2011-08-09

[DIV28SUPER] Fwd: New Toll-Free Helpline Launches for Parents of Kids Who are Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol

See below for more information on a toll-free helpline for parents of children dependent on drugs. This might be helpful to clients/families.

Kelly

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Feliz, Josie <Josie_Feliz@drugfree.org>
Date: Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Subject: New Toll-Free Helpline Launches for Parents of Kids Who are Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol
To:


Hello,

 

We've just launched a new bilingual helpline specifically for parents and caregivers of teens/young adults who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. The Parents Toll-Free Helpline1-855-DRUGFREE(1-855-378-4373) is staffed by social workers with practical experience in substance abuse prevention and treatment. These specialists offer expert advice to help parents plan a course of action for teens who are struggling with substance abuse and, along with helping parents make a plan for getting their child help, can supply a short list of resources or treatment facilities in their local area.

 

In putting the 1-855-DRUGFREE(1-855-378-4373) parents helpline together, we worked very closely with specialists in the treatment and addiction field, experts in teen substance abuse and behavior along with social workers and licensed clinical workers.  We also collected feedback from our Parent Advisory Board members who have children who have faced substance abuse and addiction.

 

Please let me know if you are interested in learning more about the helpline or want to conduct an interview to speak with one of our experts or parents and I will be happy to help set that up. Looking forward to connecting with you.  ---Josie Feliz, The Partnership at Drugfree.org 212-973-3505.

 

 

 

Read more about the Parents Toll-Free Helpline 1-855-DRUGFREE – (1-855-378-4373) …..

 

 

The Partnership at Drugfree.org Launches Bilingual, Toll-Free Helpline for Parents of Kids who are Using Drugs or Drinking

 

~Expert Help for Parents and Families in Need~

 

NEW YORK, NY – August 9, 2011– The Partnership at Drugfree.org is introducing a new bilingual (English/Spanish), toll-free telephone helpline, dedicated to helping parents and families who may not have access to our comprehensive resources at drugfree.org, or who may simply want to speak to a qualified social worker about their child's drug use or drinking.

 

Many parents struggle to find a clear path to intervention and treatment information, often resulting in a frustrating search to get effective help for their child. The new helpline aims to fill that void and will provide useful information in real-time – when families who are facing a child's addiction need it most.

 

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline1-855-DRUGFREE(1-855-378-4373) is staffed by social workers with practical experience in substance abuse prevention and treatment. These specialists offer expert advice to help parents plan a course of action for teens who are struggling with substance abuse and, if appropriate, supply a short list of resources or treatment facilities in their local area. While the Parents Toll-Free Helpline is not a 24-hour crisis hotline, it will be staffed Monday-Friday from 10:00 am-6:00 pm EST.

 

Helpline professionals, who began taking calls in April, work with parents to develop a plan for getting a professional assessment for their child, help them find appropriate treatment options and encourage family involvement through the recovery process on an ongoing basis.

 

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline was made possible through the generosity of Purdue Pharma, the Bodman Foundation, a private foundation and numerous matching contributions from individuals.

 

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline Meets a Real Need for Treatment Advice

 

Nine million American adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12-25 need help addressing drug and alcohol problems; of those nine million, two million are teenagers between the ages of 12-17[1]. Yet an alarming 90 percent of those two million adolescents who need help with substance abuse issues are not getting the treatment help they need[2].

 

The helpline is also helping parents take effective action before their child's drug use or drinking reaches a point where treatment is required.  Research has shown that parents who intervene early can help significantly reduce the likelihood that their child will become addicted, or suffer long-term negative consequences from substance abuse[3]. Encouraging parents to take immediate action is therefore a main goal of the helpline's team of parent support specialists.

 

"We know from talking with parents across the nation that there are limits to the help and depth of content provided over the phone by government agencies. They've shared how crucial it is have someone listen, help them make sense of options, understand terminology unique to treatment and guide them step-by-step toward making a plan when they're faced with a drug or alcohol problem in their child," said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. "This new helpline was created by building upon the things we learned families most wanted and needed, further advancing our evolution as a provider of life-changing services to millions of parents and their kids."

 

Across the country, teen abuse of prescription (Rx) medicines continues to be a cause for concern as roughly 1 in 5 teens in grades 9-12 (20 percent) report abuse of an Rx medicine at least once in their lives, and 1 in 7 teens (15 percent) teens report abusing of a prescription pain reliever in the past year.[1] 

 

"Prescription drug abuse is a serious public health problem that requires a coordinated response from healthcare professionals, parents, communities, law enforcement and government officials," said John H. Stewart, President and CEO of Purdue Pharma L.P. "We at Purdue are working with these groups to provide resources and tools that can help prevent and reduce the abuse of prescription medications.  We appreciate The Partnership at Drugfree.org's leadership in establishing the helpline as a valuable resource for families all across the country."

 

The parent support specialists who staff the helpline are extensively trained on empirically supported intervention techniques such as Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) and Motivational Interviewing to assist parents in communicating with their children and find appropriate help when it is needed. CRAFT is specifically designed for concerned parents and others to help their loved ones, who have problems with drugs or alcohol, get appropriate treatment. 

 

"By listening to the stories that callers have to tell – the challenges, setbacks and emotional turmoil that go with a child's substance abuse or addiction, we will help parents outline a course of effective action – whether it's prevention, intervention, seeking treatment or supporting recovery – grounded in the science-based resources we have built at drugfree.org," said Johanna Bos, LMSW, CASAC, Lead Parent Support Specialist for the helpline.

 

"When a child has substance abuse issues, the whole family needs support," said Ken Winters, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota. "Parents may need a counselor to walk them through exactly what they will say to their teenager when they suspect substance abuse. If they have not already done so, parents need to establish rules about alcohol and other drugs, and consequences for breaking those rules. They may also need help figuring out whether their adolescent should get a professional assessment. These are some of the things that a counselor on the helpline can assist them with."

 

To learn more about the Parents Toll-Free Helpline, please visit "Time To Get Help," our online community of parents whose kids need help with drug or alcohol treatment.

 

#    #    #    #

Footnote:

[1] (2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health)

[2] (2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health)

[3] (Dennis 2008)

[1] 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, sponsored by MetLife Foundation

 

The Partnership at Drugfree.org is a nonprofit organization that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.  Bringing together renowned scientists, parent experts and communications professionals, this public health nonprofit translates current research on teen behavior, parenting, addiction and treatment into easy to understand resources at drugfree.org.  The organization also reaches families through its community education programs which focus on local drug and alcohol issues of concern for parents, youth and the Hispanic community. The Partnership at Drugfree.org depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and is thankful to SAG/AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cid:image001.jpg@01CB4547.D5F6FFC0

   Josie Feliz

   Deputy Director of Public Affairs

   352 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor

   New York, NY  10010

   josie_feliz@drugfree.org

   P: 212.973.3505 | F: 212.922.1570

 

   www.drugfree.org or www.timetotalk.org

   Please support The Partnership at Drugfree.org by making a donation

 

   The Partnership at Drugfree.org helps parents prevent, intervene in
   and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.

 

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[1] (2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health)

[2] (2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health)

[3] (Dennis 2008)

[1] 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, sponsored by MetLife Foundation




--
Kelly Dunn, Ph.D.
NIDA Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for Learning and Health
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
5200 Eastern Avenue, Suite 142 West
Baltimore, MD 21224
BPRU Phone: (410) 550-2254
CLH Phone: (410) 550-5370
Fax: (410) 550-7495
 
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