Nothing is more critical than the health and well-being of our
children, and protecting them from exposure to and use of
illegal drugs is and should be a top priority.
Joining us today for the "be the change" discussion, is Diane
Bader, brand ambassador from First Check diagnostics and Amy
Runyon, CEO of Not My Kid.
Good morning ladies, it's so great.
This is so important, and I am so excited to have you in the
studio.
Great to be here.
Thanks so much for having us today.
Oh, so glad you're here.
And Diane, kids and parents face such challenges.
How can the private sector help "be the change"?
Well, we offer a tool for parents to use in the privacy of
their own home.
This tool offers an answer to a question that parents don't
always want to ask, and that is, is my child using drugs?
We also have a special relationship with Not My Kid,
and they bring education out to 1000's of parents.
So, between our tool, and their education, we feel we're
empowering our parents to really make change.
Amy the outreach of Not My Kid is really helping parents be the
change, as well.
It is.
Not My Kid provides educational workshops for youth, parents,
and educators, on six different behavioral health topics.
Substance abuse, bullying, internet safety, depression,
self-injury, body image and unhealthy relationships.
It's really our partnership with First Check that takes our
educational workshops to the next level.
First check is an amazing organization.
They provide us 1000s of drug testing kits that we can give to
parents free, and we serve over 100,000 people a year.
So, the impact that we're able to have is truly amazing.
Tell us about the video we're about to watch.
The video really shows our work shops in progress, and it shows
real parents, real kids attending these workshops, and
then it also shows some actual reactions from parents once they
get out.
A lot of parents walk into a workshop thinking "I know about
this, I was a kid once.
I know how it works."
They walk out with their jaws on the ground.
Stunned at how far things have come.
Well, our be the change cameras visited Phoenix Arizona to see
the impact and difference concerned companies are making
to help parents win the battle against illegal drug use.
Our Christopher Cox reports.
There is help out there, and there are people out there that
want to help you.
In classrooms like this one in Phoenix, and others around the
nation, corporate America is helping educate students and
parents in the battle to keep kids drug free.
(music).
Amplify is part of a non-profit called Not My Kid.
Not my kid believes in prevention through education.
What that means is they have people like me come out and
speak to students like you.
(music).
Two-thirds of high school students are regular drinkers by
the time they graduate.
Children who drink before the age of 15 are five times more
likely to suffer from addiction later in life.
Fortunately, kids are getting the message.
Proactive substance abuse and prevention programs like Not My
Kid are working.
It's not just kids getting the message.
It's parents too.
You know, I came here thinking I knew what my kids are getting
into, but I was mistaken.
I really took a lot away from this presentation.
The best part was receiving a drug test kit and being able to
go home with a plan of action to help my kids.
We have free drug test kits to give to you, and here's what's
great.
You can make it about you, not the fact that their not cool
enough.
"You know, I'd love to.
My mom and dad are crazy they drug test me."
Wow, as a mom, that really touched me.
That was powerful.
Tell me about the impact that you're having on kids and
families out there.
After every single presentation, when we're out speaking to
youth, youth come forward after the presentation to either talk
about what they're going through, or what close friends
are going through and wanting to get help.
After every parent presentation, parents are coming up wanting
help, and resources.
When they come to a substance abuse presentation we hand them
the drug test kit, and they feel empowered because they have
something to walk away with.
They have a tool.
They have a plan.
They have something.
Alright, you've brought a drug testing kit.
Walk me through that.
Here's our first check drug kit.
Fantastic.
Everything is in this box.
You're going to open up this little bag.
This is the test lid that runs the test.
Here is the collection cup.
This is the cup that you will collect your sample in.
Our advice is to supervise your child.
So, all you do, when you get your sample is screw on the lid,
sit the test on its legs, and in five minutes, you'll have your
results.
Wow.
It's that easy and that quick.
Alright, Amy, you've got some things over here to show me.
I don't know what you're going to show me.
This is a little scary.
This is probably the most shocking thing that most parents
see when they come to one of our presentations, and that is
across the nation, every kid can bring a bottle of water to
school.
This looks like a bottle of water, you actually take it off,
and it's a place to conceal drugs.
Oh my gosh.
Really??
Highlighter.
That's their highlighter?
It works like a highlighter, however, when you take off the
end, it's actually a pipe.
No!!
Looks like a can of soda, you take off the kid, and it's a
concealment for drugs.
Then I have a lipstick case that looks like a lipstick case, and
you take it off, and then again, it's a pipe.
That's just blowing my mind.
This have just gotten really advanced and I think it's good
that it's shocking, because it kind of knocks parents out to a
point where "I need to start educating myself, I need to be
one step ahead."
Right.
If your child tests positive, I mean, what steps should parents
take?
If a child comes back testing positive, that's a real scary
place to be.
Very.
Because now you've moved from a place of prevention to
intervention, and what we suggest to parents is that they
find a qualified, empathetic counselor or treatment center in
their area.
I mean, peer pressure is just so big today.
How can parents handle that?
Most kids will try drugs for the first time between the ages of
11 and 13, and it usually takes up to two years for a parent to
know what is going on.
So, to be able to have a prevention plan in place that
has drug testing as part of it, helps kids have an out.
So, when they're peer-pressured, they can say something like "I'd
love to but my crazy parents drug test me, and if I come out
positive they're going to call your parents."
Perfect.
Put it all on me.
Gives them a place to go.
Where can parents learn about and find out about the drug
testing kits?
Where do they go out there?
Well, they're in most retail stores and pharmacies, such as
CVS, Walmart, and they're also on some retail online sites such
as Amazon.com and drugstore.com.
Wow.
Thank you both so much for coming.
Continued success with working with parents and teens, and just
thank you for what you're doing.
Really, really appreciate it.
Loved having you here today.
And if you'd like more information on this segment, you
can also visit us at TheBalancingAct.com or share
with us your questions and concerns by logging onto
Facebook/TheBalancingActFans.
Find out how Not My Kid can visit your child's school or
your workplace.
For more information visit NotMyKid.org.