What is the Community of Concern?

The Community of Concern is a partnership of parents, students, schools, and other organizations working together through education and cooperation to keep youth alcohol, tobacco and other drug free.

What constitutes membership in the Community of Concern?

Members share a commitment to educate parents through:

1. the distribution of our booklet, "A Parent's Guide for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use", (booklet)
   
   
2. the use of our state-of-the-art interactive course "Online Parent's Guide…" which is based on the booklet, and (E-learning course)
   
   
3. sponsoring other parent education events, such as Inaugural Celebrations, Leadership Symposiums, panels of experts (legal, medical, substance abuse treatment professionals, etc.), expert speakers- particularly scientists, and peer leadership events spotlighting students who choose not to drink, smoke or use other drugs.

Booklet
"A Parent's Guide for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use"
The booklet, a 28-page manual written by and for parents and reviewed by experts, explains the dangers of substance abuse from a scientific, legal and social viewpoint. It also contains information about alcohol poisoning, binge drinking, brain research, and elementary/middle concerns for parents with younger children.

"A Parent's Guide…" has been reviewed by Wilkie Wilson, Ph.D., professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University Medical Center, and Beth Kane Davidson, Med., CAC, director of the Suburban Hospital Addiction Treatment Center (Bethesda, MD), and Jeffrey M. Georgi, Mdiv., CCAS, clinical director of the Duke Addictions Program, Duke University Medical Center.

The booklet is customized for each Community of Concern and lists on the front cover the names of all local schools/organizations who are sharing this resource for parents. Additionally, the covers are personalized for each school/organization within the local Community of Concern so that each school/organization's seal appears on the front cover and its own substance abuse policy is contained within.

Many member schools distribute the booklet every year to every parent to:

1. keep the spotlight on the issue of substance abuse prevention within the parent and school community,
   
   
2. continue to emphasize the school or other organizations' priority to help children avoid alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, and
   
   
3. be sure that ALL families, old and new, are aware of the rules/policies and have the booklet as a resource to help them guide their children to make safe and healthy decisions to avoid underage drinking, smoking or illicit drug use.

E-learning Course
"Online Parent's Guide…"our interactive, e-learning course will be used by member schools who will "expect" or "require" parents to take the course in exchange for certain school-related privileges for them or their children- such as: serving on the PTA, chaperoning a dance, enabling their kids to attend proms..etc. The goal is to educate parents with the most recent scientific and other information regarding the dangers of substance use by youth.