The statistics are alarming.  According to a survey conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), 90 percent of Americans who meet the medical criteria for addiction started, smoking, drinking or using other drugs before age 18.

It’s time to stop talking about the statistics and start enacting solutions. That is why Our Young Addicts has partnered with Know the Truth, the prevention team for Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, to host a conference that addresses the underlying issues of youth substance use.

Our inaugural event takes place on Thursday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Minneapolis. It will feature panel discussions on early warning signs, intervention, collaboration and moving forward. Each panel will have a mix of professionals participate: medical, mental health, addiction, social workers, pharmacists, law enforcement, elected officials, educators and more. We anticipate an extraordinary dialogue focused on how we can work together – on prevention and treatment. It’s all about the solutions!

In the coming days and weeks, I’ll share more details about the panelists and our must-see keynote speaker.

All of YOU in the #OYACommunity have inspired this conference and I’m grateful that it’s coming together. Last year about this time, I set a goal of having a spring conference … and it’s happening!

Anything is possible, including recovery … and conferences.

Midwestern Mama