What were you thinking?

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"  

This may well be one of the foundational parental anthems as our kids mature. You know the types of things that just leave you shaking your head.... Our kids' regular everyday decisions may leave us questioning, but add alcohol or drugs and their brain's abilities get really scrambled.  

On Thursday, April 24th Michael Nerney will present "Alcohol, Drugs and the Brain." at our annual Time to Talk About Youth Event for Alcohol Awareness Month.   This event will be from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Hazen Union High School in Hardwick, VT.  Hazen Union is providing dinner.  Please RSVP by emailing healthylamoille@gmail.com.  This event is free and open to the public.

Hazen Union may be a drive for many of us, but I've heard from many that Michael's presentations are well worth the trip.  He is a dynamic speaker who captures the attention of his audiences with interesting stories, relevant facts, and useful tips.  This is definitely an event that you and your teen would enjoy together.  

However, you do not need to be a parent of a teen to find value in this event.  Teachers, grandparents, medical personnel, and community members will gain knowledge that will help you encourage youth and support parents in your communities. Parents with younger children benefit from knowing the facts early. When you know the facts you can naturally talk to your kids about tough issues at times when they're likely to listen and engage.  

Michael Nerney

So just who is Michael Nerney and why should you consider coming out on April 24th?

Michael Nerney is a consultant in Substance Abuse Prevention and Education, with over thirty-three years' experience in the field.  As the former Director of the Training Institute of Narcotic and Drug Research, Inc. (NDRI), his responsibilities included the management of a statewide training system which delivered more than 450 training programs to substance abuse treatment and prevention professionals annually.  During this time, Mr. Nerney wrote and was awarded a federal grant under the Youth-At-Risk Act, to design and deliver training programs for residential facilities within the New York State Division for Youth.  Under this grant, a dedicated team designed and provided five programs related to substance abuse, including an Overview of Substance Abuse, Adolescent Concerns, Chemically Dependent Family Systems, Relapse Prevention, and Prevention Strategies.  Mr. Nerney's particular areas of expertise include Psycho-pharmacology, Adolescent Chemical Dependency, Relapse Prevention, Gender Differences in Communication, and Managing Violent Incidents.  He has written both participant and trainer manuals for the programs mentioned above, as well as a number of others.              

Mr. Nerney's understanding of adolescent issues is drawn from twelve years' experience as a teacher and coach at the junior high and high school levels, including three years with the Adirondack Mountain School, a residential school for boys.  He went on to add four years' experience in the chemical dependency field as a substance abuse counselor and Director of the Drug Abuse Prevention Council in Hamilton County, NY, before joining the staff of NDRI in 1984.  He is a certified instructor in violence prevention and management with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI).  Mr. Nerney recently served as the consultant in the development of the learning centers for the Eckert Drug Quiz Show in New York State.  He has been a consultant for two of the major television networks and has appeared on the ABC program “20/20”. 

Michael Nerney is an internationally known lecturer, and has served as consultant to a number of federal and state agencies, including the federal Office of Substance Abuse Prevention and the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the New York State Education Department, Department of Social Services, Division for Youth, Department of Correctional Services, Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, Division of Parole, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Capital Defender's Office and Governor's Office of Employee Relations.  Mr. Nerney has provided consultation on drug courts and other areas of technical assistance to correctional systems in forty-nine states across the country.  He is the father of four children.

Will you come?  

April 24th, 5:30-7:30, Hazen Union High School, Hardwick, VT