A Family Guide To Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free

family with happy child

Welcome to this public education Web site, developed to support the efforts of parents and other caring adults to promote mental health and prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs among 7- to 18-year-olds.

Media Literacy In Your Family

Each week of November, the Family Guide Web site will feature articles and resources about media literacy. Be sure to visit the series, Media Literacy In Your Family.

Teachable Media Moments
How many times have you walked into a room just in time to hear an underage TV character make a comment about drinking beer? How many times have you changed the channel when a character joked about “smoking a joint” or having a “one-night stand”? Television, music, and advertisements flood children with messages that may go against what that they have heard at home and school. Some messages teach kids that alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs are dangerous; other messages make drugs and alcohol look cool.

What Is Media Literacy?
Most media messages are constructed with a purpose. Media literacy can help youth understand messages— actual or “between the lines”—heard in music lyrics, promoted on clothing and jewelry, shown in ads, and portrayed on TV or in movies. This helps youth learn to see and resist messages that promote using alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.