Parent Education

While CASA’s focus is always on reducing youth substance use, our education programs for parents cover a wide range of issues that impact their childrens' wellness. From mental health, to screen time, to anxiety to substance use, we strive to make sure that parents are educated on all of the risk factors for substance use and abuse.

CASA Coffees

Launched in 2019, and still going strong, the CASA Coffee series has been a successful way to connect with parents outside of the school setting. Most CASA Coffee's are hosted at the Sea Cliff Arts Council. They have offered a communal setting with an expert speaker to tackle topics ranging from vaping, marijuana, anxiety reducing techniques, connecting with our kids and much more. Participants are given ample time for questions and for connecting with other parents.

School Speakers and Education Events:

Ty Cells: Youth to Youth International

“Creating Connections That Count”

Parents learned FIVE principles to be more effective communicators. The presentation will describe practical ways for parents to effectively communicate with their children to positively influence their behavior regarding harmful substances.

AJ Diaz and Sharon Richmond

Substance Abuse and your teen. Sharing their stories of both recovery and loss, both speakers stressed the importance of ending the stigma of addiction so that help is more readily available.

Hidden In Plain Sight

Student Assisted Services Corp

What you don’t know CAN hurt you in the case of dangerous substances. CASA brought experts in to take parents through a mock teen bedroom scenario to search for hidden substances.

Maurenn McCormack ADA Nassau County
“Social Host Laws”

Ms. McCormack educated parents of the laws pertaining to allowing underaged drinking in the home.

Linda Ventura and Pam Mizzy

Pam Mizzy educated our community on coalition building while guest speakers Linda Ventura, of Port Jefferson, and Reisa Berg, North Shore High School’s social worker spoke the opioid epidemic, and its effects on families and the wider community.

Naloxone Training
Approximately 1 in 5 people who use heroin will have an overdose each year and about 1 in 100 will die from an overdose. With brief training, people who use heroin and other opioids and members of their family and social networks can effectively recognize and respond to an opioid overdose and successfully administer naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote. Distributing naloxone to laypersons has resulted in thousands of overdose reversals and many saved lives.

Vaping Education
Sgt. Sean Cassidy of the National Guard and Adam Birkenstock of LICADD have both expertly taken parents through the ABCs of electronic cigarettes, also known as vape or JUUL.