HOW TO DRUG-PROOF YOUR KIDS--PARENTS PROGRAM SET TO BEGIN

Informed parents are the best prevention against children using drugs, but
where do they go to get practical help and useful information?

Sault Ste. Marie FOCUS Coalition will host a drug education, prevention,
and intervention program entitled "How to Drug Proof Your Kids, beginning
Wednesday, April 20, to inform parents on how to reduce the potential risk
factors and help prevent the use of drugs by their children.

Created by Focus on the Family, Australia, this award-winning program
consists of six two-hour sessions costing a nominal fee designed to equip
parents with practical communication skills, critical strategies, and an
action plan to help their children make health lifestyle choices.

Research shows that parent education and involvement dramatically reduces
the risk by nearly half of young people taking drugs.

Included in the professional course manual are an overview of Canada's drug
problem, why kids take drugs, how to educate children to make good choices,
prevention tools for parents, how to intervene, where to get help, and a
guide to dealing with relapes.

This program focuses on prevention and intervention. Led by trained
facilitators, it includes eye-opening statistics, counselling referral
information, and access to a large range of resources.

How to Drug Proof Your Kids begins Wednesday, April 20, and will be held at
the Family Prevention Resource Centre at 175 Pim St. It will satrt at 6:30
p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Bookings are required. For more information, call
the course facilitators Kristine Service, Alternatives for Youth Program of
Algoma Family Services at 945-5050 ext. 2409 or Lee Fraser from the Family
Preservation Resource Centre of the Children's Aid Society at 942-0162 ext 306