Fredericksburg Parent

18 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2021 The Rappahannock Area Commu- nity Services Board and Virgin- ia's Offi ce of Behavioral Health Wellness (OBHW) would like to get an idea of how community members view health and well- ness (including physical, mental, emotional, fi nancial, environ- mental, occupational, spiritual and social aspects). This survey is being administered by OMNI Institute, a Denver-based social science research company. The information gathered will be used to ensure Virginia's OBHW future health and wellness me- dia campaigns are reaching intended audiences and is as meaningful as possible. The sur- vey should take about 5 minutes to complete. To access survey: https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/YTDC7XY or scan the QR code below. Ask the Expert a sk t h e e x p e rt INTERVIEWED BY EMILY FREEHLING The Covid-19 pandemic has been a trauma c event in the lives of many children, cu ng them off from peers, schools and favorite ac vi es. The pandemic unrolled amid a parallel public health crisis of opioid abuse and overdose. This is an important moment to evaluate how you talk to your children and teenagers about drugs, alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. The Rappahannock Area Community Services Board partners with local law enforcement, healthcare and social services agencies to pro- vide training and informa on about substance abuse, safe drug disposal op ons and family strategies that can empower children to make good choices. TROUBLING TRENDS The Virginia Medical Examiner's offi ce is projec ng a 26% increase in fatal drug over- doses for 2020, compared to 2019. Experts believe pandemic isola on has played a signifi cant role in this increase. The Fredericksburg area (City ofFredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Staff ord, King George and Caroline coun es), reported 58 overdose fatali es from January to June of 2020, versus 38 for the same period of 2019. TALK TO YOUR KIDS THROUGHOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD Local pediatrician Anne Bradshaw, who is a member of area working groups that seek to address the drug crisis, said parents should open discussion with their children in elemen- tary school. Studies now show that drug use starts for some children in this age group. The idea is to prepare children for a me when drugs or other substances may be off ered to them—and this means taking a mul -faceted approach. "Knowledge is power," Bradshaw said. "Listening is key, and not just lecturing. Spending me with them helps you to have that open dialog with your child." RACSB Off ers Tips For Parents as Families Emerge From the Pandemic

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