COUNTY WANTS TO HEAR FROM PARENTS ABOUT TEEN DRINKING & DRUG USE Watch your mail for survey designed to learn parent attitudes What do Westchester parents really think about underage drinking? Are they concerned – or only concerned that their kids might get caught? To find out, Westchester County has obtained a federal grant to survey parents on their attitudes about teen drinking and drug use – and what they see as the solutions. Over the next few weeks, a sampling of about 5,000 parents, selected at random, will receive a survey in the mail. Participation in the survey is completely anonymous and all answers are strictly confidential. “Parents are a key factor in prevention,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “Their feedback will help us plan and create programs and services that will ensure the health and safety of our youth. It will be interesting to see what parents know – or think they know.” The broad range of questions include such things as: • Do you think any of the following drugs (tobacco/alcohol/drugs/etc. ) is harmful to your child’s health? • During the past year, has your child used cigarettes/marijuana/liquor/etc.? • Would it be okay with you if your child uses alcohol if he/she would not use other drugs? • How easy is it for students in your child’s grade to get…cigarettes/cocaine/beer/a gun/etc.? The survey is funded by the Westchester Coalition for Drug and Alcohol-Free Youth through a grant from the federal Center on Substance Abuse Prevention. The coalition, which works with the county Office of Drug Prevention and STOP-DWI and the District Attorney’s Office, is an umbrella group for local alcohol-prevention committees. “It is important that parents play an active role in preventing underage drinking and drug abuse,” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore. “It is also important that they have input into our strategy. This survey provides them with that input.” This is the first time that a county-wide survey of parent attitudes on drinking has been done in Westchester. However the survey, developed by an organization called Pride Surveys, has been administered to more than 10 million parents, teachers and students in hundreds of communities across the nation. Pride Surveys was established in 1982 by professors at the Georgia State University in Atlanta and Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. The goal is to help local schools measure student alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. In 1998 a federal law designated Pride Surveys as an official measurement of adolescent drug use in America. “The surveys have been proven to be valid and reliable,” said Tom Meier, director of the county’s STOP-DWI office “Many communities have successfully used them to help shape prevention and intervention activities. Questions concerning the survey should be directed to the Office of Drug Prevention and STOP-DWI at (914) 995-4115 In addition to the parent survey, the grant includes the following: • Training for physicians on discussing sensitive topics with young people, including alcohol and other drug use, • Training for law enforcement on enforcement of underage drinking laws, • A media campaign on the prevention power of coalitions, • leadership programming for new and existing coalitions, • Strengthening youth leadership activities in substance abuse prevention among high school and college students.