Troubled Teens Resources

For some teens graduating this spring it has been a very long and very hard road. Sadly enough, many teens dressed in graduation robes this spring are not only graduates but recovering drug addicts. Precious time and energy have been invested in seeing this day come to pass. For parents who have just lived through years of wrestling with their son or daughter’s teen age drug abuse, the college years that stretch ahead are viewed with a great deal of trepidation.

Colleges have become notorious for binge drinking and prescription drug abuse and it seems as many students major in hard core partying 101 as they do in academics. It is not exactly a safe environment for a troubled teen addict to be immersed in.

With that in mind, we bring to your attention a site that counsels parents of college bound teenagers to take a pro-active role in their teenager’s life on campus and to investigate what steps the administration have taken to combat substance abuse.

Here are some of the suggestions made:

• What steps has the college president taken to provide visible, consistent leadership on this issue?
• Does the college have a clearly defined alcohol and other drug policy? What is it? What are the consequences for infractions?
• Will the administration inform parents if a student is disciplined or arrested for alcohol- or other drug-related infractions, or hospitalized for drug or alcohol use?
• What percent of students join fraternities or sororities? What is the school doing to reduce alcohol use among these groups, whose members tend to drink more heavily than others?
• What proportion of the athletics budget comes from the alcohol industry? (Accepting such money sends a mixed message to students.)
• What training do residential advisers have in identifying and helping students who may have alcohol or other drug problems?
• What percent of students are involved in community service? (Students who are involved in such activities tend to have fewer alcohol- and other drug-related problems.)
• What treatment and other services are available for students who have alcohol- and other drug-related problems?