Get tips on talking to your teen about underage drinking.
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Parents with children of all ages can find these resources helpful and informative.
The Anti-Drug program provides parents with information on popular drugs teens are using as well as parenting advice on how to detect if your child is using.
Drug-Free Action Alliance is a statewide drug-free coalition out of Ohio with great resources for parents. They deliver up-to-date information and develop initiatives that serve the immediate needs of those working to prevent substance abuse. While young people are their primary target population, they also engage in efforts to promote healthy lifestyles for all Ohioans. In Ohio they form partnerships with businesses, community members, substance abuse prevention professionals, policy makers, law enforcement, school personnel, and, most importantly, parents. This group always has great resources for parents.
too SMART to START a website from the federal governments Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) provides resources for parents on how to communicate to their child about underage drinking. Provides ways to help parents prevent their child from using substances and offers facts to help educate the child during the communication.
NIAAA. In a comprehensive study published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, researchers highlight topics such as; why adolescents drink, what the risks are, and how underage drinking can be prevented. This article gives practical solutions and provides some explanations for why youth are so easily influenced to start binge drinking at such a young age even though there are so many people saying “just say no”.
Resources on how to raise a healthy child.
Search Institute is a leading global innovator in discovering what children and adolescents need to become caring, healthy, and responsible adults. Drawing on extensive research, Search Institute brings hopeful solutions to pressing challenges in the lives of young people and their communities.
What are Developmental Assets?
The Developmental Assets are 40 common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible, successful adults. Because of its basis in youth development, resiliency, and prevention research and its proven effectiveness, the Developmental Assets framework has become one of the most widely used approach to positive youth development in the United States.
ParentFurther. Helping kids steer clear of alcohol involves more than simply warning them of the dangers; it involves helping them feel safe, supported, and free to talk about anything on their minds. It also requires building a strong relationship with your children and nurturing their personal values and skills to help them make smart decisions. Parent Further is an excellent website specifically for parents. The website features many topics that are helpful for parents. When you become a new parent there are so many resources for parents, and as your child develops into an adolescent there seems to be few resources. Parent Further is an excellent resource.
Casel provides resources for parents on how to raise a healthy child. They provide tips on the social and emotional development of your child. The resources below offer advice for each stage of your child’s development.
Intervention and Treatment
Is your child showing signs or symptoms of substance abuse?
If your daily life is being affected by alcohol or drugs then it is right to seek help
The Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education provides free and confidential information and referrals. Services are available Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 11:00pm and 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday. Language interpreters are available.
1-800-327-5050 phone/ 888-448-8321 toll fee
Outpatient- These services are for individuals whose alcohol or other drug use is experimental or recreational. Individual counseling, weekly group meetings, screening and assessments are available. This is the first step towards a comprehensive treatment.
Solutions for Living- Counseling and Mediation services for children, teens, and parents to help become better prepared in dealing with life’s changes.
phone 781-306-1180
200 Boston Avenue, Suite 1900 Medford, MA 02155
Somerville Mental Health Association- Counseling, outreach and assessment for youth offered in Haitian Creole, Spanish and English. Helping individuals recognize their strengths.
phone 617-623-1332
5 Hall Avenue Somerville, MA 02144
North Suffolk Mental Health Association-Counseling and therapy services are here for children and families to help meet challenges of daily living.
phone 781-289-9331
Revere Counseling Center 256 Beach Street Revere, MA 02151
CASPAR Youth Services- Individual and group counseling, as well as a more structured treatment experience to help empower youth to make healthy decisions.
phone 617-623-2080
162 Highland Avenue Somerville, MA 02143
Inpatient- These residential services are for youth who cannot control their use in the community. Residential substance treatment is voluntary and averages a 90 day stay. Youth will receive individual, group and family counseling in a therapeutic setting.
Institute for Health and Recovery The Institute for Health and Recovery is a statewide service, research, policy, and program development agency. IHR is here to assist in comprehensive care for individuals, youth, and families affected by alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, mental health problems, and violence/trauma.
phone 617-661-3991 / 1-866-705-2807
349 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139
Please contact the Care Coordination Team
Programs: Girls: Highland Grace House (Worcester) and Pegasus (Lawrence) Boys: CAB (Danvers), Phoenix Academy (Springfield), and Project Rebound (Boston)
Recovery Homes- These homes offer a structured transitional living setting for youth who have recently been in recovery and wish to live in a clean and sober environment.
Cushing House for Boys/ Cushing House for Girls- The Cushing House is operated by the Gavin Foundation, Inc. The mission of the program is to provide a stabilizing transitional care residence for substance abusing young men and women who are unable to be served in a less restrictive facility.
phone 617-269-2945 for boys- Red Collins and;
617-269-2965 for girls-Karen O’Brien
54-58 Old Colony Ave. Boston, MA 02127
Detox and Stabilization- These services are for youth who need medical, psychological and behavioral stabilization from substance abuse. The length of stay will depend on individual need.
Motivating Youth Recovery (MYR) If your life has been disrupted by substance abuse MYR is a safe environment that will help the adolescent identify and work toward treatment and recovery.
phone 508-860-1244
Community Healthlink 12 Queen Street Worcester, MA 01610
Clean and Sober Teens Living Empowered (The CASTLE) Learning how to maintain the goal of being clean and sober, and what needs to change.
phone 508-638-6000
20 Meadowbrook Road Brockton, MA 02301
Anonymous Support Groups
Alanon/Alateen is an intervention program that offers family support around alcoholism. Their mission is to target alcoholism at the family level. They assist the family by offering them support while they conquer the issues facing the addiction. phone 1-800-344-2666
Alcoholics Anonymous is a program designed to support individuals coping with the alcoholism addiction.
phone 617-426-9444
Narcotics Anonymous phone 617-884-7709
Families Anonymous is a support group for families that offers weekly meetings to communicate the apparent issues that are affecting multiple family members. The issues that can be addressed range from adolescent problems to substance abuse.
Smart Recovery phone 1- 866-951-5357
Resources on sexually active teens and alcohol use.
Teen Drug Abuse. When teens are under the influence of alcohol, they are more likely to engage in risky sexual activities, such as having unprotected sex or having sex with a stranger. They are also more vulnerable to sexual assault and experiences they will likely regret when sober. Research shows teen drinkers are more than twice as likely to have had sexual intercourse within the past three months as teens who don’t drink.
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy It often is the case that risky teen behavior, including drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, delinquency, and sexual activity, occur among the same groups of teens. Therefore, teens who drink or use drugs often are more sexually active and less likely to use contraception when they have sex than teens who take fewer risks. They also tend to have more sexual partners, and often start having sex at younger ages.
