Caron Treatment Centers Empowers Caregivers and Educators to Prevent Substance Abuse
Student Assistance Program geared towards raising kids drug & alcohol free
Contact:
Karen Pasternack
Caron Treatment Centers
Phone: 610-743-6576
E-mail: kpasternack@caron.org
@CaronTreatment
Wernersville, PA, January 19, 2010 – Caron Treatment Centers’, the leading nonprofit addiction treatment provider, has developed a program to help caregivers and educators in Berks County prevent substance abuse.
A free program, Parenting for Prevention, is designed for parents and caregivers of children ages 9 through 14 and facilitated by addiction treatment professionals. The program is funded by grants from Carpenter Technology Corporation and Wachovia Bank.
“Caron’s Student Assistance Program serves a diverse population of students in Berks County and experiences first hand the devastating effects of drug and alcohol use among our local youth,” said Mylene Krzanowski, Executive Director of Caron’s Student Assistance Services. “However, research shows that a comprehensive community prevention strategy including parents and other social institutions is the key to successful prevention efforts. Given this fact, we're especially pleased that two of Berks county's leading businesses, Cartech and Wachovia, see the importance of this work and we thank them for their support.”
Krzanowski emphasizes that it’s critical for parents to be proactive about addressing these issues with their children. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center research shows that 10% of fourth graders have had a sip of alcohol in the past year, she said.
Caron’s program provides parents with information on the effects and consequences of gateway drugs and other drug trends and empowers them with effective communication skills when talking with their children about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use.
Experts will also discuss the importance of establishing clear rules and consequences at home regarding substance use and explain how parents can help to create an environment that decreases the chances of at-risk behaviors. Finally, Caron will provide local resources should parents require substance abuse support.
The grants also support ongoing training to help school administrators and teachers better identify students facing challenges – prior to them evolving into a more serious problem. Additionally, professionals meet with students from kindergarten through six grade to work on specific goals, such as bullying prevention; academic achievement and positive adjustment to school; conflict resolution; alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention; character development; and social and emotional learning.
For more information on times and locations of the free parenting program, visit: http://www.caron.org/parent-programs-2/#1 or contact Amy McCoy, Lead Prevention Specialist, at amccoy@caron.org or 610-750-2014.
About Caron Treatment Centers
Caron Treatment Centers is a nationally recognized non-profit provider of alcohol and drug addiction treatment. With more than 50 years in the field, Caron is one of the oldest and largest facilities offering primary, relapse and extended residential treatment for young adults, adults and adolescents, as well as families affected by the disease of addiction. Caron's gender separate and gender specific programs are housed in modern, state-of-the-art facilities. Caron has extensive experience in the treatment of co-occurring psychological/psychiatric disorders within its patient community. Caron utilizes research on Recovery For Life from leading institutions such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and The University of Pennsylvania’s Treatment Research Institute. Formerly the Caron Foundation, Caron Treatment Centers operates a residential treatment center in Wernersville, in southeastern Pennsylvania; a regional office in Philadelphia; Caron Renaissance, an extended care treatment center in Boca Raton, Florida; and recovery centers in New York City and Bermuda.
