TUPE (Tobacco Use Prevention Education) is an award-winning program with a team of mental health therapists trained  to support students in the district who want to talk confidentially about their  substance or nicotine use, free of charge.  TUPE is funded by a grant from the state of California, funded by taxes collected from the sale of tobacco.

Parents/guardians: Please use this form to refer a student and/or request information regarding substance use, alternative to suspension, and other support groups (listed below) provided by the Sistrict.

If you have any questions, please contact jcadigan@smuhsd.org.

SMUHSD Support Groups for Students

Vaping Awareness Prevention and Education (VAPE)

SMUHSD is offering small group sessions in an effort to increase students’ knowledge surrounding the harmfulness of vaping nicotine, cannabis, and triangulum use (vaping, nicotine, and cannabis) and to empower conversations to support awareness about nicotine and cannabis use, as well as cutting down and quitting. This is the preferred option for initial referrals for nicotine and cannabis use.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions run Mondays for two weeks, 4:15 - 5:45 p.m., in person at the District office or virtually.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 25/26
• Students can also be referred to this group through a disciplinary action.

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Substance Use Program (SUP)

This group provides the opportunity to enhance critical thinking, inform decision making, raise awareness and foster ambivalence towards substance use. This group is intended for other substances beyond cannabis and nicotine or if VAPE or BI has already been offered.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions run Tuesdays for four weeks, 4 - 5:30 p.m., in person at the District office or virtually.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 25/26
• Students can also be referred to this group through a disciplinary action.

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Brief Intervention (BI) for Substance Use

Brief Intervention (BI) is a counseling intervention for students identified with substance use, a short history of use, ambivalence about changing their use, and experiencing few problems with their use.

• Ongoing enrollment: Two brief one-on-one sessions in person at school site or DO or virtually will be scheduled with a trained professional based on student’s availability, with options for additional sessions and an optional, encouraged parent session.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 25/26

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Alternative to Suspension (ATS)

ATS is a strength-based group utilizing restorative justice practices, allowing students to turn their suspension into an opportunity for learning and growth. Students will increase their awareness of causes for suspension, improve decision-making skills, identify trusted school staff, and receive tobacco and other substance use education and intervention. Healthy Relationships, Consent, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Social Media Awareness topics will be covered as needed. Individual sessions will be offered if groups are contra-indicated. Please consult with Jessamy in order to assess the best fit for student support.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions will run on Wednesdays for one to four sessions/weeks, 3:30 - 5 p.m., in person at the district office or virtually.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Referral Process (Disciplinary Only)

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Alternative to Suspension (ATS) - Flex

ATS Flex is a strength-based group utilizing restorative justice practices, allowing students to turn their suspension into an opportunity for learning and growth. Students will increase their awareness of causes for suspension, improve decision-making skills, identify supportive school staff, and receive tobacco and other substance use education and intervention. Healthy Relationships, Consent, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Social Media Awareness topics will be covered as needed. Individual sessions will be offered if groups are contra-indicated. ATS Flex is a virtual during school, on-campus option that is shorter in duration. The site must ensure the student has a confidential space to attend the group as well as a device with a working mic and camera.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions will run on Wednesdays for one to four sessions/weeks depending on the support needed, 10:12 - 11:01 HHS; 10:17 - 11:02 MHS, BHS, AHS; 10:17 - 11:06 a.m. CHS, SMHS virtually on site. PHS 11:30-12, Tuesday or Thursday.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Site must provide confidential space and device for student to attend the program
• Referral Process (Disciplinary Only)

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Alternative to Suspension – Dehumanizing Language (ATS-DL)

ATS-DL is a therapeutic group that will explore the student's choice to continue to use dehumanizing language in the context of the school setting, despite previous attempts by staff to interrupt behavior, and discuss the impact of that choice.

• Group sessions will run on two Thursdays after school, in person or virtually at the District Office, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Students must attend both sessions.
• Referral Process (Disciplinary Only)

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El Centro/Supporting Teens with Substance Use in Spanish

The Freedom Center's (El Centro de Libertad) mission is to help individuals, families, and communities of all cultures impacted by substance abuse and related issues achieve and maintain health, strength, and recovery. These meetings will be held at your site. 

• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 25/26
• Students can also be referred to this group through a disciplinary action.

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Tier 1 On-Site Support with videos on Vaping, THC, Nicotine and Triangulum Use

Note: A toolkit will be provided to you after you complete the referral process.

The TUPE Program supports the use of alternatives to suspension to address youth substance use. Alternatives to suspension (ATS) are disciplinary strategies and interventions that address a student's behavior without removing them from the educational environment.

• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 25/26
• Students can also be referred to this group through a disciplinary action.

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Family Support Groups

Supporting Teens with Substance Use

For parents or guardians whose teen is using marijuana, nicotine or drinking.

• The group session will run on 2 evenings online
• Sign-up: TBD
• Facilitator: TBD

Parent Connect

Parent Connect is a virtual parent support group for parent(s)/caregiver(s) of teens who are experiencing difficulties with attendance, behavior, vaping, cannabis & other substance use, and/or other related stressors.

• Ongoing group enrollment
• Group sessions, at SMHS, will run on Tuesdays ( English & Spanish) from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• Sign-up: TBD
• Facilitators:
  • English Speaking Group: TBD
  • Spanish Speaking Group: Lucero Govea, AMTF and Nancy Yance Chavez, LMFT