Special Presentation ‘Substance Abuse…Keeping Our Children and Grandchildren Safe’ To Be Held Oct. 26

COURT HOUSE – Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County Family and Community Health Sciences’ (FCHS) Program is hosting a special presentation entitled, “Substance Abuse…Keeping Our Children and Grandchildren Safe.” There will be two free sessions of this presentation offered on Thurs., Oct. 26, 2017 at the Cape May County Technical High School in the Multi Activity Center. The first program will take place from Noon to 2 p.m. with doors opening at 11:30 a.m. and an evening session from 6 to 8 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The school is located at 188 Crest Haven Road, Cape May Court House New Jersey 08210 (Exit 11 off the Garden State Parkway).
Both programs are open to the public, however, they are geared to adults 55 and older. Each session will provide important information for parents, grandparents and other caretakers raising children today including current drug and behavioral trends and what you need to know, the damaging impact of substance abuse on families and suggestions on identifying and addressing drug and alcohol issues. Additionally, the following organizations will be on hand to provide information on substance abuse, resources, and support in Cape May County: The CMC Prosecutor’s Office, Cape Assist, Cape Counseling, Cape Addiction Recovery Services, New Jersey Connect For Recovery, Parent to Parent, the Division of Aging and Disability Services, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County.
The presenter will be renowned speaker John Kriger, President of Kriger Consulting, Inc. Kriger’s talk will focus on awareness rather than denial, current trends, and provide information and resources for attendees. As the President of Kriger Consulting, Inc., he specializes in the health services arena. Kriger holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Human Services, a Masters of Science Degree in Management and is a New Jersey Licensed Clinical Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor, and a Nationally Certified Prevention Specialist.
According to reports from the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, so far this year, there have been more than double the number of overdoses of all of 2016 and twenty-four people have died from heroin this year including a 13-year-old boy.
Frequently, the people who spend the most time around the addict are friends, family and co-workers – these are the people who are likely to be most impacted by drug addiction or alcoholism. “The impact of addiction and alcoholism touches not only the individual but those around him/her, especially family,” said Marilou Rochford, Associate Professor, Rutgers University and FCHS Educator in Cape May County. Rochford added, “We created the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program in Cape May County, nearly 20 years ago, to help this unique group – who in many instances have stepped in because of a parent’s drug and/or alcohol abuse and, unfortunately, I have seen first-hand how families, especially children are impacted.”
Rochford concluded, “Each addict’s situation is different, so there is no one formula to recovery. It’s a family disease and recovery is often helped by family support. With this program, we hope to continue the conversation that is taking place in our community and provide information and insight to educate our seniors and other caretakers.”
A lite meal and refreshments will be served at both sessions! Reservations are requested but not required. For more information or to register for either session, please call (609) 465-5115, ext. 3609 or email marian.courtney@co.cape-may.nj.us.
Funding for these programs is being provided by the Cape May County Division of Aging and Disability Services. Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s education programs are offered to all without regard to race, religion, color, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability.