-paced on the program website.
Resources
Tobacco-Free Schools Toolkit
The American Heart Association designed a Toolkit to help school districts respond to the youth tobacco/vaping epidemic. The toolkit assists schools in creating a tobacco-free environment, by sharing resources and model language for the adoption, implementation and enforcement of a 100% tobacco-free school district policy.
Alternative to Suspension for Tobacco/E-cigarette/Vaping Use at School
The California Department of Education (CDE) developed a factsheet to provide information to support California school staff, including administrators, educators and health service providers when responding to students caught in possession of, or using, tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other vaping products in schools.
School Discipline & Student Substance Use: A guide for school-based health providers
The California School-Based Health Alliance (CSHA) developed a guide to support school-based health providers with disciplinary actions following a student being caught with tobacco or vapes on school campuses. The resource shares about alternative to suspension strategies.