Monday, February 14, 2011

APPLAUDD for Parents of 5th - 12th graders-Please come!

APPLAUDD: A Prevention Program Learning About Underage Drinking & Drugs
for Parents of Children Grades 5 through 12: Let’s Raise Healthy Teens!
A Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Grant Winner!
sponsored by GeorgetownCARES

This community education series is an innovative, 4-session prevention workshop that educates parents of children grades 5 through 12 to raise healthy teens! Marilyn Belmonte, a nationally known, dynamic speaker, will be presenting the program.

The APPLAUDD Program will be held in Georgetown on Wednesday evenings, March 9th, 16th, 23rd, & 30th, at the Penn Brook School Library, 7-9pm.

APPLAUDD supports healthy families in the community by addressing the critical substance abuse and related mental health needs of youth while strengthening the bond between parents and children.

A four-part program, APPLAUDD is designed to empower parents of students grades 5 through 12 with proven strategies that reduce risk of alcohol and drug abuse. Aiming to build parent-teen communication skills, specific evidence-based parenting strategies will be taught to promote strong protective factors that will create resilience in children. APPLAUDD will also help change and create more thoughtful social norms about underage drinking, drug use and parental social hosting.

Each presentation will have a unique focus, building on each other as part of one complete program that will underscore parent-child communication, but are also effective as stand-alone events. The presentation topics include 1) Parent Prevention Techniques, 2) Prescription Drugs, 3) Marijuana, and 4) Underage Drinking. Each session ends with small group discussion and a home assignment.

Many parents do not feel that they have any power to influence their adolescents because teens build barriers to keep their parents at a distance. APPLAUDD will focus on how parents can dialog with their children to effectively encourage critical healthy behavior choices, building trust between parents and teens. Researchers have found that specific attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, situations, and/or actions that parents can teach will reduce the likelihood that a young person will struggle with substance abuse and related problems even if that young person is exposed to a substantial number of risk factors. The protective factors explored appear to balance and buffer the negative impact of existing risk factors.

APPLAUDD has won the SAMHSA’s “National Service to Science” award in 2010 for being a unique and innovative program that educates parents on the effect of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs on adolescent brain development and academic potential. As part of this award, participants will be asked to help evaluate the program for its effectiveness through pre-program and post-program surveys. Participation in these surveys is voluntary and not a requirement of attendance.

Refreshments will be served and door prize gift certificates will be awarded at all four sessions. APPLAUDD is presented by GeorgetownCARES, and is open to the entire community. For more information, please contact Pam Lundquist at 978-352-5407. Find more information on the APPLAUDD program at Marilyn@DrugAbuseRecognition.com.

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