During National Recovery Month, NACoA has spotlighted the often overlooked impact from the disease of addiction on children and families, and the essential need for their own healing and recovery.
When a parent or caregiver struggles with any substance use disorder, the entire family feels the repercussions. Kids and teens in these environments often experience a range of emotional, psychological, and physical challenges. These children may face instability, neglect, or even abuse, which can lead to long-lasting effects on their development and well-being. And these children are at higher risk of developing addiction themselves. People in recovery deserve to heal from the impact of their families as well. National Recovery Month reminds us that recovery is not just for the individual, but for the entire family.
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Sis Wenger Receives Faces and Voices of Recovery’s
Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award
NACoA team members, past board members, family and friends were so proud to watch Sis Wenger, former CEO of NACoA, and board member Emerita, receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the America Recovers Gala, hosted by Faces and Voices of Recovery in Washington DC on September 17th. The Faces and Voices of Recovery CEO Patty McCarthy presented the award to Sis Wenger with Dr. Hoover Adger, past board chair and board member of NACoA. Sis was accompanied by her sons Brian and Mark, and many of her close friends and colleagues. Significant tributes honoring the life work and passion Sis contributed through her career were offered by William, White, Jerry Moe, Patty McCarthy and Dr. Hoover Adger.
Congratulations were offered by the speakers Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Tom Corderre the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary at SAMHSA. Congratulations Sis Wenger and thank you for your dedication and service to the mission of NACoA.
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NACoA’s Board Continues to Grow
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Our board attracts caring adults with expertise, experience, and industry network to increase our ability to live our mission and eliminate the adverse impact of alcohol and drug use on children and families. We are grateful for their passion and commitment to these children, and to NACoA. Welcome!
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NOW AVAILABLE! Tools for Parents and Caregivers:
Helping Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorders
This new resource provides valuable guidance to caring adults who want to support children impacted by the disease of addiction in a way that helps them heal. Originally known as NACoA’s Kit for Parents, this updated version offers more comprehensive support for parents and other important caregivers such as grandparents, kin caregivers, and even older siblings to help them support families. Through more information and helpful resources, caring adults can find greater comfort and confidence in how to help the children they love.
Download the Resource>>
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Celebrating Families! National Online Group Leader Training
October 8 – 10th
Attendees will be able to:
1) Discover the uniqueness and effectiveness of the Celebrating Families! program
2) Familiarize – and get comfortable using - the Celebrating Families! curriculum
3) Experience program exercises to increase working knowledge of the program
Cost per person $550. Price does not include curriculum which will be needed throughout the training.
Learn More and To Register>>
A Day of Learning About Addiction & Mental Health
October 9th, 8 am – 2:30 pm ET
Commerce, MI
Join us for an engaging discussion on addiction and mental health in adolescents and young adults. This in-person event will take place at Zerbo's Market and Bistro. We will have three nationally recognized experts and lunch. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from experts in the field and connect with others who share similar concerns. Let's come together to address this important issue and make a positive impact on the lives of our community.
Learn More and To Register>>
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Hope is a Strategy
Thursday, October 2nd at 1:30 pm ET
Presenter: William C. Moyers
VP Public Affairs & Community Relations, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
For decades, William C. Moyers has been a public face of recovery for the renowned Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. As a result, thousands of people, families and communities have turned to him for help to overcome substance use issues. But what happened when the plea for help hit close to home, in his own family? Join us for a special webinar, a conversation about his new memoir: Broken Open.
To Register>>
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Groupwork with COAs - Challenges and Opportunities
Tuesday, October 15th at 1:30 pm ET
Presenter: Peggy McGillicuddy, MEd, CTSS
NACoA Director of Children’s Programs
Children and teens growing up in families impacted by addiction face numerous struggles. For facilitators working with these kids and teens, group work offers both challenges and opportunities. This webinar is designed to address challenges, ideas for improvement, and to answer specific questions professionals may grapple with while working with this population.
Learn More and To Register>>
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Al-Anon – A Community Resource for Professionals
Tuesday, October 22nd at 5 pm ET
Al-Anon is a mutual support program for relatives and friends of alcoholics. As a professional, you may see people affected by someone else’s drinking, or affected yourself when working with this trauma-impacted population. Learn more during this free, online workshop, hosted by District 21 NYC Upper West Side (NYS Area), Public Outreach Committee. Al Anon/Alateen cooperates with professionals by providing speakers and literature for conferences, workshops and meetings. CEUs are available for this event, and will be provided by NACoA.
To Register>>
NACoA is a NAADAC Education Provider; you will receive one NAADAC service hour CEU for attending NACoA live presentations.
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NACoA ACOA Online Education and Discussion Group
New Page on NACoA Website to Access Presentation Recordings
These meetings are designed to educate adults about the impact of the disease of addiction on children, and how it can continue to affect them in adulthood. Through these presentations, adults can learn more about the impact, find hope that support is available, and learn how to heal from this impact and live healthier lives. Past meeting presentations are now available on NACoA’s website. This ever-expanding list of presentations include: What is an ACOA and resilience?; Being a Child, What It Feels Like and How it Impacts Us; Healing Through Parenting: For You and Your Family; and much more. These meetings are provided on the second Thursday of each month, at 6pm ET.
