Prom and Graduation Season
Proms, graduations and the parties surrounding them can be an exciting time for teens and parents that they usually can remember throughout their lives. But they can also be a time of heartbreak. There are all too often negative consequences, serious injuries, and even deaths.
The good news is that parents and other adults can help keep teens safe by being informed and prepared. Keep the lines of communication open. Be sure to talk with your kids about underage drinking and the importance of making good decisions and be sure to be clear about your expectations. Following are some tips for both parents and teens.
Safety Tips for Parents:
- Remember that you are the primary influence on your teen.
- Set clear rules about not drinking, and enforce consequences for breaking them.
- Offer to plan, host, and supervise a graduation party; assure parents the party will be alcohol-free.
- Require adult supervision at every celebration your teen attends.
- Know who will be driving your teen to and from the celebration.
- Remind your teen that, under any circumstance, you will be there to pick them up or help them, no questions asked.
- Don’t be afraid to ask your teen to “check in” while they are out.
- Get tips for talking to your teen.
Safety Tips for Graduates and Teens Going to Prom:
- Never drink and drive!
- Do not get into a car with a driver who has been drinking.
- Remember you can always say “no” and do not have to do anything you do not want to do.
- If it doesn’t feel safe, it probably isn’t. Trust your instincts.
- Watch out for your friends and have them do the same for you.
- Never be afraid to call your parents or a trusted adult.
- More Prom safety tips
Graduation and attending prom should be one of the most memorable times in your and your child’s lives. Talk with them and keep communication lines open to keep them and their friends safe.
Being your authentic self is one of the best ways to protect your #mentalhealth. As we celebrate #PrideMonth, learn more and find resources from Mental Health America: mhanational.org/pride
If you or an LGBTQ+ individual you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available at The Trevor Project with trained counselors. You may visit the website to chat with a counselor, call 866-488-7386 to speak with a counselor or text a counselor at 678-678.
Facts About Fentanyl
Volunteer Opportunities
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at awesome nonprofits throughout Westchester and Putnam Counties. To view these opportunities, please check out Volunteer New York!
Yorktown Leos Club
Leadership, Experience, Opportunity! The Yorktown Leos are a community service club for people ages 12-25 willing to help others in the community. They host and participate in a variety of fun and collaborative events. The Yorktown Leos Club has been helping the Yorktown community for over 25 years and to learn how to get involved, click here.
Substance Misuse: Families Can Help
Written by Susan Salomone, MS, CASAC
I lost my oldest son, Justin on May 29, 2012. He was 29 years old. Justin was a very creative, social, good-looking young man. He got addicted to prescription opioids in 2004. As a family we were not sure how to help or if we even could help. We heard things like they have to reach rock bottom to get help, throw him out of the house, it is the only way he will get better. We heard you didn’t cause it, you can’t cure it and you can’t control it, and detach with love.
We know today there is hope and there is something you can do to help your loved one make better decisions in their lives. Learn more.
Weekly Spotlight Family Support Groups
From our partners at Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, weekly Spotlight Family Support Groups, held virtually every Tuesday and Wednesday via Zoom. Spotlight on Recovery is a Family Educational and Support Group for families struggling with a loved one misusing substances. For more information, click here.
June 13 and 27 – Yoga for Resilience
Do you have a loved one struggling with addiction? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Carve out time for yourself so you may respond to your loved one with a clear mind and an open heart. Join us on Zoom and we will come together in a safe space to practice somatic mindfulness, grounding and centering, containment and breath regulation. For more information, click here.
June 20 – Virtual Naloxone Training
Naloxone is a prescription medicine that reverses an overdose by blocking heroin or other opioids in the nervous system for 30-90 minutes. Naloxone is administered by injection or intranasal. Following training, participants receive a kit by mail. Presented by our partners at Drug Crisis in Our Backyard. Register by email: ssal@drugcrisisinourbackyard.com
Student Assistance Corner
“Helping Students Enhance Their Well Being by Making Healthy Decisions and Remaining Substance Free”
A partnership between a parent/guardian and Student Assistance Counselor best supports the nurturing of the social and emotional wellbeing of students. We encourage you to contact the SAC at your child’s school for a confidential consultation. Click here to learn more.
Lakeland High School: Sasha Meyer Porco, LMSW, CASAC, smeyerporco@lakelandschools.org
Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School: Ms. Finan, MS, lfinan@lakelandschools.org
Yorktown High School: Kiara Loughran, MS, sacounselor@yorktown.org
Check out what we have been up to in the schools!
Upcoming Events
June 6 – Understanding Suicide
Open and honest conversations about suicide play a crucial role in prevention. Explore the causes of suicide, the warning signs and how to cope. Register here.
June 13 – Internet Safety for Parents
The internet is a powerful tool that can be perilous to navigate without consideration. This presentation will encourage critical thinking in online activity, with an emphasis on protecting children from uninformed choices. Register here.
June 18 – Men’s Volunteerism and Why it Matters
In honor of Men’s Health Month in June, Volunteer New York! invites you to participate in a Community Conversation on the topic of men’s volunteerism. Register here.
June 24 – Talking to Kids about Mental Health
Learn how to help children understand what mental illness is and is not, and how to answer their questions in this one-hour seminar with a licensed therapist. Register here.
June 25 – Relationships, Family and Mental Health
Learn strategies to set boundaries, respond to difficult behavior and manage your own stress with a licensed therapist. Register here.
NAMI Westchester
The families and members of NAMI Westchester are here to help! They offer understanding to anyone concerned about mental illnesses and the treatment of mental illness. To view their calendar, click here.
Westchester Breathes is an ongoing program offered by the Westchester Library System offering an experience of gentle movement, breathing and relaxation exercises that reduce stress and anxiety and increase a sense of calm and well-being. These exercises are simple and evidence-based – which is to say …they work! They are free and on Zoom. Register here.