Central MetroWest Substance Awareness & Prevention Collaborative

10/19/2026

Join us for this helpful conversation! https://ppal.net/events/caregiver-support-group-2024-05-02-2024-11-07-2/

10/14/2026

🌿 “Weed is natural. How can it be bad for you?”

It’s a fair question, and one parents and caregivers might hear from their teens.

Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s harmless. 🧠 Cannabis can affect the developing brain, and the risks for teens are different from those for adults.

💬 You don’t need to have all the answers to have a meaningful conversation. Ask questions, listen without judgment, and use moments like these to keep the conversation going.

Small conversations today can make a big difference tomorrow. 💚💙

Talk Early. Talk Often.

🔗 Learn more at www.cmsapc.org

PreventionStartsWithConversation HealthyChoices

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

“Weed’s legal now. What’s the big deal?”

It’s a fair question, and one a lot of teens may have.
Legal for adults does not mean risk-free for teens. The adolescent brain is still developing, and cannabis use during these years can have different effects than it does for adults.

The goal isn’t to lecture. It’s to give parents and caregivers a simple way to start the conversation, answer questions honestly, and keep talking as their teen gets older.

💬 Ask what they’ve heard.
👂 Listen before jumping in.
📚 Share accurate information.
🔁 Keep the conversation going.

Talk early. Talk often.

Learn more at www.cmsapc.org

YouthHealth PreventionWorks

09/30/2026

📣 Parents & Caregivers: We want to hear from YOU!

The 2026 CMSAPC Parent/Caregiver Attitudes on Youth Substance Use Survey is now open, and your thoughts, experiences, and ideas can directly help shape prevention programming for the young people you care about.

As parents and caregivers, you have an important perspective on the challenges youth are facing, the conversations happening at home, and the kinds of information and support families actually need. Your feedback helps us make sure our programs and messaging reflect the real experiences of our communities.

This year’s survey is shorter than in previous years and there is one regional survey for all CMSAPC communities.

✅ Take the survey here:
https://trendline.questionpro.com/CMSAPC2026

Please consider taking a few minutes to participate and sharing the survey with other parents and caregivers. The more voices we hear from, the better we can understand what families need and use that information to guide future youth prevention efforts across our region.

Thank you for helping us make sure parent and caregiver voices are part of the conversation. 💬

09/23/2026

💬 “Everybody at school does it! Why can’t I?”

We’ve all heard the classic response:

“Well, if everyone was jumping off a cliff, would you jump too?” 🙄

It might be a classic, but let’s retire that one.
Responses like this can come across as dismissive and can insult the intelligence of our teens. More importantly, they can shut down a conversation when what we really want is to keep our teens talking to us.

Welcome to our new Talk Early. Talk Often. Q+A with Your Teen series, where we’ll take real questions and comments parents may hear and offer another way to respond.

Instead of the cliff:
💚 “It might feel like everyone is doing it, but most teens actually aren’t. What matters most to me is helping you make choices that are healthy and safe for you.”

You don’t need a clever comeback. Listen to what your teen is actually saying, respect their ability to think for themselves, and keep the conversation going.

🗣️ Talk Early. Talk Often.
🔗 cmsapc.org

ParentResources PreventionWorks MetroWestMA

09/16/2026

IN FOCUS: Fall for Wellness is September 27th. Among many incredible things happening, attendees will have a chance to attend a 20 minutes Narcan training, provided by the Greater Boroughs Partnership for Health. It could literally save someone's life. Check it out and everything that is happening at westboroughconnects.org.

09/16/2026

Did you miss our "Talk Early. Talk Often." kickoff webinar? It’s worth another watch! 🎥

As we approach the one-year anniversary of "Talk Early. Talk Often.", we’re looking back at the conversation that helped launch the campaign.

Pediatrician Dr. Safdar Medina and youth speaker Shea Finnegan joined us to talk about youth cannabis use from two important perspectives, providing parents and caregivers with information, insight, and practical ways to start these conversations at home.

One of the biggest messages from our campaign remains the same: you don’t need to have all the answers to start the conversation.

▶️ Watch the full webinar below, and feel free to share it with another parent or caregiver who could benefit.

💬 Talk Early. Talk Often.