NACoA is so grateful to everyone who took part in this year’s COA Awareness Week to help support kids and teens who are impacted by the disease of addiction in their families. For those who missed the COA Awareness Week 2024 Speaker Series, the presentation recordings are now available. Well-respected experts discussed important issues facing children impacted by the disease of addiction and how caring adults can help. NACoA is so grateful to the generosity of all of the presenters, sharing their time and expertise to help educate communities on important topics during this week of advocacy. 

COA WEEK 2024 SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTATIONS

Access recordings here>> 

A Conversation with Patrick J. Kennedy about Mental Health in America
Patrick J. Kennedy, Mental Health Advocate and Former US Congressman (D-RI)

What the Trauma of COAs has Taught Us About Resilience: How Caring Adults Can Help Our Youth and Themselves*
NACoA Co-Founder Patricia A. O’Gorman, PhD

Unleashing The Power Within: The Science of Manifesting Your Life**
James S. Flowers, PhD, LPC-S, CSAT, J. Flowers Health Institute Founder

H is for Hope and Healing: Parental Addiction Resources for Children & Families
Antonio Freitas, Sesame Street Senior Director of Educational Experiences

What About the Children? Help, Hope, and Healing
Jerry Moe, MA, MAC , NACoA Senior Clinical Director

*The originally scheduled presentation Reverberations of Trauma in the Family Affected by Addiction, by Claudia Black PhD, NACoA Co-Founder and Senior Fellow at The Meadows, will be rescheduled for a later time. Look for an announcement coming soon.

**Dr. James Flowers has agreed to continue his presentation in response to an enthusiastic audience. Individuals who registered for the initial presentation will automatically be registered for this webinar. A Continuation of Unleashing The Power Within: The Science of Manifesting Your Life has been scheduled for 11 am ET, Wednesday, March 6th.
Register Here>>

An Overlooked Emergency: More Than One in Eight US Adults Have Had Their

Lives Disrupted by Drug Overdose Deaths

This recent article examines the prevalence of overdose loss, and its impact on those left behind. Did you know 42.4% of Americans know someone who has died of a drug overdose. Many of them are parents. The need for support services for these children in our communities cannot be overstated.

Read the article here>>

SOBER ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Saturday, March 16, 4:30 – 7:30 PM ET

Reclaim the reason for the celebration of Irish heritage and family, all without the alcohol. Learn more about this New York City tradition, and consider creating an event for your area.

Family events include: The Parade, Irish Music, Irish Dance, Storytelling, Craic

**Warning** May result in an over-abundance of Irish pride!

TRAUMA, VIOLENCE, AND ABUSE:
A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies Exploring Lived Experiences, Perceived Impact, and Coping Strategies of Children and Young People Whose Parents Use Substances

This systematic review outlines current information in important areas when focusing on the impact of the disease of addiction on children and families. Categories featured include:  Living With the Unpredictable – Insecurity Within the Family; Social and Emotional Impact of Parental Substance Use; Controlling the Uncontrollable – Creating Safety Within the Family; Coping With and Resisting the Emotional and Social Impacts; and Formal and Informal Support.

The conclusion affirms what so many in this field commit to every day:  

The synthesis findings emphasize that children and young people who experience parental substance use are trying to manage and mitigate vulnerabilities and be resilient to unpredictable, adverse, and often stigmatizing experiences. While it is not a child’s role to have to resist and cope with the negative impacts of parental substance use, they are trying to do this anyway, often without formal support. Unfortunately, some of their strategies or externalized behaviors are inconsistent with societal norms and/or fail to produce the desired results. Therefore, alongside interventions to reduce parental risk, we need to work with children and young people to understand what strategies and resources will allow them to better cope with the social and emotional impacts of parental substance use. Additionally, we need to build resilient and non-stigmatizing systems surrounding the child through relational and trauma-informed practices.

Read the abstract here>>

NEW PLANNING RESOURCE PREPARES HOSPITALS CONSIDERING
EAT, SLEEP, CONSOLE CARE APPROACH FOR OPIOID-EXPOSED INFANTS

As more adopt the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) method when responding to opioid-exposed infants, more is becoming available to learn and adopt this life-altering approach. When utilizing ESC, infants are discharged earlier while less likely to receive medication as part of their treatment.

Learn more about this important method and how it is a valuable tool for hospitals to help infants heal from the impact of in-utero impacting opioids.

Read the National Institutes of Health press release dated May 1, 2023>>

NIH’S UNDERAGED DRINKING QUIZ COLLECTION – NOW ON KAHOOT!

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has partnered with Kahoot!, an online learning platform, to provide free interactive quizzes and games for educators and learners about underaged drinking. Did you know alcohol is still the most widely used substance among America’s youth and can cause them enormous health and safety risks? High schoolers, whether at home or in the classroom, can take NIAAA’s Kahoot! quiz about underage drinking to learn how alcohol affects their brain and body. The quiz is designed to help students have a better understanding of underage drinking, the negative health consequences associated with drinking, the signs of an alcohol problem, and how they can find support for friends, family, or themselves.

Celebrating Families! NEWS

UPCOMING WEBINAR: CF! 0-3: Being a Successful “Guide on the Side” for Young Families 
Thursday, April 25th at 1:30 – 2:30 pm, ET
Supporting parents/caregivers to develop healthy attachment and demonstrate positive parenting skills is important for parents in recovery. Group leaders implementing this program focus on the relationship of parents and children and are a “Guide on the Side” as they coach or guide them as they nurture confidence and capability during sessions. This FREE webinar will review important basics and enrich what is provided in group leader trainings to help group leaders find greater success when working with young families.

Register Today>>

NATIONAL ONLINE GROUP LEADER TRAININGS: May 13 – 15 and October 8 – 10
NACoA receives many requests to train additional staff to be group leaders for Celebrating Families! -a whole family, evidence-based, trauma-informed recovery program- without needing to schedule a training for the site. Organizations can now strengthen existing programs by sending individual facilitators to an online national group leader training. Attendees will become much more familiar with the curriculum, learn program essentials, and participate in a number of the program activities over this three-day training event. Cost per person $550. Price does not include curriculum, which will be needed throughout the training.

Register Today>>

CURRICULUM GOES DIGITAL

As a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum, whole-family recovery program, Celebrating Families! is a multi-volume collection of manuals to provide its guidance and instruction for its 16-session program. To better support programs, and allow them to benefit from immediate updates and additional materials, Celebrating Families! has transitioned to an online curriculum subscription model. It’s core curriculum and 0-3 program will be provided in one purchase, while the 0-3 program can still be purchased independently for programs who need additional copies of just that program designed for pregnant mothers and young families. ¡Celebrando Familias! is still available in print, while supplies last. To learn more about the program, and to access the new order form, visit the Celebrating Families! section of NACoA’s website. Contact Director of Programs Mary Beth Collins if you have any questions or would like to set up a meeting to discuss this program.