The Partnership at Drugfree.org is introducing a new bilingual toll-free telephone helpline, dedicated to helping parents and families who may not have access to our comprehensive resources at drugfree.org, or who want to reach out and speak to a qualified social worker about their child’s drug use or drinking.
Many parents struggle to find a clear path to intervention and treatment information, often resulting in a frustrating search to get effective help for their child. The new helpline aims to fill that void and will provide useful information, when families who are facing a child’s addiction need it most.
The Parents Toll-Free Helpline – 1-855-DRUGFREE – (1-855-378-4373) is staffed by social workerswith practical experience in substance abuse intervention and treatment. These specialists offer expert advice to help parents plan a course of action for teens who are struggling with substance abuse and, if appropriate, supply a short list of resources or treatment facilities in their area. The Parents Toll-Free Helpline, which has been proving itself in its testing phase since April, is not a 24-hour crisis hotline and will be staffed Monday-Friday from 10:00 am-6:00 pm EST.
Helpline professionals work with parents to understand the unique needs of their children, help them find appropriate treatment options and encourage support and family involvement through the recovery process.
“By listening to the stories that callers have to tell – the challenges, setbacks and emotional turmoil that go with a child’s substance abuse or addiction, we help parents outline a course of effective action – whether it’s prevention, intervention, seeking treatment or supporting recovery – grounded in the science-based resources we have built at drugfree.org,” said Johanna Bos, LMSW, CASAC, Lead Parent Support Specialist for the helpline.
