David Guralnick / The Detroit News Mary Epps, 11, gets her DARE diploma at Avalon Elementary in St. Clair Shores. Proponents say the program works even better in conjunction with other anti-drug measures.

Parents’ anti-drug resource guide

Dr. Rebie Kingston, director of the Detroit Public Schools’ Office of Guidance, said the most important way to keep kids off drugs is for parents to get involved. “They need to get their children involved in meaningful activity,” she said. Here are some of the telephone numbers and Internet sites parents can use to get more information about reaching their children:

Detroit Public Schools Office of Guidance, (313) 494-1145

Detroit Public Schools Office of School, Community and Family Relations, (313) 494-1730

Drug Abuse Resistance Education Web site
www.dare-america.com

A Web site dedicated to helping parents talk to their children about anything www.talkingwithkids.org

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: (202) 966-7300, www.aacap.org

American Academy of Pediatrics: (847) 228-5005, www.aap.org

American Psychiatric Association: (202) 682-6000, www.psych.org

Children Now uses research and mass communications to make the well-being of children a top priority across the nation. www.childrennow.org

Detroit Newspapers has published a booklet on drug awareness in cooperation with the Prevention Coalition of Southeastern Michigan. Free to teachers. Write to Detroit Newspapers, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226

Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a resource for health policy information, from a leading private family foundation. www.kff.org

National Parent Information Network is a clearinghouse on elementary and early childhood education, and urban education. Provides information to parents and those who work with parents and to foster the exchange of parenting materials. Materials included full text on the network have been reviewed for reliability and usefulness: www.npin.org

A fantastic site for parents, run by the publisher of Parents, Child, Family Circle and McCall’s magazines: www.parents.com

SchoolCity’s purpose is to enrich education by providing teachers, students and parents the superior tools and information they need to harness the power of the Internet: www.schoolcity.com

The American Council for Drug Education: (800) 488- DRUG, www.acde.org.

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information: (800) 729-6686, www.health.org.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc.: (212) 206-6770, Hopeline: (800) NCA-CALL, www.ncadd.org.

National Institute on Drug Abuse Information & Treatment Referral Helpline: (800) 662-HELP

Partnership for a Drug-Free America: (212) 922-1560, www.drugfreeamerica.org

PRIDE: (770) 458-9900, www.prideusa.org

Youth Power: (800) 258-2760, www.justsayno.org

“Preparing for the Drug-Free Years: A Family Activity Book.” By Hawkins, J. David, et. al.

“Seattle: Developmental Research and Programs,” 1998.

“How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & How to Listen So Kids Will Talk.” By Faber, Adele and Elaine Mazlish. Mamaroneck, N.Y. : International Center for Creative Thinking, 1990.

To communicate with our reporters concerning this special report, send e-mail to car@detnews.com.