Families and Communities

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that prevention against youth substance use is a collective effort involving not only individuals but entire communities and families. Our approach is deeply embedded in community engagement and family empowerment.

First and foremost, we offer prevention trainings for caring adults – a series of virtual and in-person trainings to equip parents and community members with the latest information on youth substance use trends. These sessions are designed to empower parents and other adults to have informed and open conversations with the young people in their lives about drugs and alcohol.

Our Por Los Niños program exemplifies this commitment. We empower parents from Spanish-speaking communities through an interactive approach to learning about substance use prevention. This initiative fosters meaningful dialogues between adults and children about these crucial topics and is shaped by the insights and needs of parents and caring adults like you. By participating in our events and utilizing our resources, parents and caregivers can ignite vital conversations about substance use prevention with their children.

Our Connected Communities Prevent Opioid Use initiative extends our efforts to communities severely impacted by the opioid epidemic in Eastern Connecticut, including Groton, New London, and Norwich. Through this initiative, we collaborate with school systems, students, and parents, providing them with evidence-based prevention programming. By targeting our initiatives where they’re most needed, we’re building resilient, community-wide prevention networks across Connecticut.

Our goal is straightforward – to expand these initiatives into as many Connecticut communities as possible. Through widespread engagement and education, we aim to build a strong foundation of prevention across the state, empowering every parent, every adult, and every community in Connecticut to stand against underage drinking and substance use.