New Research Center to Help Parents with Kids' Substance Use

Philadelphia's Treatment Research Institute (TRI) is launching a new center designed to help parents address alcohol and drug use by their children, TRI announced in a Sept. 14 press release. 

The Parents Translational Research Center, funded with a five-year grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), will conduct research to aid parents and caregivers, and disseminate its findings by collaborating with the Partnership at DrugFree.org (formerly the Partnership for a Drug-Free America).

“Two million youth ages 12 to 17 meet diagnostic criteria for substance dependence or abuse and yet only 10% of them receive treatment,” said TRI, citing recent research. “The new Center reflects belief that a stronger continuum of care for adolescents is needed and that parents or other caretakers often can provide what's missing if properly equipped with science-based tools and services.”

The Center will focus on helping parents in three areas: preventing children from using drugs and alcohol; finding appropriate treatment when it's needed; and working with children who refuse to go to treatment. 

Kimberly C. Kirby, Ph.D., the director of the new Center, said that it will also “direct parents needing immediate help to already available tools and resources informed by the existing state of science.”