District to sponsor drug abuse program for parents

BOYERTOWN >> Local organizations have come together to tackle tough questions facing parents.

The Boyertown Area School District will be sponsoring a “Time to Talk” program created by the Council on Chemical Abuse for parents on how to talk to their children about drugs.

Prevention experts will be coming to the Boyertown Multi-Service Center on Thursday, March 1, to meet with parents and discuss when and how to start the conversation with their children, regardless of age.

“The district really likes to partner with the community

agencies, and to offer some of these things for parents to help them,” said Boyertown School Counseling Coordinator Marilee Cassidy.

The Council on Chemical Abuse is a publicly-funded agency that is responsible for the management of drug and alcohol services in Berks County. The“Time to Talk” program began a year ago, starting in the Brandywine Heights Area School District.

Since, the council has partnered with other school districts and communities across Berks County to get the message to parents.

“We feel that parents

are afraid to talk to their kids about drugs, and we want them to know that it doesn’t have to be a scary conversation. It starts out young with talking about healthy decisions, which can then lead up to talking about drugs and alcohol,” said Jackie Steed, the prevention program manager for the Council on Chemical Abuse.

“Time to Talk” will be in Boyertown for the first time, however the school district has already held similar events from the Council on Chemical Abuse — including an internet safety seminar for parents held last year.

“We have a pretty strong partnership with the council on chemical abuse, and they have a whole bunch of different programs that they presented that try to offer a variety of topics to parents,” said Cassidy.

The Boyertown MultiService Center on Spring Street will be hosting the program, as it has in the past for many of the Council on Chemical Abuse’s past programs with the school disrict.

“We are very happy to host and provide a meeting place for the Council on Chemical Abuse and the Boyertown Area School District. We were contacted because we have provided a venue before,” said MultiService Executive Director Karen Youse.

Parents from the community are invited to attend the free program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.