FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 17 2022
Contact: Jon Ebelt, Public Information Officer, DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757, jebelt@mt.gov
New Tools, Resources Now Available on ParentingMontana.org
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Adam Meier announced today that new online resources have been added to ParentingMontana.org for parents or those in a parenting role.
The new resources include podcasts featuring parenting experts, guidance and information about teens and marijuana and other drug misuse, and more tools and resources covering vital topics such as stress and childhood trauma.
“Parents and those in a parenting role are the most important influence in a child’s life, and we know, for example, that youth who learn about the risks of drug use from their parents are less likely to use them,” Meier said.
The website empowers parents with tools, information, and examples of what to say in different parenting situations with their child.
Kimberly Koch of DPHHS’s Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Division said with recent changes to marijuana laws in Montana, the time is right for parents to be prepared to address these concerns with their children.
“It is never too early for parents to have meaningful conversations with their children about these important topics,” Koch said. “A healthy parent/child relationship begins in infancy and can be cultivated at all ages.”
DPHHS and the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University developed ParentingMontana.org to help parents strengthen their skills, while also building their children’s social and emotional skills.
Research shows the mental, emotional, and behavioral development of children directly impacts their academic and health-related outcomes in childhood and adulthood. ParentingMontana.org helps parents build the social and emotional skills that children need to bolster their mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Videos, audio files, posters, and distributable cards enhance and promote the wealth of tools and information available on the website.
In addition to tools for parents, ParentingMontana.org offers resources for community prevention coordinators to help spread the word and facilitate related conversations with parents. Additionally, resources for engaging teachers, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and other community liaisons are available in a coordinator toolkit.