Mt. Kisco Partners in Prevention Launches Book Collection, Speaker Series This Saturday

June 4, 2015 Examiner Media Mount Kisco

Mount Kisco Partners in Prevention and the Mount Kisco Public Library are collaborating on a new program for parents and young people designed to bring them in contact with local authors and develop skills that can enhance their lives.

The program includes a new book collection donated by Mount Kisco Partners in Prevention for the use of the community, and a speaker series that will launch Saturday, June 6, at the library from 1:30 to 3 p.m. All area parents are invited to attend this free presentation.

The first speaker in the series will be Karen Milici Palmiero, author of “90 Ways to Keep Your Kids Drug Free—From Toddlers to Teens.” A licensed, experienced counselor to families and individuals affected by substance use, Palmiero is currently on the staff of Phoenix House, a well-regarded center for addiction treatment. She will offer parents perspective on how they can create distance between their children and drugs from their earliest days.

In addressing the issue of why kids may be attracted to drugs or alcohol, Palmiero puts great importance on parental attitudes and behavior, and offers cogent advice for those who want to raise a substance-free child into young adulthood. Just as compelling, she discusses the harm that a “not my kid” attitude can cause, and why every parent needs to be vigilant when it comes to drugs and underage drinking.

To hear her empowering message, you can reserve your seat at the main desk of the Mount Kisco Public Library or e-mail your name to miwan@wlsmail.org with the subject line “90 Ways.” The first 50 parents to register will receive a free copy of Palmiero’s book.

“The Prevention Collection” being donated to the library by Mount Kisco Partners in Prevention includes titles for young people and their parents and covers such topics as adolescent brain development and how it impacts behavior; stress reduction techniques; creating natural highs; recognizing and adjusting self-defeating habits; and maintaining self-esteem. Speaker topics will range from successful parenting to coping with substance experimentation to developing mindfulness skills.

Mount Kisco Partners in Prevention is a project of the Mount Kisco Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Council that brings together community resources from all sectors—government, education, faith-based, health care, youth-serving, business and social services—to work for the reduction of drug use among young people and the prevention of underage drinking. The coalition is currently in its third year of funding from the federal government as a Drug Free Community grant recipient.