Byrnes Mill Police Chief Frank T. Selvaggio and Spring Hills Presbyterian Church Pastor Dave Stain are organizing a seminar designed to protect teenagers from the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
The free Parents Seminar on Drug and Alcohol Abuse is open to the public and will be held on Monday, March 6, at the church, 6247 Upper Byrnes Mill Road, in Byrnes Mill.
“Our goal is to provide parents with information on how to recognize the signs of drug and/or alcohol abuse in their teenage children, and to provide resources to those parents to help them keep their children safe,” Selvaggio said.
Beginning at 5 p.m., parents will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from at least 20 resource groups, including the Jefferson County Drug Prevention Coalition, Jefferson County Juvenile Division, Jefferson County Health Department, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Jefferson/Franklin Community Action Corporation, Jefferson County Court System, Missouri Poison Center and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Comtrea, SSM Health, PreventEd, Nurses for Newborns, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and HEAL: Stop Heroin Inc.
The event also will include a display known as ‘Hidden in Plain Sight,’ which shows parents where teenagers hide drug-related items. The Addiction Is Real organization will set up the display.
“They basically have a bedroom they bring out here, everything a teenager would have in their bedroom, including a bed, closet, dresser, nightstands,” Selvaggio said. “They set this room up and will show parents 70 to 80 different places where teenagers hide contraband.”
At 6:30 p.m., the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will hold a presentation named ‘One Pill Can Kill,’ which describes the dangers of fentanyl, Selvaggio said.
He said MADD representatives likely will speak about the dangers associated with alcohol abuse.
Parents may again visit the resource tables at 7:30 p.m., and the event will close somewhere between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., Selvaggio said.
“If some parent needs to stay there until 10:30 or 11 o’clock, I will stay there with them to make sure they get what they need,” he added.
About 24 parents attended the event last year, and Selvaggio said he hopes to see an increase in attendance this year.
“We have actually been having difficulty getting parents to these events,” Selvaggio said.
He said he understands it may be difficult for parents to discuss teen drug and alcohol abuse and admit that their child may have a problem with substance abuse, so opportunities for private talks will be available.
“We will have several private rooms available for parents,” Selvaggio said. “If they find a resource that fits their particular needs, they can go to one of these rooms and talk to one of these people ... and try to get some advice.”
Selvaggio urges people, regardless of where they live, to attend the event.
“I don’t care where the parents are from. They don’t have to be from Byrnes Mill or northern Jefferson County,” Selvaggio said. “It is open to every parent out there.”
He asks that parents refrain from bringing teens to this event, as a goal of the evening is to allow parents an opportunity to speak freely and ask questions without the influence of their children. Selvaggio said teen drug use is a problem, although he didn’t know if it is on the rise in the area. “(Teen alcohol abuse) is a topic that touches a lot of families here,” he said.
Selvaggio also noted that the drugs available now are more and more dangerous than in years past.
He said that while there is no charge to attend the seminar, donations will be accepted to help offset the cost of the event.
Selvaggio said it costs $2,000 to bring the ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ display to the event, and organizers are looking for grants or other funding to cover those costs.
“If (the public) would like to make a donation to help make this a success, they can contact myself or pastor Dave Stain at Spring Hills Church,” Selvaggio said. “To me, the most important thing is to get the word out.”
Selvaggio said people or organizations interested in setting up a resource table at the event may contact him or administrative assistant Julie Davis at the Byrnes Mill Police Department. For more information, visit the Byrnes Mill Facebook page.