Parent Education Comes First in Preventing Teen Drug Use

RADAR Sponsors Drug Awareness Forum

by Joan R. Simon

(April 17, 2007) With prom season and graduation just around the corner, there was a sense of urgency to the two meetings on April 12th which centered on teen drug and alcohol use.

Prevention – not prosecution – was the catch phrase underscoring the evening forum for parents, sponsored by RADAR (Responsible Action: A Drug and Alcohol Resource). The meeting was part of a grant RADAR received in September to address the risk factors that contribute to substance abuse in the community (see: RADAR Gets $500K to Combat Teen Alcohol & Drug Use).

Earlier in the day, Town of Mamaroneck Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe hosted a similar meeting that was directed at tri-municipal officials, police officers and community religious leaders (see below).

Janet Buchbinder, coordinator of RADAR, opened the evening meeting with a plea for parent involvement and accountability. RADAR’s spring initiative is entitled “Parents Who Host Lose the Most,” and is geared to educating parents about the dangers, both legally and for the health and well-being of their children, of permitting parties with alcohol at their homes.

Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore, the keynote speaker, stressed that “We’re not interested in punishing children.” But, she added, “we will punish people who provide alcohol to children,” singling out parents who host teen parties with alcohol. “It is wrong; it is the law… Parents can’t make the decision for other parents’ children.”

However, Ms. DiFiore added, “The easy part of our job is the prosecution of cases. The more creative part,” is prevention.

Sarah Wise, a parent member of RADAR, made a plea for cooperation and encouraged parents to use the hotline (914-381-6103) to report any unsafe behavior they see. “Go ahead and make that call. If you don’t do this, we’re just making the situation worse,” she said. “The authorities are not trying to punish, they’re trying to get everyone to work together.”

Panelists answering parent questions included the youth officers from the three municipalities, Joe Comblo (VOM), Barbara Daquino (VOL), and Bob Reynolds (TOM), Dr. Ann L. Engelland, Mamaroneck schools’ doctor and adolescent medicine specialist, Deputy Director Bruce Kelly from the D.A.’s office, high school social worker Helene Fremder, and Robbie Seidman, Assistant Director of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center.

Police, Community Leaders Pool Resources, Ideas

Earlier in the day, Supervisor O’Keeffe brought together concerned community officials and leaders to talk on the same subject. “There’s a whole new culture,” she declared, with students drinking “at a younger and younger age.” Bruce Kelly, who also chairs the Westchester Coalition for Alcohol & Drug Use, was the main speaker. He provided a detailed “primer” on the current New York State drug and alcohol laws, underscoring the expanding number of statutes that now cover under-age drinking and drug use.

But in the end, everyone agreed that prosecution was not the answer. In fact, sometimes prosecution is the problem, several police officers noted. “Parents get in there and they turn on us. We’re the bad people, not the kids,” said Larchmont Lt. Walter Burke. Police complained that often parents were so afraid that an offense would go on a child’s record and ruin their chances for getting into college that they were reluctant to cooperate. “Our job in law enforcement is to get parents on the page,” Mr. Kelly said. “Parent accountability is the key.”

Mr. Kelly was quick to point out that smaller infractions, such as “possession of alcohol with intent to consume” would not be put on a child’s permanent record. The “punishment” was rarely more than community service. In addition, Ms. Buchbinder lobbied for judges to require that lesser offenders attend the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center’s 9-week drug-education course.

Rabbi Jeffrey Sirkman from the Larchmont Temple said that one way he has addressed the problem of drug and alcohol use was to “make it a religious issue – treating the body as a sacred vessel. We’re dealing with it up front with kids.” Rye Neck’s Superintendent Peter Mustich agreed that issues of “health and wellness were having more of an impact” with teens than the legal consequences of getting caught. High school students are more concerned with “what they are putting into their bodies,” he said.

Mark Levy, director of the Community Counseling Center, described adolescence as a time when teens are primed to experiment and take risks, but their judgment is far from fully developed. “High octane fuel is coming into the brain when the brakes aren’t working too well.”

RADAR is just completing its earlier program, “Staying Connected with Your Teen,” which involved more than 40 parents in workshops on improving their parenting skills.

“There is no one magic bullet in dealing with public health issues,” Ms. Buchbinder said. “It requires multiple strategies over multiple sectors.” She was pleased with the initiative Supervisor O’Keeffe has taken to involve the police and faith leaders in the community. “Part of RADAR’s mission is to empower the community. It is a collective responsibility when you look at changing behavior in a community.”