Teen program celebrates first anniversary in Wellness Center

Center has become a resource for teens MILFORD — The Pike County Teen Alcohol and Drug Resource Center will celebrate its one-year anniversary with an Oct. 11 open house at the Milford Health and Wellness Center. The public is invited to attend the open house, which will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., to learn more about the program and how it is changing the way parents and teenagers view drug and alcohol dependency. Program Coordinator Mary Stanley will display art work from confidential clients, who use the art work to aid in recovery and creatively promote education and prevention. The Pike County Health Fund brought the Teen Alcohol and Drug Resource Center to the area last September after recognizing a growing need for outreach efforts among teenagers in the community. “It’s been an excellent resource and a great addition to the community as a link for students abusing substances who are willing to get help,” Delaware Valley High School Social Worker/Mental Health Specialist Luisa Weinstein said. “Students feel like it’s a safe place to go.” Since its arrival, the program has brought separate substance abuse group sessions for boys and for girls and established “Safe Place,” a support group for teens who live with or love someone who uses drugs or alcohol. Other highlights include: • Summer Team Building n An adolescent support group focusing on group team building in an effort to foster positive peer relationships; • Parents In the Know n an educational and support session designed to inform parents about normal adolescent development, creative parenting and how to stay a step ahead of potential harms for your adolescent children; • Teen Advantage n A psycho-educational group for middle school students to learn coping skills for tackling life issues in a fun way. Other keys to the program’s success have been the collaborative relationships between the program and the Delaware Valley School System and Pike County Juvenile Probation, both of which refer clients to the Alcohol Drug and Resource Center. “Mary Stanley is very highly respected by the students,” Weinstein said of the program coordinator of the Pike County Teen Alcohol and Drug Resource Center. “They’re very comfortable with her approach.” So save the date and join them as they celebrate the center’s one year anniversary.