PROGRAM AIDS CHILDREN OF ADDICTS

WASHINGTON -- The federal government has launched a program for the
millions of American children whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs. The
program's message -- disseminated through print and radio ads, brochures
and the Internet -- is simple: "You're not alone."

While children of substance abusers often feel they are the only ones with
such a problem, one in four American children younger than 18 lives in a
family where there is an alcoholic. Countless others have parents or family
members who abuse drugs.

"The first rule in such families is 'Don't talk about this.' This campaign
is designed to help kids break that rule," said Sis Wenger, executive
director of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, one of the
groups and federal agencies sponsoring the program.

The sponsors also hope to persuade children that they aren't to blame for
their parents' addictions and to seek help from trusted adults.

A second component of the program is aimed at distributing information to
adults from whom children might seek aid, including teachers, school
counselors, religious leaders and officials of youth programs such as YMCA,
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

"We are going to take this message to where the kids are," said Edward
Jurith, acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control
Policy, lead sponsor. Others include the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, the National Association for Children of Alcoholics and the
Child Welfare League of America.

Jurith said children whose parents abuse alcohol and drugs are more likely
to develop substance abuse problems than other children. They also are at
increased risk for depression, anxiety and other mental health problems and
may be physically neglected by parents.

"These kids do feel that they are alone, and they don't understand the ways
that they can be helped by other adults," Jurith said.

To get the message out, the ads, brochures and posters for the program
include a toll-free number and an e-mail address where children or adults
can get more information. The toll-free number is (800) 788-2800; the
e-mail address is info@health.org.

Information about the program also is available on two Web sites. One of
the sites, www.freevibe.com/talking, is aimed at preteens and teens. The
Web site has suggestions for ways to cope with substance-abusing parents,
recommends groups that might be able to help and includes a moderated
bulletin board where children can share their stories.

The other Web site, www.theanti drug.com, is focused on parents, teachers
and other adults who work with children. Here, by clicking on a section
titled "Children of Substance Abusers," adults can learn how to spot
children struggling with alcoholic or drug- addicted parents and how to
help those children.

"There is still a phenomenal amount of ignorance about what alcoholism
looks like, especially in the early stages," Wenger said. "Many of these
parents hold down jobs and are able to function. But they cause a great
deal of emotional pain to their children, who don't know the name of what
makes them feel so bad: addiction."

Helping these children today can save the federal government money
tomorrow, Wenger said. "This is tomorrow's generation of people with mental
health problems, with drug and alcohol addiction, people who are heading
for the divorce courts. Wouldn't it be great to do something about it today?"