Daytop Prep Gives Teens A Second Chance at High School
For more than three decades, high school students struggling with addiction could receive treatment and an education at The Daytop Preparatory School (Daytop Prep). The registered private alternative school filled a void for teens with substance use disorder. Instead of dropping out, they were staying in -- school, that is. They were also receiving outpatient treatment and, for some, a high school diploma.
The history of Daytop Prep stretches back to the 1990s when Daytop Village offered youth drug and alcohol treatment in a residential setting. Teen clients focused on their recovery from addiction but at the expense of having to put their academic studies on hold. In response, Daytop Village opened a charter school – Daytop Prep – for their school-aged clients in Westchester, Rockland, and Suffolk Counties.
In 2000, the doors to Daytop Prep officially opened, thanks to a stamp of approval from the NYS Education Department. Word of mouth spread about the Board-certified school embedded within an outpatient program. School districts, parents, family-appointed providers, courts/legal services providers, and healthcare/hospital networks referred 9th-12th graders at high risk for drug addiction. Families breathed easier knowing their children could continue their schoolwork while benefiting from on-site clinical therapy.
“One of the first signs of a teen with substance use disorder is a decline in interest in school, home, community, and their social circles,” explained Carolann Slattery, Chief Clinical Officer and Superintendent of Daytop Prep. “When they succeed academically at Daytop Prep, students regain their self-confidence, boosting their academic performance and their levels of engagement in other areas of their life. They either stay and graduate with Daytop Prep, or they return to their home school district.”
Now, Daytop Prep is accepting students (ages 14-21) with a wider range of behavioral issues beyond addiction and mental health disorders. Business Education Manager Diane Gabriel explained that the school accepts students for a temporary academic placement or who have been suspended or expelled. Even homeschooled teens wanting to try the classroom experience can enroll as well.
Today there are two Prep locations, co-located with our outpatient treatment programs: Rockland (in Blauvelt) and Suffolk (in Huntington Station). Such proximity to 
OASAS-certified staff provides an added value. Challenging student behaviors can be immediately assessed, and recommendations offered to teaching staff.
“It’s a specialty school. There’s no wrong door to gain access,” added Gabriel. “The difference with The Daytop Preparatory School is that we integrate the clinical component – something that all students benefit from, whether or not they’re struggling with a behavioral health challenge.”
Daytop Prep follows State regulations for public school district curricula. Teens who transfer into the program benefit from a “one-to-one” educational setting, receiving more attention from the teaching staff. Group sessions are integrated into the day, even if the students were not referred by clinical resources, and parents can take part in family therapy sessions. Daytop Prep also accepts students with individualized education plans (IEP).
Gabriel says Prep’s State-certified teachers target subject areas requiring remediation. When students are ready to return to their home schools, they can transfer credits for their completed courses.
As an alternative school, Daytop Prep offers a cross-disciplinary approach to academia and therapy with small classroom sizes and one-on-one instruction. Each classroom has two teachers and one teacher’s assistant. The educational staff includes certified general and special education teachers and assistants. The program also gives students access to a team of licensed substance use counselors, social workers, vocational counselors, psychiatrists, and on-site nurses.
Since the Suffolk school is located at a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center, there are specialty and bilingual staff, including an Art Therapist, Family Specialist, and Sex Education Instructor.
Gabriel partners with mental health and local and State government agencies, as well as the on-site outpatient treatment programs, to bring speakers into the classroom. Prep’s instructors and administrators would like to continue to offer more. Additional State funding could help build student-only recreation spaces, expand the school’s slate of liberal arts classes, add science labs, and update the facilities. It can also add an Art Therapist to the Rockland County location.
Using a holistic approach allows the school to help students stay in step with their peers while succeeding with their treatment. For example, drug prevention classes can be woven into the daily schedule along with group and individual counseling sessions. Based on students’ input, group sessions focus on a wide range of topics– from drug prevention and job readiness to sexual health and bullying.
As an alternative school, Daytop Prep offers a few extra value-added features compared to its public school counterparts. The schedule has a later start and end time. Both the Rockland and Suffolk campuses operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, breakfast and lunch are provided at both locations, and the Rockland County site offers van pick-up and drop-off.
For questions, referrals, or admissions to The Daytop Preparatory School in Suffolk or Rockland County, contact Business Education Manager Diane Gabriel at 929-288-4867 or diane.gabriel@samaritanvillage.org.
In 2019, U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi toured a classroom at The Daytop Preparatory School in Huntington Station.