Growing Happy, Healthy Young Minds

Edited by Dr Ramesh Manocha & Gyongyi Horvath
To read the full chapter go to Volume 1, chapter 9, pp. 133-149.

Authors

Siobhan Lawler

Research Assistant and Social Media Manager for the Positive Choices initiative

Siobhan, Nicola, Katrina and Lexine are all affiliated with the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW in Sydney.
Siobhan Lawler has been Research Assistant and Social Media Manager for the Positive Choices initiative since 2015. It provides evidence-based drug education and prevention resources and training for school communities.

Website: www.ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Associate Professor Nicola Newton

Director of Prevention, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW

Associate Professor Nicola Newton is Director of Prevention. She leads a program of research
developing and evaluating innovative approaches to the prevention of substance use, mental health problems and risky health behaviours in adolescents.

Website: www.ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Dr Katrina Champion

NHMRC Early Career Fellow

Dr Katrina Champion is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow. She has been closely involved in the development, evaluation and translation of the Climate Schools substance use prevention programs.

Website: www.ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Dr Lexine Stapinski

Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW

Dr Lexine Stapinski is a Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist. She leads the Positive Choices project, a national initiative to improve dissemination of evidence-based drug prevention across Australia.

Website: www.ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

To prevent the short- and long-term harm that can be associated with early initiation to alcohol and other drug use, it is important to communicate with young people so they know the facts about these substances and how to stay safe. Equipping young people with up-to-date, evidence-based information and support empowers them to make informed decisions about drug and alcohol use.

Want to Learn More, Get Help or Find Support?

Watch: WEBINAR: Lesson planning with Positive Choices- How to engage your students with evidence-based drug education (57:37) [link to Vimeo]

Watch: WEBINAR: Drug and alcohol use among young people. What can parents and schools do to prevent the harms (51:22min) [link to Vimeo]

Watch: WEBINAR: Personality-targeted interventions to prevent substance use and mental ill health: The Preventure program (48:07min) [link to Vimeo]

Watch: How can teachers and parents respond to the challenge of ‘legal highs’: Evidence-based prevention for new and emerging drug (48:48min) [link to Vimeo]

Watch: Webinar: What can parents do to prevent teenage substance use?  (48:48min) [link to Vimeo]

There are currently no podcasts available. This page will be updated once new podcasts have been created.

Positive Choices: online portal providing easy access to evidence-based alcohol and other drug information and prevention resources for teachers, students and parents www.positivechoices.org.au 

Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use (CREMS): contributing to the effective prevention, treatment and epidemiology of comorbid mental health and substance use disorders www.comorbidity.edu.au 

National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre: A leading Australian drug and alcohol research institution www.ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

National Drug Research Institute: contributing to preventing drug-related harm in Australia and internationally www.ndri.curtin.edu.au

Kids Help Line: telephone, web and email counselling available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for children and young people www.kidshelpline.com.au
or phone: 1800 55 1800

Reach Out: providing information about drugs, where to seek help and how to help a friend www.au.reachout.com 

Headspace: information and counselling services relating to alcohol, drugs, education, employment and general or mental health for young people www.headspace.org.au 

Lifeline:  24-hour phone and online counselling service www.lifeline.org.au or phone: 13 11 14

National Drugs Campaign: an Australian Government website that provides information about illicit drugs and campaign resources www.australia.gov.au/drugs

Counselling Online: free online professional counselling service for people seeking help with their own drug use or the drug use of a family member, relative, or friend  www.counsellingonline.org.au

Australian Drug Information Network: directory for alcohol and other drug information services in Australia  www.adin.com.au

Drug Info: online information about alcohol and other drugs  www.druginfo.adf.org.au

Family Drug Support: 24 hour phone and online information and support for families of alcohol and other drug users www.fds.org.au or
phone: 1300 368 186

YoDAA: Victoria’s Youth Drug and Alcohol Advice Service www.yodaa.org.au or phone: 1800 458 685

Climate Schools www.climateschools.com.au

Positive Choices www.positivechoices.org.au

Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use www.comorbidity.edu.au

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre www.ndarc.med.edu.au

Newton, N, Rodriguez, D, Teesson, M, Black, E, Rainsford, C, Allsop, S, McBride, N, Swift, W, Bryant, Z, Kay-Lambkin, F, Chapman, C, Reda, B, Stapinski, L & Slade, T 2 014, Illegal drugs: What you need to know (Student version), NDARC, Sydney.
Newton, N, Rodriguez, et a 2014, Illegal drugs: What you need to know (Parent version), NDA RC , Sydney.
Newton, N et al 2014. Illegal drugs: What you need to know ( Teacher version), NDARC, Sydney.

Chapter References

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