(L-R) Angie Ferguson, Drug Free Clubs of America; Ron Cuff, SafeLaunch; Kevin Torosian, CASCWA President; and Janet Rowse, SafeLaunch. Photo Credit: CASCWA

Fresno, California - On May 11, 2023, SafeLaunch, a nationwide primary drug prevention initiative, presented the 2023 Prevention Hero of The Year Award to Dr. Kevin Torosian at the California Association of Supervisors Child Welfare and Attendance (CASCWA) annual conference in Fresno. Dr. Torosian, who has dedicated his career to helping California’s most challenged K-12 students succeed, was recognized for his unwavering support to protect youth from substance use, including voluntary and private, non-punitive random drug screening which gives teens a tool they can use to avoid the pressure to experiment with or use drugs.

Over 500 CASCWA members and guests were present at the CASCWA Anthony Brucia Success Awards ceremony when Dr. Torosian received the award. SafeLaunch Co-Founders Ron Cuff and Janet Rowse lauded Dr. Torosian's commitment to primary drug prevention and his leadership in the field. SafeLaunch board members chose Dr. Torosian as the recipient of the award because of his dedication to student success and his understanding that delaying drug and alcohol use until after age 21 is a critical component of achieving it.

NIDA reports that 90% of all Americans suffering from addiction initiate drug use before the age of 18. Dr. Torosian has fearlessly taken action to prevent the adolescent onset disease of addiction, and those efforts have made him a worthy recipient of the SafeLaunch Prevention Hero of the Year Award.

SafeLaunch congratulates Dr. Kevin Torosian on this well-deserved honor and thanks him for his tireless efforts to protect our youth from the dangers of drug and alcohol use.

To learn more about SafeLaunch, visit www.safelaunch.org. For more information about CASCWA, visit https://cascwa.org. For information about Drug Free Clubs of America, visit https://drugfreeclubs.com.