Justice and Public Safety Cabinet
ODCP joins national Partnership in announcing toll-free helpline for parents of kids who are using drugs, drinking

FRANKFORT, Ky– The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy and the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse, in affiliation with The Partnership at Drugfree.org, today announced a new bilingual (English/Spanish) toll-free telephone helpline, dedicated to helping parents and families speak to a qualified social worker about their child’s drug use or drinking.

“Many parents struggle to find a clear path to intervention and treatment information, often resulting in a frustrating search to get effective help for their child,” said Van Ingram, executive director of ODCP.  “The new helpline aims to fill that void and will provide useful information, when families who are facing a child’s addiction need it most.”

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline – 1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373) – is staffed by social workers with practical experience in substance abuse intervention and treatment. These specialists offer advice to help parents plan a course of action for teens who are struggling with substance abuse and, if appropriate, supply a short list of resources or treatment facilities in their area.

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline is not a 24-hour crisis hotline; the line will be staffed Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 6 pm EST.

For parents who seek online support, The Partnership has just redesigned Time To Get Help, an online community that provides parents of teens and young adults with potentially lifesaving information when families are in crisis and facing a child’s addiction.

The site also now includes customized tools such as comprehensive e-books on intervention and treatment, along with downloadable worksheets and checklists to fit the individual needs of families who are at different stages in the process of getting help for their loved ones.

To learn more, visit http://timetogethelp.drugfree.org.