Empower Parents

The Minnesota Department of Education (1992) identifies the following strategies to empower parents and involve them in prevention efforts:

• "Help parents develop a commitment to play a primary prevention role with their children.

• Teach parents how to establish rules, standards, and effective discipline regarding chemical use.

• Teach parents how to support, nurture, and affirm children." (p. 13)

"The importance of involving parents in the prevention of alcohol and other drug use problems is strongly supported by prevention research. The good news is that most schools try to influence the commitment and skills of parents. The reality, however, is that it is extremely difficult to involve parents. Of all the strategies surveyed in this study, these three are clearly the most problematic and the most in need of innovative approaches." (p. 33)