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CAFY Parent Resources
Acton Patch Articles 
Teen Research 
Underage Drinking Distracted Driving Bullying/Cyber Bullying 
Parent Communication Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Substance Abuse Depression/Mental Health Issues Wellness/Hotlines
Acton Patch Articles New!
Teen Depression: Difficult Topic, Necessary Conversations
By Elizabeth S. Leaver, Acton Patch. This article summarizes the 10th annual forum, sponsored by CAFY and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Central Middlesex, and co-sponsored by the Acton-Boxborough Coalition for Healthy Youth (ABCHY).
Race to Nowhere: Big Questions, No Easy Answers By Elizabeth S. Leaver, Acton Patch. This documentary review discusses the effects of stress on students.
A-B Schools' "Unique" Anti-Bullying Efforts Discussed at Forum By Elizabeth S. Leaver, Acton Patch. Review of a recent panel presentation at R. J. Grey Junior High School about the threat of cyber-bullying with their children.
Sobering Advice for Teens and Parents By Elizabeth S. Leaver, Acton Patch. Review of a recent forum about social host liability and culpability of underage drinking.
Teen Research
Grandparents Hold A Key To Keeping Teens Drug Free.
While parents are generally recognized as the most important and long-lasting influence on children, grandparents have a close and special bond and often serve as an inspiration to their grandkids. The unique relationship between grandparent and grandchild provides an ideal opening for a discussion about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Monitor on Psychology: That Teenage Feeling.
Harvard researchers may have found biological clues to quirky adolescent behavior. This article from the American Pyschological Association (APA) promotes the theory that teenage behavior has a biological basis.
Underage Drinking
StopAlcoholAbuse.Gov is a comprehensive portal of Federal resources for information on underage drinking and ideas for combating this issue.
Parents: Help Your Teens Party Right at Graduation gives guidelines from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
ABRHS Project Graduation is an all-night, alcohol and drug-free party exclusively for graduating ABRHS seniors. The event is held on graduation night from 10pm through 5am at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School.
When Teens Attend Parties provides parent/teen guidelines from several web resources for teens attending parties.
When Teens Host Parties provides parent/teen guidelines from several web resources for teens hosting parties.
Distracted Driving
Distraction.Gov is a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) website with information on Distracted Driving. Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in while operating a motor vehicle. Such activities have the potential to distract the person from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing.
Teens and Distracted Driving According to the Pew Research Center, "One in four (26%) of American teens of driving age say they have texted while driving, and half (48%) of all teens ages 12 to 17 say they've been a passenger while a driver has texted behind the wheel."
Drive In Control offers advanced driver training for teens and helps educate teens about the risks of distracted driving.
Safe Roads Alliance provides educational services to all drivers on different aspects of driving safety, including: issues confronting elderly drivers, maintaining a vehicle for safe operation, child restraint systems, seat belt usage, reduc-ing driving distractions, and driver courtesy and reduction of road-rage.
Bullying and Cyber Bullying
Cyberbulling identifies the causes and consequences of online harassment.
A Thin Line provides information about online bullying for teens including instant messaging and sexting
Enough Is Enough hosts an Internet Safety 101 program for parents.
NetSmartz educates, engages and empowers parents, teens, kids and educators about cyberbullying and online safety.
StaysSafeOnline provides information on cyberbullying and Internet safety for parents, teens, educators and businesses.
StopCyberBullying provides age-based explanations of cyberbullying for students.
Parent Communication
Red Flags and Resources is a prevention guide for parents, teens and other adult care givers, published by CAFY, WASA (Westford Against Substance Abuse), and other local town coalitions. If you have any questions regarding the guide, please contact Tina Grosowsky, CAFY Chair, at info@cafy.net.
Sue Blaney's Secrets to Success in Parenting Your Teen e-Book
Sue Blaney's Parenting Teenagers: The Agony & the Ectasy
Sue Blaney's Please Stop the Roller Coaster: Advice about Parenting Teens
Listening Strategies to Use When Talking to Your Kids About Drugs
Talking with Kids About Tough Issues
Keep Kids Healthy–Free Pediatric Parenting Advice
Kids Contracts–Parenting Help Setting Rules for Children and Teens
Start Talking Before They Start Drinking
Sweet Talk Tools for Families
TimeToTalk® is the Partnership for a Drug-Free America's movement to reinforce the major influence parents have in helping children make healthy choices.
Sign up to receive email tips for discussing risky behaviors with your family. more >>
Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
What is the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)?
The YRBS is administered every two years in grades 6, 8 and 9 - 12 by Emerson Hospital in the following seven towns: Acton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Dunstable, Groton, Littleton and Westford. The YRBS survey consists of questions regarding safety, physical activity, diet, drug and alcohol use, sexual activity, and date/relationship violence. It is a self reporting survey.
