Ark. Code § 20-8-902

Current with legislation from 2024 Fiscal and Special Sessions.

Section 20-8-902 - Definitions

As used in this subchapter:

(1) "At-risk youth" means an individual in grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12) who has a greater vulnerability for risk behaviors;

(2) "Client" means the intended audience of a primary prevention and risk avoidance program;

(3) "Culturally appropriate" means effective for communicating with people of different cultures, including without limitation people of different races and ethnicities;

(4) "Developmentally appropriate" means:

(A) Suited to the physical, intellectual, and emotional development of an adolescent; and

(B) Taking into consideration the following:

(i) During adolescence, physical changes happen at an increased rate;

(ii) At the same time, adolescents experience cognitive, social, emotional, and interpersonal changes that must be addressed as part of a primary prevention strategy; and

(iii) Although all youth have individual personalities and individual interests, many adolescents face similar developmental issues during early, middle, and late adolescence that must be addressed at the appropriate times;

(5) "Evidence-based" means founded on:

(A) Principles and concepts supported by research;

(B) Practical strategies learned from experience; and

(C) Practices consistent with client needs and circumstances;

(6) "Evidence-informed" means incorporating available evidence, practice, and experience to determine what works in a given, practical setting;

(7)

(A) "Optimal health" means the following aspects of health without limitation:

(i) Physical health, which refers to the physiological way an individual's body functions;

(ii) Emotional health, which includes without limitation an individual's ability to calmly cope with unpleasant emotions and remain aware of the individual's and others' feelings;

(iii) Social health, which refers to the quality of an individual's relationships with the individual's family, friends, and others with whom the individual interacts;

(iv) Mental health, which includes without limitation an individual's ability to recognize reality and cope with the demands of daily life while maintaining self-esteem and self-respect; and

(v) Spiritual health, which refers to an individual's choice to live his or her life in accordance with his or her ethics, morals, values, and in harmony with his or her environment and others that surround him or her.

(B) "Optimal health" is not limited to the absence of disease;

(8) "Primary prevention strategy" means a plan of action that utilizes a prevention-first educational approach to risk behavior that:

(A) Employs strategies that prevent risk behaviors and assist with the transition of youth from risk behavior lifestyles and habits to risk-free lifestyles and habits before negative health effects occur; and

(B) Includes primarily content that prioritizes a risk avoidance message;

(9) "Proven effective" means that a program, project, approach, or practice has been recognized as evidence-based or evidence-informed by a credible federal or state education or health entity;

(10) "Risk avoidance strategy" means a plan of action that:

(A) Encourages students to voluntarily avoid or refrain from risk behaviors and eliminate all associated risks of those behaviors; and

(B) Educates students about the optimal health of an individual and the societal benefits associated with:

(i) Personal responsibility;

(ii) Personal efficacy;

(iii) Goal setting;

(iv) Health decision-making;

(v) A focus on the future; and

(vi) Healthy relationship development;

(11) "Risk behavior" includes without limitation the following:

(A) Smoking;

(B) Consuming alcohol;

(C) Abusing drugs;

(D) Early initiation into sexual activity;

(E) Participating in a sexually active lifestyle while under the age of legal consent;

(F) Engaging in or having experienced:

(i) Dating violence; or

(ii) Sexual violence; and

(G) Participating in illegal activities such as:

(i) Misusing technology and social media, which includes without limitation the following:

(a) Blackmailing another person with pictures or information gained through technology or social media;

(b) Cyberbullying, as defined in § 5-71-217; and

(c) Sexting, as defined in § 5-27-609; and

(ii)

(a) Bullying.

(b) A primary prevention program shall address the:

(1) Behaviors of a teen who is bullying another person; and

(2) Effects of bullying on a teen who is being bullied by another person;

(12) "Secondary prevention strategy" means a plan of action that encourages reducing risks associated with risk behaviors; and

(13) "Strength-based" means founded on the following:

(A) A positive youth development approach that builds on a person's existing strengths, skills, and external assets;

(B) Medically accurate information that is supported by research by medical, psychological, scientific, governmental, or public health publications, organizations, or agencies; and

(C) Evidence-based or evidence-informed practice.

Ark. Code § 20-8-902

Added by Act 2019, No. 841,§ 2, eff. 7/24/2019.