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20 The Lexington school district does not permit professional staff to engage in therapeutic counseling. This is part of the district's risk management strategy as devised by the legal counsel for the school committee. As part of the same strategy,LGD members cannot refer or make related arrangements with outside mental health practitioners. They are permitted only to lend a student or a parent or guardian a notebook listing names, specialties, and addresses and phone numbers. Their book of listings contains numerous solo practitioners but very few clinics, group treatment resources, or networks and agencies. The zero tolerance policy of Lexington High School concerning drug and alcohol use and threats or instances of weapons or violence has the effect, in the judgement of those we interviewed, of"killing the possibility of preventive work with students". Students who have these and related problems now tend to avoid the staff of the LGD, whom they know to be obliged to report student suspects to the administration. Health education about these behaviors is worked upon by the High School Health Department with state grant resources. The theme of the LGD is"coordinative communication". This includes intramural advocacy for students, a parent information and support group which convenes weekly and is open to all interested parents, and assistance to the special needs educators and administrators working the school. Lexington High School faculty in general give very major attention, as do many parents,to time on academic tasks in the classroom and to homework. Time out for counseling or for work on mental health challenges is frowned upon by most faculty and parents. An important exception to this pattern came in 2002 with the death of two students, one a murder victim and one an auto accident victim. On that occasion, LGD and other school staff devised a time of support, counseling, and group grieving. The greatest unmet need in Lexington, in the judgement of the staff members we interviewed, is the need for group counseling and group therapy sessions for adolescents. We should also mention the work of the Health Protection Advisory Council (HPAC). This group of more than 20 health educators, special educators, social workers, public health specialists,work on a number of funded projects to improve drug and alcohol awareness and prevention concerns among parents and youth. They work through a special