The ADETS curriculum teaches program awareness, facts about mood altering drugs, how to assess the person's experience, development of a personal life plan and life after ADETS.

The Student - An ADETS student is a first time offender charged with a DWI in the State of North Carolina. The three criteria by which a person may be recommended for ADETS are:

* The results of the substance abuse assessment shows that the person does not have a substance abuse handicap,
* the person has never, in his life, had another DWI conviction anywhere,
or driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs.
* the person's BAC was 0.14% or less.

ADETS students have suffered a serious legal consequence due to their usage making them prime secondary prevention intervention targets. At this early stage of their usage, they need an education that not only gives them the "truth" about alcohol and other drugs, but also allows them a process to help assimilate this information into their own personal lives. The process gives the student an opportunity to develop a personal substance usage plan that will facilitate living a successful life.