Downloadable Tools

As a fellow educator and former school social worker, I commend this kit to you. I hope you find it an
indispensable tool in your work. It offers numerous practical suggestions for helping those of your students
who are growing up in families troubled by substance use disorders and related problems.

Find FREE science- and standards-based classroom lessons and multimedia activities on teens and drugs – all funded or created by NIDA.

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health sets aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate National Rural Health Day.

National Rural Health Day (NRHD) is an opportunity to “Celebrate the Power of Rural” by honoring the selfless, community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America. NRHD showcases the efforts of rural healthcare providers, State Offices of Rural Health and other rural stakeholders to address the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face today and into the future.

This 2023 infographic identifies the state of children's health and wellbeing in the United States.

The basics, prevention, risks, treatment and protecting and advocating for youth.

Facts for Parents and Teens About Marijuana from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

The Marijuana Talk Kit is a great resource for knowing how to start the conversation with your teen about marijuana and to answer the questions like, "It's a plant so it's natural. How can it be bad for me?"

Being able to maintain good mental health is essential to each and every individual’s overall health and well-being. Mental health conditions are common, manageable, and treatable.

To fully understand how the world around us affects mental health, it is important to know what factors are at play – some of which an individual can change, such as screen time, and others that may be outside of their control, like access to basic resources or current events.

Every child’s path to adulthood—reaching developmental and emotional milestones, learning healthy social skills, and dealing with problems—is different and difficult. Many face added challenges along the way, often beyond their control. There’s no map, and the road is never straight. But the challenges today’s generation of young people face are unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate. And the effect these challenges have had on their mental health is devastating. ~ Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States

"One of NAMI’s main goals is to ensure that people get help early. Since mental health conditions typically begin during childhood, adolescence or young adulthood, we have compiled essential information and resources intended to help young people get the mental health support they need."

"Our culture, beliefs, sexual identity, values, race and language all affect how we perceive and experience mental health conditions. In fact, cultural differences can influence what treatments, coping mechanisms and supports work for us. It is therefore essential for culture and identity to be a part of the conversation as we discuss both mental health and mental health care."

Youth mental health resources in Texas.

A program of the Grant Halliburton Foundation, this resource connects Texans to information and resources for mental health and addiction

Enrolling in college as a student with a mental health disorder doesn’t need to be overwhelming or intimidating. This guide helps students find the assistance they need, explains resources and accommodations most schools provide, and offer tips on how to access these mental health services.

Whether you’re dealing with a crisis situation, struggling with major life stresses, concerned about someone’s mental health, or need to refer a patient for specialized care, you’ll find helpful resources here.

From the American Psychological Association, this downloadable resource is chock full of information. One tip: Adolescents should be informed explicitly and repeatedly, in age appropriate ways, about the manner in which their behaviors on social media may yield data that can be used, stored, or shared with others

Drugs of Abuse, a DEA Resource Guide, is designed to be a reliable resource on the most commonly abused and misused drugs in the United States. This comprehensive guide provides important information about the harms and consequences of drug use by describing a drug’s effects on the body and mind, overdose potential, origin, legal status, and other key facts.

The national opioid epidemic unfortunately includes thousands of teenagers. Adolescents who fall prey to this addiction are at a high risk of overdose or a life of substance abuse. In 2016, 276,000 people between ages 12 and 17 used pain relievers that included opioids for non-medical reasons. Teenage opioid addiction rates seem to be increasing, and polled seniors in high school have noted the ready availability of opioids as an important factor contributing to their use of these drugs.

The opioid misuse and overdose crisis touches everyone in the United States. In 2016, we lost more than 115 Americans to opioid overdose deaths each day, devastating families and communities across the country. Preliminary numbers in 2017 show that this number continues to increase with more than 131 opioid overdose deaths each day. The effects of the opioid crisis are cumulative and costly for our society—an estimated $504 billion a year in 2015—placing burdens on families, workplaces, the health care system, states, and communities.

Preventing Teen Abuse of Prescription Drugs Fact Sheet.

Drug Free America Foundation, Inc.'s Opioid Prevention Toolkit to know more about preventing opioid deaths.

Drug Guide for Parents to identify drugs and learn street names.

With this contract, parents and children/teens agree to rules around drinking and drug use.

Parents can join the conversation with this family discussion starter. Additional information on the warning signs of prescription opioid misuse and a guide to prevention and intervention empower families to reach out.

This toolkit was created to help raise parent awareness about school connectedness and its role in supporting student mental health and emotional well-being, and why family engagement both in and out of school is important. It is a resource for CDC Healthy Schools partners, education leaders, and other collaborators.

If you are considering this treatment for yourself or exploring it for someone else, you should become familiar with the different treatment options, including therapy for drug addiction. This article will review the kinds of therapies available for those who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, such as different types of behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, EMDR, family therapy, and more.

This list of questions can help guide your conversation with treatment program staff in helping you decide which program is the best fit for your child and family.

13 Principles of Effective Treatment provided by Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

For people living with addiction, as well as those who care for them, all aspects of life can be affected. Addiction not only creates emotional and physical wounds but can cause other hardships as well.

It can be excruciating to watch a loved one struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Family members and close friends of those experiencing addiction often find it challenging to help, especially when the sufferer has a difficult time acknowledging that they need help, which is often the case.

If you're a person in recovery and are looking for tools and resources that can help you take control of your career, this information can help.

Recovery Month increases awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders and encourages individuals in need of treatment and recovery services to seek help. Recovery Month celebrates individuals living lives in recovery and recognizes the dedicated workers who provide the prevention, treatment, and recovery support services that help make recovery possible.

The U.S. Surgeon General declared youth e-cigarette use to be an epidemic. E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco product among youth and, like any tobacco product, are unsafe. E-cigarette use is also most common among younger adults.

The Vaping Guide will help parents understand vaping’s appeal to young people. Readers will benefit from what signs to look for and comparisons among vaping flavors with no additives, flavors that contain nicotine and those that contain marijuana, whether in leaf or oil form. Parents will also learn what they can do to safeguard their teens against vaping, the concerns linked to the behavior and how to have an open dialogue with their son or daughter about its risks.

The FDA's Center for Tobacco Products has released the Resources for Professionals: Vaping & E-Cigarettes, a Toolkit for Working With Youth