Education Alliance

Resources for Parents & Caregivers

Education and resources to help families and caring adults guide youth to substance-free choices.

Father with arm around his son while walking in a green grass park.

Parents are the #1 influence on their children.

When parents and caregivers have skills, knowledge, and resources for substance use and prevention, their influence increases on their children’s actions and decisions.
Cannabis 101 – What Every Parent Needs to Know

Watch the video series or bookmark the entire playlist on YouTube to have it at your fingertips when you need it.

Raising children can be difficult. When substance use problems enter the picture, things get a lot more challenging.

Caron's Education Alliance is here for you.

We offer evidence-informed educational programming and resources to help you raise drug-free youth and teens and support you if concerns arise.

School/Community-Based Programs

Available to parents/caregivers when sponsored by a school or community organization

PREP: Prevention Resources & Education for Parents Program

Raising children can be challenging. Things become much more complicated and confusing when substance use problems enter the picture. The PREP program provides the essential knowledge, skills, and resources parents and caregivers need to address youth substance use effectively.

Parents of children in elementary, middle, and high school will benefit from this program.

Available in an in-person or digital format. A recording in Spanish is also available.

Learn More

Peak Performance Program for Parents of Student Athletes

This program offers education about the increased risk student athletes face and strategies for how to avoid that risk. In this presentation, parents and caregivers learn how they can communicate substance use prevention messaging to their student athletes.

The Other Talk

This program helps parents of soon-to-be college students communicate accurate, healthy and practical messages to their children regarding alcohol and drug use in college.

Parents are the #1 influence on their children.

When parents and caregivers have skills, knowledge, and resources for substance use and prevention, their influence increases on their children’s actions and decisions.
Cannabis 101 – What Every Parent Needs to Know

Watch the video series or bookmark the entire playlist on YouTube to have it at your fingertips when you need it.

Resources for Parents/Caregivers

Cannabis 101 – What Every Parent Needs to Know

This 8-part video series on cannabis awareness and education aims to equip parents, caregivers, and caring adults with valuable insights into cannabis-related topics, fostering a deeper understanding of its effects on adolescents. Each video provides information on a specific topic related to helping youth establish healthy brains and bodies. This series also offers practical guidance on initiating open and informed discussions with children about substance use, promoting a supportive and proactive approach to cannabis education within families.

"Powerful Parenting Prevention in 3 Minutes" Video Series

This video series of 10 micro-lessons provides parents with information and tips on topics that are key to guiding their child to a healthy lifestyle and creating a substance-free youth culture within their family. Each lesson is presented by an expert from Caron Treatment Center’s Education Alliance and is 3 minutes or less. Available in English and Spanish.

Watch a brief clip:

Conversations That Matter- Behavioral Health Strategies for Building Resilience in Youth

This podcast series explores issues that affect youth mental and behavioral health and provides practical strategies for raising, nurturing, teaching, and encouraging children and teens to build healthy patterns that last a lifetime. In each episode, Tina George, Senior Coordinator of Student Assistance Programming, sits down to speak with an expert about critical topics that address the heart of the challenges our youth face, including social media usage, emerging substance abuse trends, and the pressure to perform.

Digital Learning Program - PREP: Prevention Resources & Education for Parents

This FREE online course provides parents and caregivers with tools and education that research shows can help to reduce the chances their child will use substances during adolescence. This 45-minute interactive digital course can be taken anytime, anywhere. A video version of this program is available in Spanish, click here.

Prevention Playlist on YouTube

For current trends and solutions from our education and prevention experts, watch or subscribe to Caron’s Prevention Connection playlist on YouTube. It's your resource for building a culture of substance-free youth.

Education Resource Kit

Visit our Education Alliance Resource Kit for tools and information on the full continuum of care – from substance use prevention to recovery.

Conversations Starter Cards

Connecting and talking with your child is an essential part of keeping them healthy and encouraging the development of their good decision-making skills. But getting your child to give you more than a “yes” or “no” answer can sometimes be challenging.

Try using these conversation cards to start a conversation with youth of any age. Use them as a game, as part of your family meals, or even while driving in the car.

Click here for conversation prompt ideas.