Upcoming Meetings
October 10, 6pm ET Topic: Telling the Truth
Presenter: Maureen McGlame, Founder/Executive Director of COASA, RFK Community Alliance
Keeping secrets is a very common practice in families impacted by the disease of addiction. Telling your truth is essential, as healing takes place when you can be honest with yourself, connect with others with similar experiences, and replace shame with compassion and care.
Register>>
November 14, 6pm ET Topic: Navigating Dysfunctional Families During the Holidays
Presenter: Colleen Perry, Family Issues Advocate
The holidays can be challenging, but they can be especially hard for those who grew up in homes impacted by parental addiction. Regardless of whether the person is still in active addiction or in recovery, the family impact can live on when family members haven’t completed their individual healing. Colleen Perry talks about how to navigate potential complexities when gathering with our families this holiday season while also taking care of ourselves.
Register>>
December 12, 6pm ET Topic: Monkey Chatter 101: Quieting the Voice in Your Head
Presenter: Margaret Swift Thompson, Executive Director of Embrace Family Recovery, LLC & Author
Are you tired of the exhausting chatter playing in your head? This “monkey” keeps us other focused and fixated on fixing, managing, and controlling. Learn more about your Monkey Chatter and ways to tame it.
Register>>
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Each month NACoA publishes important blogs to help educate about the impact of addiction on children, how to help kids and teens heal, and what adults can do who are still struggling with the impact. Resilience is available for children of all ages, and NACoA provides information, education, and additional resources through these informative and reflective articles.
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Your Recovery, Your Life for Teens: A Trauma-Informed Workbook to Help You Heal from Substance Use and Addiction
NACoA Co-Founder Claudia Black PhD, MSW
In Your Recovery, Your Life for Teens, internationally renowned addiction specialist Claudia Black presents a comprehensive program for exploring how your life experiences have influenced your substance use, and addresses the problem through guided self-reflection. You’ll be equipped with a variety of skills from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and grief work, so you can calmly and confidently gain the upper hand in your battle with substances. You’ll also discover tools to help you tolerate difficult feelings, release toxic shame, regulate your emotions, and come to terms with the fact that your use is interfering with your life. Most importantly, you learn how to forgive yourself and set new priorities for a healthy and fulfilling life—without drugs and alcohol. The road to recovery can feel long and difficult; it demands extraordinary dedication and effort. It also requires a lot of help, and help is out there. With this compassionate guide, you can begin your journey knowing you’re on solid ground.
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In the United States, according to NIAAA (the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) an estimated 1 to 5% of first graders have FASD. FASD refers to the collective lifelong physical, behavioral, and cognitive impairments that occur due to prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD-related impairments can range from mild to severe and contribute to a range of issues such as learning disabilities, speech and language delays, visual and hearing problems, problems with critical organs, and social challenges throughout a person's life. It is the leading known cause of developmental disabilities that is 100% preventable. In addition to causing FASD, prenatal alcohol exposure also increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and sudden infant death syndrome. These impacted children grow up, so we need to identify early and provide meaningful support throughout the lifespan.
Learn More>>
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¡Celebrando Familias! Print Curriculum on Sale - $525 per Set
NACoA is proud of the outcomes generated with this Celebrating Families! adaptation for Spanish speaking families. In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the ¡Celebrando Familias! curriculum will be discounted from $650 to $525 until October 31st, while supplies last. If you are currently providing this program, or you’ve been considering expanding your support to your Spanish speaking families, it is a great time to consider purchasing curriculum.
To Order>>
To Learn More about ¡Celebrando Familias! >>
If you are looking for Spanish Materials to support children and families impacted by the disease of addiction, NACoA maintains a hearty list of resources in Spanish to help communities provide valuation information.
Download the List>>
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Parents Under Pressure:
A US Surgeon General’s Advisory
Parental stress is an urgent public health issue. Parents are the most essential of resources for children. We need them healthy! They need more support!
From the Advisory:
The work of parenting is essential not only for the health of children but also for the health of society. Amid a youth mental health crisis, the work of raising a child is just as valuable as the work performed in a paid job and critically important when it comes to the impact on the future of society.
Advisory Key Takeaways Include:
Parents consistently report experiencing high levels of stress compared to other adults
According to 2023 data:
• 33% of parents report high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults.
• 48% of parents say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to 26% among other adults.
Read the Advisory>>
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Free Online Course Now Available for Parents
Vaping: Know the Facts
This 30-minute eCourse will teach parents how vaping affects the adolescent brain and lungs and debunk common myths surrounding vaping. It will also discuss the brain science of addiction and how to prevent the development of a substance use disorder. Addiction Policy Forum is committed to eliminating addiction as a major health problem through advocacy, support and education. Their website section Addiction A-Z provides great information parents can share with pre-teens and teenagers/young adults to explain substance use disorders and have meaningful conversations about addiction and potential risks in the family.
Learn More>>
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Happy 20th Anniversary NACoA Germany!
NACoA is profoundly thankful for NACoA Deutschland's dedication and partnership. We look forward to many more years of collaboration in making Germany - and the world - a safer and more supportive place for children impacted by the disease of addiction and their families!
Learn More About the Good Work They Do>>
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