New Toolkit from Addiction Policy Forum Gives Parents Prevention Strategies
Washington, DC, Oct. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addiction Policy Forum, a leading addiction nonprofit, has developed the “How Do You Really Keep Your Kids Safe From Addiction?” toolkit to support parents with evidence-based prevention strategies.
Over 20 million Americans suffer from substance use disorders, and according to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 90% of Americans with a substance use disorder began using substances before the age of 18. Addiction is a disease that, for the vast majority of patients, begins in childhood.
“Parents play a critical role in their kids’ decisions about substance use, but most parents aren’t given evidence-based information about addiction prevention,” says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, founder of the Addiction Policy Forum. “One of the most important elements in preventing the development of a substance use disorder is delaying the age of first use until the brain is fully developed.”
Addiction Policy Forum created “How Do You Really Keep Your Kids Safe From Addiction?” to translate the science of prevention into strategies parents can incorporate into busy lives to help build a strong foundation of health and wellness for their children.
“This open-source toolkit provides parents with simple, accessible guidance about preventing substance use disorders,” says Morgan Gliedman, Addiction Policy Forum VP of Education and Engagement.
The digital toolkit includes the videos “10 Things Parents Can Do,” “The Disease of Addiction,” and “Risk and Protective Factors;” full-color and printer-friendly versions of the “10 Things Parents Can Do” booklet; “Signs and Symptoms” of substance use disorders; and further reading and resources, including information about Addiction Policy Forum’s Addiction Resource Center (ARC), where parents can learn more and find help if they are concerned about a loved one’s substance use.
The “How Do You Really Keep Your Kids Safe From Addiction?” toolkit can be accessed at www.addictionpolicy.org/preventiontips.
### About Addiction Policy Forum Addiction Policy Forum is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2015 as a diverse partnership of organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to working together to elevate awareness around addiction, and to improve programs and policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery, and criminal justice reform. Jessica Hulsey Nickel, whose own family was devastated by addiction, is the founder of a coalition of 1,700 families impacted by substance use disorders and is available for further explanation and interviews by media.
