New organization wants to get in front of teen drug abuse

MAT-SU — In a challenging modern world, families can use all the resources they can get.

That’s where the Family Resource Center can help. The new center — which officially opens today along the Palmer-Wasilla Highway — is a project of the Co-occurring Disorders Institute Inc.

Never heard of CoDI? You may not be alone, but it’s an agency that has been helping families and teens deal with dependency and behavioral issues since 2001, said Dr. Randy Moss, CEO for CoDI.

Although many in the general public may not have heard much about CoDI, that’s about to change, he said, adding that in professional circles the agency is well-known.

“Some people have heard of us, and in fact, many in the provider and health care industry know us very well,” he said. “We don’t do a lot of direct services — until now — but we have provided many trainings for the public.”

By opening the Family Resource Center, CoDI is hoping to provide more direct and visible help for families dealing with behavior and drug abuse issues.

“We have long sought to have a place for families with challenging youth who have been in and out of state placement or at-risk for being placed in residential care to come and learn skills, find resources and have some advocacy,” Moss said.

The center is made possible through a grant for the Bring the Kids Home project, he said. It’s a state-funded initiative “to help return kids who are in residential treatment centers outside the state to our community.”

Overall family management is also a focus for the center, he said.

“What we’re embarking on now is an extension,” Moss said. “It’s parent management training for the whole family, reaching out as more of a family resource center.”

Youth in the Mat-Su Valley use drugs and runaway from home at rates greater than the state and national averages, Moss said. Many of the problems that lead to substance abuse and other problems stem from a breakdown in family communication.

“There’s a significant decrease in family conversation about substance abuse from the time (children) are in seventh grade until the 11th grade,” he said. “There’s a shift in the perception from youth that parents are OK with using drugs or alcohol.”

That perception shows parents are not communicating enough about drugs and alcohol, he said.

“There’s a breakdown there,” Moss said. “We’ll be trying to help families to learn how to communicate this, how to (reduce) peer violence. … The second piece is we’re going to make available and continue to stock an information library.”

When fully staffed, the Family Resource Center will employ seven people, Moss said, adding that parents are encouraged to contact them at any time to ask questions and seek advice. Don’t wait until there’s a problem, he said.

“Actually, this program is not based on pathology or serious problems, but for parents and anyone interested in increasing family unity,” he said. “We’re hoping that over time we will have a decrease in the number of kids who are experimenting with or using drugs.”

If there’s one thing parents can do to help steer their children away from destructive behaviors, it’s talking to them, Moss said.

“Keep talking to your kids and talk about the hard subjects,” he said. “The research is pretty clear that the strongest prevention of teen pregnancy, violence, drop-out and drugs is parents talking about these behaviors.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

IF YOU GO

What: Family Resource Center Open House

Where: 7610 Palmer-Wasilla Highway.

When: 4 to 8 p.m.

Contact: For information about the open house or the Family Resource Center, call 745-2634.