Posts Tagged ‘teenagers’

Prom Tools for Parents

April 26th, 2013

As spring blooms in AZ, the change in seasons also comes with milestones for our state’s teenagers. In the next few weeks many of them will be attending proms and graduations. While proms and graduations can have positive memories, the experiences can turn tragic when alcohol is part of the mix.  Alcohol impairs judgment…  potentially leading to heart-retching outcomes and regrets like sexual assault, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and deadly car crashes.  Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens… and 1/3 of traffic deaths of 15 to 20 year olds are alcohol-related. 

A national survey of more than 1,000 adolescents by the Guttmacher Institute found that 80% of first sexual experiences occurred under the influence of alcohol and about ½  of all nonconsensual sexual experiences involve alcohol use by the perpetrator, the victim or both.  Another recent report called Girls and Drugs found that 1/3 of girls and young women 14 to 21 years old with unplanned pregnancies were drinking when they had sex, and 91% said they hadn’t planned to have sex. 

Despite knowing all the reasons why teens shouldn’t drink, it can be challenging for them to stay clear-headed when all  their friends are drinking. No one likes to feel left out, and teenagers especially feel the need for acceptance by their peers. So what can we do as parents?  

You can help by finding effective ways to say no in a peer pressure situation.  Self-esteem is critically important because it gives kids confidence in themselves and decisions.  Talking to them leading up to the prom and graduation is also important.   Take a look at the website 15 Ways a Teen Can Say No to Alcohol to learn how you can play a role in helping your teen make responsible decisions.  You can also find great tips about talking to teens about alcohol use from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and at Girlshealth.gov.

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Be Part of the Mental Health Solution

March 29th, 2013

Students can’t be academically successful when they’re battling anxiety, depression, substance abuse and other common conditions.  Nearly 50% of lifetime mental disorders begin by the mid-teens.  That’s why we’ve launched a partnership with Kognito Interactive to educate middle and high-school teachers how to recognize signs of depression and other mental health disorders that have the potential to lead to low academic achievement, violence or even suicide. At Risk for Middle School Educators and At Risk for High School Teachers are hour-long, avatar-based online training programs where teachers, administrators and staff learn to recognize and help when a student’s behavior and appearance may be a sign of psychological distress, such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse. 

When equipped with the appropriate knowledge on how to handle sensitive situations, teachers and staff have a better chance of success in connecting the student with help.  At-Risk simulations are the first online trainings available to provide realistic and risk-free role-play exercises in identifying, speaking with, and referring troubled youth.  Developed with input from teachers and some of the country’s leading authorities on youth suicide prevention, At-Risk helps connect students to treatment early on- which is critical to improving mental health outcomes. 

This professional development opportunity is free and available to high schools and middle schools in Arizona.  It only takes an hour to complete, doesn’t need to take away from class time, and comes with a certificate of completion.  It can also be paused and restarted without having to start from the beginning.  To take the training…  sign in at the following links for Middle School and High School.

 

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Posted in Behavioral Health

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AZ Smokes the Field

June 15th, 2012

AZ had the biggest % decrease in teen smoking rates in the country according to the new CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey this week. Smoking rates among AZ teens dropped 12% in the last couple of years- while rates generally stayed flat across the country.  That’s 11,000 fewer teen tobacco users between 2009 and 2011.  About half of the teenagers in AZ that smoke tried to quit in the last year too.  

We attribute our success to an array of evidence-based interventions that our statewide team has implemented over the last 3 years or so. We did test marketing of messages with teen focus groups about 5 years ago- developed a strategic plan right after that and then implemented our new evidence based program for teen prevention in early 2009. These efforts include the successful youth prevention campaign www.venomocity.com and the launch of the statewide youth coalition Students Taking a New Direction www.standaz.com 

Venomocity focused on the fact that tobacco is addicting- and that addiction controls you. Teens don’t like to be controlled. So, instead of telling them not to smoke, we let them know that tobacco is addictive, it’ll addict them if they start, that addiction will then control them- threatening their goal of self-determination. Then, we meet them where they are- via the facebook, twitter, and other social media. 

This work goes to show you that careful research, strategic planning and creative implementation, along with continuous evaluation to make corrections works!

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Trash Your Stash V

April 27th, 2012

Prescription drugs can be safe and effective at treating illnesses- but leftovers are also tempting for experimental teens- and the misuse of narcotic prescriptions is an increasingly urgent public health problem in Arizona.  In fact, more than 1,100 Arizonans died from prescription drug poisoning from misuse and abuse last year- which is more than the number of Arizonans that die in car crashes. Opioids (such as codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and other synthetic narcotics) were responsible for most drug overdoses. Our drug-related death statistics for 1985-2009 are available online.  Parents of teens should really pay attention to what they have around the house, and this weekend is your perfect opportunity to clean up. 

Powerful drugs are often easily accessible in many, if not most, homes- and many parents don’t recognize that these (sometimes dangerous) unused meds can be tempting for teens.  They’re often easily accessible in home medicine cabinets, and hundreds Arizonans face the devastating effects of prescription drug abuse every day.  

The DEA and state & local partners are sponsoring their 5th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.  This (always successful) nationwide effort provides a way for people to get rid of leftover prescription drugs.  The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. Arizonans disposed of more than 3 tons at April’s event.  There are more than 100 drop-off sites that’ll be open Saturday- and you can find the location nearest you by visiting the DEA Website.

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