Beebe and Cape Henlopen Announce Second Program Focused on Adolescent Substance Use, Impact, and Prevention

In collaboration with Soundcheck Prevention Network, Beebe Healthcare and the Cape Henlopen School District are encouraging local families to participate in an upcoming educational program focused on adolescent substance use and the reasons why ongoing, constructive conversations with young people are so critically important. 

The centerpiece of this comprehensive program is a Parent and Family Education Event, to be held on Wednesday, April 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Cape Henlopen High School.

Parents will learn about the latest substance use trends and statistics, and how substance misuse impacts a child’s physical and mental health as well as brain development.

“In healthcare, we often encounter the consequences of substance use when it has already caused significant physical or psychological harm,” said Bill Chasanov, DO, Chief Health Systems Design Officer at Beebe Healthcare. “It's crucial to understand the impact of substance use on a young person's development and to foster informed, honest conversations about the choices we make. This collaboration underscores Beebe Healthcare's commitment to proactive education and intervention, ensuring a healthier future for our community's youth.”

A key priority of the presentation will be to give parents valuable tools for identifying signs of substance misuse and engaging their kids in meaningful conversation about the dangers and risks associated with such choices. Information will be presented by leaders from Soundcheck Prevention Network, a nationally known substance misuse prevention organization that develops customized, student-centered programming, with strategies to promote health lifestyle choices and harm reduction.

“Our April program will be a continuation of the events we held in February, when we first introduced this program and the start of these important conversations,” said Kristin DeGregory, Principal of Cape Henlopen High School. “We know first-hand that discussions about substance use, prevention, and harm reduction need to be ongoing. I am so proud of our partnership with Soundcheck and Beebe, and the support we have received through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which make this program possible. It allows us to provide valuable resources for both students and parents and emphasizes how we can all work together to have real impact on our students and our community.”

Students are encouraged to attend the evening event with their parents, as one of the key themes of the presentation will be how to have conversations about substance use as a family. During the same week as the Parent and Family Education Event, students will participate in a series of events over a period of three days, during regular school hours. These activities will encourage open dialogue and transparency about substance use, its impact, and reasons to refrain from drug and alcohol use. Timing is crucial; these meetings are intentionally taking place in the spring, just ahead of prom, graduation, and other celebratory events that typically occur at the end of the school year.

“Our goal is to give students information that can guide decision making and ultimately aims to keep them safe,” said Will Straughan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Soundcheck Prevention Network. “We approach it from a health perspective. Our program is about meeting people where they are and empowering kids and their parents to handle real-life situations during the high school years.”

Much of the planning for the upcoming events has centered around student engagement and giving young people a role in shaping the way the program should be run, based on reality. Students who have demonstrated willingness to get involved, lend their voice, and advocate for the message have been invited to be part of a Health and Wellness Committee at Cape Henlopen High School, and have been engaged in the content planning process.

“We know that high school students can be influenced by their peers in different ways,” said Straughan. “There is a lot of opportunity as we meet students who have a strong voice, and who can model ideal behaviors and intervene as a friend who cares when their peers are in trouble. These students have the potential to serve as real champions for our message and the action items that will result during our April events.”

RSVPs are not required for this event, and it is open to all community members regardless of where your child attends school. Those who plan to attend can submit a question they would like to answer prior to the event. To submit a question, please visit https://forms.gle/295qc6hxUY2mBKWk8. Attendees will also have the option to write down and submit questions they would like addressed during the event.