A free seminar presented by a panel of experts to build awareness about teen substance use and help parents protect their teens from drugs and alcohol.

• Talking to your teen about drug and alcohol use
• Identifying warning signs
• Where to turn for help when you need it

Question and answer session with guest speakers will follow the presentation.

Speakers:

Joanne Peterson, founder and executive director of Learn to Cope

Joanne Peterson founded Learn to Cope in 2004, with a small group of parents, when her own son became addicted to opiates. Her son is in long-term recovery today. What started then, as a single peer-to-peer support group in Randolph, Massachusetts, has grown to include nearly 3,000 members registered nationally.

John Kelly, Ph.D., nationally recognized expert in the field of addiction treatment and research

Dr. John F. Kelly is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Associate Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)-Harvard Center for Addiction Medicine, and Program Director of the MGH Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS). He serves as a consultant to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the US Department of Education, and to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as a scientific reviewer. He is a licensed clinical psychologist actively working with individuals and families with alcohol and other drug use disorders. 

Linda Mahoney, Administrator of Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals

Linda Mahoney is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor with a Level II ACDP certification in the field of substance abuse treatment and has been in the field for over 25 years. She is a strong advocate for building healthy families through the understanding of the importance of "time, touch and talk."

This event is brought to you by the experts at The Providence Center, Rhode Island's largest mental health and substance use treatment provider, and Anchor Recovery Community Center, a drug-free center supporting individuals and families in recovery from substance use.