1. FCUSD Drug Awareness Forum
Angela Da Re, CCPS, ICPS
FCUSD Drug Awareness Forum

2. Agenda
Why Do Kids Engage in Risky Behaviors? What Can Parents Do? Bonding Boundaries Monitoring Talk, They Hear You―Practical Ideas to begin the discussion

3. Why do kids engage in risky behaviors?

4. Strong Families can form the foundation of healthy kids but we have to be purposefulz

5. Strong families avoid many adverse outcomes
 “Strong families avoid many adverse outcomes: substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school failure, aggression, and delinquency.” (Hops, et al., 2001)
Let's just look at one....

6. Teen Drinking can = negative life impactz
Teen Drinking can = negative life impact
"The younger adolescents are when they start to drink, the more likely they are to engage in risky behaviors, including using drugs…
                (NIAAA Alcohol Alert)

7. Alcohol is the #1 Substance of Abuse by Youth in Sacramento County
Sacramento teens are drinking too early:
27% of 7th grade students tried alcohol before age 15 43% of 9th grade students 35% of 11th grade students
Sacramento teens are drinking too much:
13% of 9th grade students report binge drinking in the past 30 days 18% of 11th grade students
Sacramento teens are drinking too often:
9% of 7th grade students report they drank on 3 or more days in the last 30 days 18% of 9th grade students 25% of 11th grade students (California Healthy Kids Survey, 2013) z
Alcohol is the #1 Substance of Abuse by Youth in Sacramento County

8. Teen Alcohol use can wire the brain for addictionz
Teen Alcohol use can wire the brain for addiction
45% of kids who begin drinking at age 13 will be alcohol dependent as adults
7% who start drinking at age 21 become alcohol dependent

9. Long-term study 11,000 teen drinkers negative SOCIAL consequences
By age 30, teens who binge age 16 were:
60% more likely to be alcoholics
60% more likely to be homeless
40% more likely to have accidents
40% more likely to use illegal drugs
40% more mental health problems
Double the risk for criminal convictions z
Long-term study 11,000 teen drinkers  negative SOCIAL consequences

10. Most addiction, along with a host of other behavioral health problems, are often PREVENTABLE 
 “A child who gets through age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs is almost certain never to do so.”  
(CASA –National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University)

11. Most addiction in America begins in ADOLESCENCE z
Most addiction in America begins in ADOLESCENCE  
 “...The median reported age of initiation of illicit drug use in adults with substance use disorders is 16 years, with 50% of the cases beginning between ages 15 and 18 and rare initiation after age 20.” 
Chambers, et. al. Developmental Neurocircuitry of Motivation in Adolescense: A Critical Period  of Addiction Vulnerability American Journal Psychiatry 160:6, June 2003 P
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

12. z
What puts Kids at risk...
For delinquency, alcohol & drugs, mental health problems?

13. Stress
Access
Boredom z
Teens Report

14. z
What protects kids?.
From delinquency, alcohol & drugs, mental health problems?

15. *
Family z
Teens Report

16. Parents Have Influence!
Around 80% of kids and teens feel that parents should have a say in whether they drink alcohol.
Between the ages of 11 and 18, youth are especially susceptible to outside influences such as peers, family members and the media. z
Parents Have Influence!

17. What can parents do?

18. You can specifically target Risk & Protective Factors by using (or teaching) 3 types of skills:
1. BONDING (create warm, loving relationships) 
2. BOUNDARIES (clear firm rules and consequences)
3. MONITORING activities & well-being (insure kids always stay in alcohol & drug-free social environment)

19. z
Why Bonding?
    “Research indicates that children are less likely to drink when their parents (and caregivers) are involved in their lives and when (families) feel close to each other. Family conflicts and lack of bonding increase the risk of Drinking"
(Institute of Medicine Report to Congress – Report to Congress on Underage Drinking: “Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility”) 

20. z
Why Boundaries?
 “Unclear rules and expectations leave kids vulnerable to underage drinking.”
     (Institute of Medicine – Report to Congress on Underage Drinking: “Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility”)

21. Why Monitoring? Trust – But Verifyz
Why Monitoring? Trust – But Verify
The areas of the brain that encourage impulsivity and risk- taking develop early in teens, while the areas that improve self-control don’t develop until the very late teens or early twenties. At some level, most kids appreciate parental monitoring. It’s very real proof their parents and caregivers love them enough to care about their well- being.

22. What can parents do Today?

23. Keep Asking. Keep Talking Talk. They hear you campaign
Sacramento County Coalition for Youth
Sacramentoccy.org

24. Parents are important
Parents are the primary messengers for underage drinking prevention. To be successful, parents need prompts and conversation starters.
Parents should take advantage of opportunities to discuss the issues as they present themselves.
And Parents need to be intentional – start the conversation. Talk!
The purpose of the next two slides is to present key Campaign development findings to illustrate the Campaign research.
Background:
To inform the development of this Campaign, SAMHSA completed a comprehensive background study, including a literature review, media content analysis, and environmental/competitive analysis. Based on findings from this study, SAMHSA conducted a series of nationwide focus groups—both telephone and in-person—to explore attitudes, concerns, social and cultural context, influences on parenting behavior, and language used to discuss underage drinking.
SAMHSA also conducted one-on-one interviews with children in the target age range, which provided insight on the individuals to whom children turn to for advice about alcohol. Additionally, in-depth interviews with stakeholders from the advocacy and prevention arena and representatives from the alcohol industry identified promising practices and opportunities for collaboration.
Background continued:
Additionally, SAMHSA learned that parents are the primary messengers for underage drinking prevention; although, coaches and others in the community also can influence a young person’s decisions about drinking underage.
To be successful, parents said they wanted prompts and conversation starters to initiate a talk about alcohol with their children. Children said that they wanted parents to take advantage of opportunities to discuss underage drinking as they presented themselves, such as while watching a beer commercial on TV with their parents, versus having the conversation come out of the blue.

25. What do youth say? Advice from teens:
Talk about alcohol in context of a recent event; and
Mom is the go-to parent, but dad and other trusted adults can also deliver underage drinking prevention message.
This slide lists the findings from teens

26. Talk. They hear you app Web-based role-playing simulation for parents
Use this slide to discuss the web-based Campaign tool for parents.
Background:
In addition to the PSAs, SAMHSA developed a web-based role-playing simulation for parents and caregivers, allowing them to practice virtually “talking” with a child about underage drinking. The role-play game models human behavior, and simulated interactions change based on the player’s responses, helping parents build skills and confidence to conduct these types of conversations with their own children. This simulation is based on research in social cognition, learning theory, and neuroscience.

27. Parent-specific resources
Visit the Campaign website to access resources and tools to help parents begin and continue the conversation about alcohol. Sacramento County Coalition For Youth sacramentoccy.org
You can use this slide to focus on the various resources for parents that are available as part of the Campaign. Users can download all materials here:
Listed below are some Parent resources currently available:
Parent Text Scripts
Parent Underage Drinking Prevention Guide
Why It’s Important to Talk With Your Children
Learn to Answer Tough Questions
Underage Drinking Consequences
Warning Signs for Parents
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do
Why Children Start Drinking
Underage Drinking Prevention Agreement Form

28. z