GENERAL INFORMATION

Alcohol and drug education services offered by Health Promotion and Wellness (HPW) at University Health Services include the Personalized Alcohol Use Screening and Education (PAUSE) Programs (PAUSE Blue and PAUSE White).

The purpose of the PAUSE program is to increase student knowledge about alcohol and to encourage the use of protective behaviors to prevent negative consequences associated with drinking.   

PAUSE Blue is offered in the form of a two-hour workshop several times throughout the semester and is facilitated by a Master’s level graduate assistant. PAUSE Blue presents information about issues related to alcohol use including perceptions of drinking at Penn State, physiological effects of alcohol, consequences of drinking, and goals and strategies for safer drinking.  There is a fee for the program (UHS fee schedule).

PAUSE White consists of two one-hour one-on-one sessions.  During the two sessions, the student interventionist presents the personalized computer-based feedback sheet with information about the student’s drinking patterns, blood alcohol concentration, drinking norms and perceptions, comprehensive effects of alcohol, physiological effects of alcohol, alcohol related consequences, drug profile, protective and risk behaviors and readiness to change.  Goals and strategies for safer drinking are also discussed. Other topics may be discussed as needed such as stress management for example. There is a fee for the program (UHS fee schedule).

PAUSE is offered for students mandated by Penn State's Offices of Judicial Affairs or Residence Life and/or a Centre County Magistrate. Any student may also take any of these programs on a self-referral basis at no charge.  

All students need to complete the online Alcohol Assessment found at http://www.alcoholassessment.psu.edu/  before registering for the program. The assessment determines referral to PAUSE Blue or PAUSE White. 

STUDENT VOLUNTEERS

Click the following link if you are interested in helping others and would like to become involved with the PAUSE and Marijuana Intervention Programs as a  volunteer peer interventionist.