ABOUT YOUTH CONNECTIONS

Youth Connections is a coalition of over 1100 community members representing parents, educators, churches, youthserving organizations, businesses, and more who want to make Helena a healthy and supportive place for kids and families. Youth Connections recognizes the need to reduce negative behaviors including substance use and violence while also working to increase positive opportunities and mental wellness for all our local kids.

So how do we do that? We know there is no silver bullet to making communities great, and so we do LOTS of things that we know make communities better. We support agencies and businesses who offer youth activities because we know kids who are involved in positive activities aren’t involved in negative ones. We support student mentoring relationships because research shows it helps kids stay in school and be successful. We also know that when kids know better, they do better, so we support classroom education in the areas of bullying prevention and substance use prevention. Youth Connections also understands we must support the adults in kids’ lives and therefore we provide training, education, networks, and collaborative opportunities for parents and professionals to connect with others who care about kids.

Youth Connections is well known for its quarterly publication, YC Magazine, a resource for parents and the entire community. These are just some of the projects we’re working on to serve our mission of engaging our community to create environments where youth thrive and succeed. For a comprehensive list of activities, services, and ways you can get involved, please visit our website at www.youthconnectionscoalition.org.

It’s finally summer. It’s been a long, long winter. As great as summer is, it’s also a time for increased use among our youth. There’s a lot more unsupervised time which can mean boredom and/or increased access to substances that aren’t locked up. Additional freedom is part of growing up, so it’s important that we set safe parameters for them to do that.

The magazine committee has assembled a great slate of articles addressing issues that come up during summer. Our feature article by Dr. Len Lantz discusses conveying love in parenting. He discusses one of my favorite books, The Five Love Languages. If we as parents aren’t expressing love the way our kids want it, we’re not getting the full bang for our buck.

I also love how the staff of Natural High explain how adolescent brains work. I’ve heard it before. It’s like they’re driving a race car with no brakes. It’s our job as parents to be their brake.

Acne seems like it’s just something youth have to deal with, but we often don’t think about how it affects their mental health. We are fortunate to have an article to address this, written by our friends at Associated Dermatology.

We have an important article on parent self-care. Just like is stated on an airplane, “put your own mask on before assisting others,” it’s true in parenting too. We can’t take care of our kids and families if we have no gas left in the tank.

Lastly, I encourage you to read the Confessions of a Kitchen Table article. A mom from Missoula reached out with this sad story that, unfortunately, happens more than we know. It’s important for parents to understand the dangers of the high potency marijuana. It’s very addicting (one in four youth who start before the age of 15 will suffer with a cannabis use disorder), and it can cause psychosis. Visit https:// youthconnectionscoalition.org/resources/marijuana/ for resources and additional information.

Check out our Q&A, tips for a healthy and happy summer. Then we hope that you do, in fact, have a healthy and safe summer!

CAN’T GET ENOUGH GREAT RESOURCES? FOLLOW US:

Twitter: @Youthconx

Facebook (for parents): Youth Connections

Facebook (for kids): Find Your Spot

Instagram: @Youthconx

Opioids: Did You Know?

Even if a doctor prescribes an opioid, there are still risks when taking them, including addiction and overdose, which may lead to death.

Talk With Your Kids About the Facts.

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe an opioid to your child for things like surgery or a broken bone. Prescription opioids—when used long term or incorrectly—can cause the brain to become reliant on the drug and are extremely addictive.

Start talking with your kids about the facts. For tips on how—and when—to begin the conversation, visit www.underagedrinking.samhsa.gov