Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD)
Vermont Act 51

About Vermont Act 51

Vermont Act 51 requires that schools provide training for school staff to build knowledge and skills for alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) abuse prevention.  The Act 51 curriculum covers such topic areas as: 

• societal and personal attitudes;
• chemical use, abuse, dependence and recovery;
• the family's role;
• school climate and curriculum development;
• youth-risk behavior such as drinking and driving, and HIV disease. 

The Department of Education recommends that all new staff receive training within their first two years of teaching and that experienced staff update their skills every five years in order to stay current on pharmacology, brain development, intervention strategy and behavior change theory.