(Chelsea Update would like to thank Kate Yocum for the information in this story.)
On May 18, as part of the Chelsea School District’s Parent Education Series, Project Success and SRSLY Chelsea will collaborate to provide a session detailing how to have positive and effective conversations with your kids about substance use.
This virtual session will be offered on May 18 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom and is open to all parents of Chelsea School District students. Registration can be accessed HERE.
“Speaking with your child about substance use can feel intimidating,” said Marie Larson, Chelsea Schools mental health coordinator. “The goal of this session is to equip parents and caregivers with the tools and strategies to start the conversation. Our team hopes this series provides families with information that matches their individual needs.”
The session will walk parents through how to begin the conversation, how to understand the important connection between substance use and mental health, and what resources are available.
“Revealing the connection between these two concepts answers a lot of questions parents have and opens the door for them to have more informed conversations with their children,” said Kate Yocum, SRSLY Chelsea director.
This topic was prioritized by the three organizations in response to MiPhy data and student testimonials. “Many of our students have expressed hope that their parents will bring up these topics in a safe, non-judgmental way and to provide them with the space needed to ask questions. Young people are in need of facts and parental guidance, which are critical to whether or not they choose to use substances,” said Yocum. “As parents, you may think your kids aren’t listening, but your kids are telling us that they do, and just how important your opinion is to them.”
“We hope parents will leave the session knowing that their children are listening, watching, and looking to them to set rules on what their expectations are on alcohol and other drugs and to then to enforce those rules consistently,” said Kristen Chandler, Project Success counselor and session presenter.
As the Project Success Counselor, Chandler works with Chelsea students to reduce factors that put them at risk for substance abuse. She provides prevention and early intervention services, including comprehensive substance education, individual assessments, and group counseling.
“We are fortunate to have such wonderful resources within our school district and community, like SRSLY and Project SUCCESS, to collaborate with and better serve the needs of our families.” said Larson.
To learn more about the work SRSLY and Chelsea Schools are doing for Mental Health Awareness Month, visit www.srsly.org or find us on Facebook @srslychelsea.
To donate, please visit https://giving.stjoeshealth.org/srsly.
