TodayProgram to lead kids toward health
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Article RatingAdolescents tend to experiment with drugs and/or alcohol at 13 years old.
Or 14. Sometimes it happens at 11. Or even earlier.
More than half of all youth experiment with alcohol and/or marijuana by the time they reach their senior year of high school. Parents often have no idea when it might be happening.
The best thing they can do is practice good parenting and be prepared, says Fiona BeLieu Williston, prevention program supervisor with the Cumberland/Perry Drug and Alcohol Commission.
“We know that when those family bonds are strong that children are less likely to get involved in risky behavior,” she says.
The commission will conduct a free town hall meeting Wednesday to discuss parenting methods to counter the inevitable experimentation and drugs and alcohol. Noted speaker Dr. Aaron M White, an assistant professor at Duke University Medical Center, is slated to lead the discussion.
White focuses on adolescent brain and psychological development. He advocates using novel approaches to prevent substance abuse, minimize teen violence and reduce teen suicide attempts. He promotes a combination of promoting and reinforcing healthy decision-making while nudging kids away from unhealthy paths, Williston says.
“It’s a lot of things we thought we knew, but now science is confirming,” she says. “He’s coming from a research perspective, so I think there’s a freshness to his approach that people will appreciate.”
White helped create a successful and effective online alcohol education course for college students, called AlcoholEdu, which more than 500,000 students completed in the past few years. He has appeared in educational videos about adolescent brain development and substance abuse, and worked with Mothers Against Driving Drunk to create education and prevention programs for both elementary school children and high school students.
White speaks around the country about promoting healthy teen development through a combination of preventing unhealthy behavior and promoting healthy behavior. He has been interviewed by CNN, BBC News, USAToday and many other news outlets.
Williston says the drug and alcohol problem among young people in Cumberland County remains an issue, but the statistics are steady. Dangerous drugs such as crystal meth are not showing up among youth in Cumberland.
According to the 2005-06 Student Assistance Program Report, 380 students were referred to the agency for formal drug and alcohol assessment, support group screening or followup contacts during the school year.
Familoy history
Seventy percent of the referred students came from a family with a history of chemical dependency.
The majority listed marijuana as their drug of choice and 30 percent claimed “regular use” of alcohol and/or drugs.
Williston urged all parents to attend, whether they have a child in trouble or not.
White is “going to try and brainstorm with our community some strategies parents can use at home and what we can do as a community to help get our kids through this stage,” she said.
The event will start with a reception at 6:30 and light snacks will be served. Mick O’Hearn, from ABC-27 News, will act as the master of ceremonies and Carlisle Mayor Kirk Wilson will offer opening remarks.
