A Clergy Guide to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Problems has been developed to:

• Increase your awareness of the family consequences of addiction
• Enhance your support of the people in your faith community who are affected by addition
• Provide you with strategies to help prevent alcohol and drug use by youth in your community.

Learning how to support children who are impacted by drug addiction in their families can offer them an opportunity to live lives of hope and prevent them from developing alcohol and drug illness of their own. 

Learning effective prevention strategies you can implement in the community and your congregation is an important resource you as a spiritual leader can offer to the children and families you serve. Your role as a community leader can be instrumental in developing and maintaining healthy families.

This course will provide:

• Basic information on addiction
• Impact on children and families
• Facts about adolescent alcohol and drug use
• Prevention Strategies.

At the end of this course you will be able to print out a certificate indicating you have successfully completed 3 contact hours of education.

 

 

 

Course Map

1. Introduction
   1. Role of Faith Leaders
   2. Goal and Learning Objectives
   3. Core Competencies
2. Information on Addiction for Clergy
   1. Definitions of Alcoholism
   2. Definition of Drug Addiction
   3. Clarification of Terms
   4. Signs of Addiction
   5. Other Signs of Addiction
   6. Signs of Addiction within the Family
   7. Clergy Family-of-Origin Issues
   8. Ten Considerations for Clergy
3. Impact of Parental Addiction; Helpful Strategies
   1. What Science Tells Us
   2. Understanding the Impact
   3. "Dont' Talk" Rule
   4. Strategies for Clergy
   5. Providing Trusted Places
   6. Providing a Safe Haven During Holidays
   7. Listening and Building Trust
   8. One-on-One Support
   9. Youth Groups and Religious Education Programs
   10. Helpful Tips
   11. More Helpful Tips
4. Family and Congregational Strategies
   1. Exploring Family History
   2. Homilies
   3. 12-Step and other Mutual Support Groups
   4. Strategies for Adults to Use With COAs
   5. Knowing Local Resources
5. Facts About Adolescent Alcohol & Drug Use
   1. Overview
   2. Numbers Count
   3. Effects on the Mind
   4. Effects on the Body
   5. Effects on the Emotions
   6. Warning Signs
   7. Adolescent Treatment
6. Prevention Strategies
   1. Individual & Environmental Strategies
   2. Protective Factors
   3. Risk Factors
   4. Role of Religion in Prevention
   5. Role as a Faith Leader
   6. Taking Action
   7. Ways to Communicate
   8. Conversation Starters with Youth
   9. More Conversation Starters With Youth
   10. Resources
7. Tools for Children and Resources
   1. Handouts
   2. Resources