The month of April is designated as?Alcohol Awareness Month by National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence to educate the public about alcohol dependence. The week of May 9-15 is designated as Pennsylvania Prevention Week by Commonwealth Prevention Alliance.

Prom and graduation mean spring is a practical time for addressing the dangers of substance misuse and the importance of prevention and early intervention.

Because alcohol claims the lives of more than 90,000 people every year, the NCADD initiative?focuses on raising awareness about alcohol abuse and dependency before it is fatal. Efforts are directed?toward educating the public, with a particular focus on young people. Youth?are more easily influenced by alcohol and drugs if not informed of the physical, mental, emotional and legal consequences of substance use.

According to the NCADD,?surveys?show 50 percent of young people are less likely to use drugs and alcohol if they have conversations with their parents about the risk than?their peers who?do not have such conversations.

Also, an?estimated?414,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 have alcohol use disorder in the United States, according to NCADD. A?report provided by this organization reveals?one in every four?college students have trouble focusing on studies and receive lower grades overall as a result of alcohol abuse.

There are many resources available to both youth and their parents to educate them on the dangers of getting involved with substance use. There are also programs that give young people tools for resisting the pressure to drink, use tobacco or other drugs and places people can go when they are showing signs of increased substance use or addiction.

Lehigh County Drug?and Alcohol offers services to clients with or without insurance?coverage. There are programs to provide funding to residents based on eligibility and can offer services for prevention, intervention and recovery. Case management and all levels of treatment are available options through the county.

You can reach the Lehigh County Office of Drug and Alcohol Services at 610-782-3556 or at the county website, lehighcounty.org/Departments/Human-Services.

Several organizations in the Lehigh Valley deliver science-based prevention education to youth in our schools and communities.

The School-Based Behavioral Health Program through Lehigh Valley Health Network offers increased access to behavioral health care for students K-12 by providing on-site, supportive services using trauma-informed, evidence-based, family-allied and culturally competent approaches.

Mental health challenges and substance misuse are often co-occurring disorders. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, almost 38 percent of people with a substance abuse disorder also have a mental illness. The earlier problems can be addressed, the greater chances for recovery and a lower likelihood of addiction.

Whitehall-Coplay Communities?That Care, a prevention coalition that engages Whitehall-Coplay School District, parents, leaders and community partners, created public service announcements?that provide information concerning underage drinking and social hosting. These can be viewed at?extension.psu.edu/be-the-one-psa.

The Center for Humanistic Change has a wide portfolio of prevention, intervention and educational programs to address substance misuse, gambling and other problem behaviors across the life cycle.

The Youth Education Program at Valley Youth House, funded by the Lehigh County Department of Drug and Alcohol, facilitates small groups in schools throughout Lehigh County and participates?in a variety of community activities to help educate our youth on important prevention topics.

Penn State Extension provides support for schools delivering Botvin Life Skills Training, rigorously evaluated programs that teach social and emotional skills necessary for resisting the lure of substance use.

Aligning with the designation put forth by both the Commonwealth Prevention Alliance and NCADD, Whitehall Township Mayor Michael Harakal Jr. presented a proclamation at the Whitehall-Coplay CTC meeting May 21 to honor the work of all the prevention partners. Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong is expected to issue a proclamation as well to recognize the many local efforts being made to address substance abuse prevention.

Editor’s note: This article is courtesy of Andrew DeAngelo, Lehigh County retired deputy chief probation officer, and Denise Continenza, educator with Penn State Extension-Lehigh County.