Drugs Strategy partners to host Substances and Youth: What adults need to know

Brantford, ON: Brantford-Brant Community Drugs Strategy partners are set to host Substances and Youth: What adults need to know on May 4, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Doug Snooks Community Centre, 333 Erie Ave., Brantford.

Parents and adults that work with youth are invited to attend the community event to learn about how to navigate the challenging landscape of substances and youth.

“We want to help equip parents and other caring adults with the tools they need to help the youth in their lives make healthy and safe choices,” said Christine Bibby, Safe and Inclusive Schools Lead for the Grand Erie District School Board.

“Bringing parents together and helping them to identify risks for their kids and how to mitigate those risks is an important part of ensuring mental wellbeing,” said Dianne Wdowczyk-Meade, Mental Health Lead from the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board.

Keynote speaker and author of The Drug Paradox Dr. Tara Bruno, PhD will address a range of topics including starting the conversation with youth, how substance use impacts the developing brain, preventing or delaying substance use, identifying use and accessing support and treatment services.

The event will also feature a panel of both community experts from a range of mental health, addiction and justice organizations, who will speak about what’s trending in their work, and people with lived experience will share their personal stories. Attendees will also have a chance to ask panelists their burning questions.

“This event addresses multiple goals of the Drugs Strategy including supporting youth, educating the community, being prevention-focused and working collaboratively,” said Andrea Riley, Manager, Substance Use and Healthy Schools at the Brant County Health Unit.

“We know that as many as 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario will experience some form of mental health issues, which is why providing educational opportunities like this for parents is so important”, said Maria Visocchi, Director of Communications and Community Engagement and Chair of the Brantford-Brant Community Drugs Strategy (BBCDS) Communications Working Group. “The City is proud to join our community partners in supporting this event.”

More details and registration for the event are available at www.substancesandyouth.eventbrite.ca.

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Media Contacts:

Maria Visocchi, Director, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford
519-759-4150 ext. 5754

Shannon McBride, Communications Advisor
Brant County Health Unit
519-753-4937 ext. 276