Families United
Families United is an evidence based approach that targets alcohol, marijuana and cigarette use of youth. It also targets parental monitoring of youth. It is based on the development of a universal statement regarding parental commitment to their child regarding his or her use and about that child’s friend’s use of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and other drugs. This translates into a universal “pledge” that is signed by parents throughout the county.
A previous study of 13-16-year olds demonstrated that a blunt, clear statement by parents in a broad community context and campaign actually did reduce both serious binge and alcohol use as well as delinquency arrests by about 25% (Koutakis, et. al., 2008). Other components of this strategy include components that address:
- Family recognition and reinforcement of adolescents doing the right thing (e.g., not using ATOD or engaging in deviant behaviors associated with ATOD);
- Ensuring a child of having good sleep patterns by reducing access to electronic media before bedtime (Roberts, et. al., 2009);
- Increasing children’s “brain food,” which protects a child’s basic brain function, brain receptors and brain chemistry from the risk of ATOD (Hibbeln, et. al., 2006);
- Sharing and communicating of the above with five of the parents or child’s friends, to foster a perceived family norm of enforcing these protective boundaries by all families in Licking County to reduce alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other drug use among the county’s youth.
Familes United Part 1
Familes United Part 2