2008 Acton-Boxborough YRBS PowerPoint
2008 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (all towns)
2006 Acton-Boxborough YRBS Presentation
YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
2009 Parent Survey Results Summary
Parent Survey Results—All Respondents
Parent Survey Results— Respondents with College Students
Parent Survey Results— Respondents with High School Students
Parent Survey Results— Respondents with Junior High Students
Parent Survey Results— Respondents with Elementary Students
Thank you for contributing to our survey.
Substance Abuse
The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Underage Drinking 2007
This guide defines the problem, discusses alcohol use in adolescents, talks about prevention and reduction of alcohol use, and provides a vision for the future.
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Statistics
US Department of Health and Human Services SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies (OAS) provides the latest national data on 1) alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other drug abuse, 2) drug-related emergency department episodes and medical examiner cases, and 3) the nation's substance abuse treatment system.
When substance abuse treatment is recommended, parents can obtain the information they need by asking these questions from professionals.
Quick Stats: Underage Drinking
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Alcohol and Public Health, come statistics on underage drinking. In addition to stats, this site includes prevention, consequences, and references.
WASA: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Westford Against Substance Abuse (WASA) maintains a Website with many substance abuse links. The goal of their organization is to educate all members of the Westford community about substance abuse.
Depression/Mental Health Issues
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Website
is the lead Federal agency for research on mental and behavioral disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, autism, and other mental disorders. These are serious, often life-threatening illnesses for which we need reliable diagnostic tests, new treatments, and effective strategies for prevention.
The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) MHIC Factsheet: Adolescent Depression-Helping Depressed Teens includes Children's Mental Health Matters, Juvenile Justice matters, and Fact Sheets on topics ranging from depression to eating disorders to family health.
National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation's largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. The local affiliate is Central Middlesex NAMI.
A Family Guide: What Families Should KNow about Adolescent Depression and Treatment Options. From this site, you can download the PDF file, about 13 pages, written by Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI medical director, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. It includes symptoms, causes, different kinds of therapies, medications and the black box warning, suicidality, monitoring during treatment, the risks of no treatment, how adolescent depression is different from adult depression, role of family history in decisions about treatment, and how a parent can be an effective advocate for the child.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is dedicated to building resilience and facilitating recovery for people with or at risk for mental or substance use disorders.
Suicide Warning Signs from SAMHSA alerts you to Know the Warning Signs, Prevent Suicide in Young People.
Massachusetts General Hospital School Psychiatry Program & Mood & Anxiety Institute Resources Center includes Child/Adolescent Mental Health Information and answers 1) What is the disorder? 2)What does the disorder look like in children and adolescents at home, at school, and at the doctor's office? 3) How is the disorder treated (counseling, medications, and interventions at home and at school)?
What Does Depression Look Like in Children and Adolescents? What to look for at home and at school and how to intervene at home and school from the Massachusetts General Hospital School Psychiatry Program & Mood & Anxiety Institute Resources Center.
TeensHealth site includes Children's Health Media, TeensHealth and KidsHealth. This source provides teens and families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use. KidsHealth has been on the Web since 1995 and is the largest and most visited site on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence.
Cope Care Deal is a mental health site for teens. Learning how to cope. Taking care of yourself. Understanding the facts. Explore the Mind Zone and get the facts.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is the leading national professional medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by these disorders.
Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention is a an alliance of suicide prevention advocates including public and private agency representatives, policy makers, suicide survivors, mental health and public health consumers and providers and concerned citizens committed to working together to reduce the incidence of self-harm and suicide in the Commonwealth.
Family Service from Samaritans is a non-profit social service agency. Family Service believes that every person's emotional health and well being is most influenced by the group of people that they call "family." To achieve our mission and strengthen families, we provide a broad range of treatment and prevention programs that meet the unique needs of each member of a family.
Needham's Coalition for Suicide Prevention was established as a community response to the deaths by suicide of four young people over an eighteen-month period. Needham's Coalition believes that suicide is preventable if we work together.
The Depressed Child
and Teen Suicide from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. AACAP has developed Facts for Families to provide concise and up-to-date information on issues that affect children, teenagers, and their families. The AACAP provides this important information as a public service and the Facts for Families may be duplicated and distributed free of charge as long as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is properly credited and no profit is gained from their use.
Facts for Families in English and Spanish are available in English, Spanish, Deutsch, Malaysian, Polish, Icelandic, Arabic, Urdu and Hebrew.
SANS: A Charitable Organization Dedicated to Preventing Suicide.
According to a 2000 National Vital Statistics report, every 43 seconds somebody attempts suicide. Every 18 minutes somebody dies by suicide.
Deaths from suicide are preventable. Recognizing the subtle danger signs from a friend or family member is important, and taking immediate and appropriate action is key. But few people know the signs, what to do about it, or where to find help. See a New Sun (SANS) can help.
Wellness and Hotlines
Acton-Boxborough Teen Resource Card lists wellness hotlines and websites New!
Acton Boxborough Wellness Website for Parents
This site provides promotes student well-being and connects concerned adults with resources to support students. Explore the book lists, Website links, and the events on various wellness topics.
Acton and Boxborough PO Box 2063 Acton, MA 01720