The Community Action for Substance Free Youth (CASFY) Coalition announces the launch of a community education program designed to increase parents’ understanding of and confidence in preventing and addressing alcohol and other drug use. The multi-media program aims to educate parents of teens and tweens about:

• Why kids use drugs and alcohol
• What parents can do to protect their children
• How to communicate with children and monitor their activities
• Provide information on how to spot alcohol and other drug use and what parents should do when they find it.

“Parents: You Matter” is a facilitated conversation among participants designed to be co-led by community members. Maria Belval, a social worker from Old Lyme, will be the lead facilitator and her partners will be members of law enforcement, prevention specialists, as well as educators and other health care professionals. The program was developed by The Partnership at drugfree.org.

Mary Seidner, Director of LYSB, states that “The key to preventing and reducing substance use among our children is that every person in the community does what is necessary to protect our children. Parents can’t do it alone, but we do know parents who set clear rules prohibiting substance use reduce children’s risk of use by nearly 50 percent.”

CASFY is bringing “Parents: You Matter” free of charge to the Lyme and Old Lyme communities. Presentations are free of charge, and are available to formal community groups (such as parent organizations at schools) as well as informal ones of neighbors and friends. The program is suitable for very small groups as there is much opportunity for conversation.

To schedule “Parents: You Matter” or to obtain more details about the program, contact Karen Fischer, Prevention Coordinator at LYSB, at 860-434-7208 or email fischerk@cfapress.org