First published in the Oct. 14 print issue of the San Marino Tribune.
Partnership for Awareness, with the support of San Marino High School, will host a virtual parent educational event about adolescent substance use on Monday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m.
Administrator Lorena Vasquez and psychotherapist Nancy Hernandez from the substance use prevention and treatment program in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will speak about this major public health concern.
Parents will learn what to look for and receive advice on effective ways to approach the subject with youth. Resources will also be provided. The program’s approach provides accurate, age-appropriate information and is less focused on scare tactics, which program leaders find less effective. They combine the latest science and research with practical experiences and insights, and endorse a philosophy that promotes safety first while encouraging youth to remain drug and alcohol free.
Partnership for Awareness, which describes itself as seeking to educate, engage and empower parents and youth on health and social challenges faced by local children and teens, is hosting the event as part of Red Ribbon Week. That’s a national annual drug prevention awareness program that is celebrated from Oct. 23-31. Its theme this year is “Drug Free Looks Like Me.”
“We want to make Red Ribbon Week meaningful and informative, which is why we’re bringing in the experts,” explained Claudia Boles, SMHS liaison for Partnership for Awareness. “This is a difficult topic to tackle. We hope that parents, community members and other interested folks join us.”
The Partnership for Awareness-sponsored event is open to the community. For a link to the event, visit partnershipforawareness.org.
