Useful Websites for those Involved with the Drug and Alcohol System

The following are websites that those involved with the Drug and Alcohol system might find helpful.

The Cool Spot http://www.thecoolspot.gov/

This website provides facts on underage drinking and effective ways to avoid alcohol using language and a format that appeals to young people.

Too Smart to Start http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/

This website helps youth, families, educators, and communities prevent underage alcohol use and its related problems. It provides useful programs and strategies, downloadable materials, interactive games and exercises, and other resources. The website includes a section for parents, teens, and tweens.

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future http://www.bblocks.samhsa.gov/family/default.aspx

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future is designed for parents and caregivers of children ages 3-6 to help open lines of communication with young children and make it easier to keep those lines of communication open as they grow older. The link above is for the family section of the website.

4Parents.gov – Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco http://www.4parents.gov/sexrisky/risky/alcohol_drugs_tobacco/alcohol_drugs_tobacco. html

4Parents.gov is a guide to help parents and their pre- or mid-teen children discuss important, yet difficult, issues about healthy choices, abstinence, sex, and relationships. This section of the website focuses on alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.

1 Last updated - January 2010 A Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy and Drug-Free http://family.samhsa.gov/

This is a public education web site developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for parents and caregivers of youth ages 7- to 18 that encourages the importance of family, promotes mental health, and helps prevent underage use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. The website provides information in 6 major areas: Talk with Your Teen, Get Involved, Set Rules, Be a Role Model, Teach Kids to Choose Friends Wisely, Monitor Your Child's Activities.

Shoulder to Shoulder: Raising Teens Together http://www.shouldertoshoulderminnesota.org/

Shoulder to Shoulder: Raising Teens Together is a website developed by the Minnesota Institute of Public Health. It provides information about positive parenting to help raise teens.

Inside the Teenage Brain http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/etc/aliens.html

Sponsored by PBS's Frontline, this website explores how new discoveries can change the way we parent, teach, or even understand our teenagers. The link above is the section of the website that includes resources for parents and teenagers to help improve mutual understanding and communication.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – Facts for Families http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/facts_for_families_keyword_alphabetica l

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is a non-profit membership organization that includes over 7,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists and other interested physicians. The link above is to a section of AACAP’s website that includes an alphabetical list of fact sheets on various issues affecting children, teenagers, and their families.

Pennsylvania Health Law Project http://www.phlp.org/

Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP) provides free legal services and advocacy to Pennsylvanians having trouble accessing publicly funded health care coverage or

2 Last updated - January 2010 services. The link above is to PHLP’s website, which includes various resources, including publications by topic.

3 Last updated - January 2010