About Us
Established in 2003, Partners in Prevention has reached thousands of Jewish teens. In 2006, a Covenant Foundation grant allowed Beit T’Shuvah to more fully develop the program and spread it beyond the Los Angeles area. The program aims at youth ages 12 to 18 and goes into schools (both Jewish and secular), synagogues, camps, youth groups and other organizations that partner with Beit T’Shuvah.
Through educational courses, speaking engagements, and seminars, the Partners in Prevention program gives teens – and in many cases their parents – the space to confront issues, sometimes for the very first time.
The Challenge
The new age addict looks like this: graduated high school with a good GPA, has parents who adore him, feels tremendous pressure to achieve and to please, and whose purpose has been defined by the school system.
The hyper-focus on academic achievement and the expansion of social media and technology have led our youth to exhibit increased rates of stress, sleep deprivation, and depression. To cope, today’s youth engage in high-risk behaviors including drug and alcohol abuse, disordered eating, gambling, crime, and unsafe sex. Most parents and educators are unaware of the extent of their child’s stress, or at a loss as to how to help.
The Response
The Partners in Prevention Program utilizes Jewish values to empower our youth with insights and tools that can lower the risk of engaging in unhealthy behaviors. Utilizing Beit T’Shuvah’s integrative approach, Partners in Prevention works with youth and their families to accomplish the following goals:
- Learning to identify and accept one’s feelings during challenging situations.
- Promote insight and resilience, fostering personal integrity and positive choices.
- Parents learn about the genuine experience of their children, and receive practical guidance for addressing family challenges.
- Youth are given tangible tools and resources for working through life’s challenges without turning to destructive behaviors.
Program participants report positive development across the following areas:
Click here to download the Partners in Prevention Gilbert Evaluation.
- The ability to talk with trusted adults
- Peer relations
- Avoiding peer pressure
- Self-awareness
- A sense of meaning and purpose
The Programs
Awareness Seminar
This program is designed to help students identify the strengths and challenges in their lives (i.e. academic stress, rebelliousness, , lack of confidence etc.). Identifying such struggles and difficulties is one of the first steps of dealing with problems in healthy and mindful ways. During this one-time program, students hear one or more resident’s personal stories to further understand and explore ways to avoid making their mistakes.. Students learn how to best deal with the obstacles and emotional terrain that every teenager faces.
Addiction Prevention Curriculum
The full program (2 sessions per grade), includes faculty meeting and parents’ meetings. The 2-day format is consistent throughout all grades:
Day 1: Introductions and Focus of Study
6th grade: Understanding Addiction (emphasis on Internet, devices and screen time)
7th grade: Understanding how Alcohol and Marijuana Impacts Lives Emotionally, Physically and Socially
8th grade: In Depth Discussions of Teen Use of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Other Prevalent Drugs used in our community, and the risk of vaping.
Day 2: Reviewing the research and deepening understanding through student participation and engagement.
Parent Talks: Strategies for Raising a Resilient Child
There is much discussion about how children being raised today lack grit and resilience. In this one-hour presentation, Doug Rosen will offer suggestions on how to raise a child who can handle conflict and endure disappointment without falling apart, self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, or engaging in self-harming behaviors. Middle and High school is a period of tremendous anxiety as students struggle with personal, social, and academic pressures. Doug will discuss the importance of having open lines of communication and arming your children with the confidence to make good decisions and guiding them on how to live a life in balance.
A Parents’ Guide to the Ever-Changing Landscape of Drugs and Alcohol
In this presentation, Doug Rosen talks to parents about the steps they can take to help their children prevent or reduce drug and alcohol use. He explains the many reasons teens begin experimentation, which in some cases can lead to addiction. Doug shares the latest research on drug addiction, warns parents of new drugs on the street, and gives treatment advice and resources to parents whose children are affected by drug use. Anyone raising a child today must hear Doug’s important, and at times, life-saving messages.
Who We Are
Douglas Rosen
Director of Partners in Prevention
Headed by Douglas Rosen, the Partners in Prevention Department is Beit T’Shuvah’s response to addiction amongst today’s youth. Doug, a trained Marriage and Family Therapist from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, has dedicated his life to substance abuse education. He regularly speaks to national audiences of students, parents and educators about positive decision-making, pre-empting destructive choices, peer pressure, self-awareness and teen resilience. Formerly a Hollywood entrepreneur who dealt with his own addiction, Doug is a captivating speaker, personal mentor, licensed therapist and relatable teacher. His forward-thinking curriculum is in demand by schools and synagogues throughout the nation.
For more information please contact Doug: drosen@beittshuvah.org
Jessica Fishel
Education Program Director
Jessica is the Education Program Director at Beit T’Shuvah and a key member of PIP for over ten years. Jessica is in charge of coordinating and facilitating the various sessions, and planning Freedom Song and Escape Room performances. She is a favorite speaker and youth educator, and very well respected among both educators and parents. She is also more determined than ever to make a difference in the world. “I enjoy giving something to kids that was not given to me,” says Jessica. “It’s something that could have helped me a lot in my adolescence.” Jessica holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin, and a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
For more information please contact Jessica: jfishel@beittshuvah.org