loader image
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
83.8 F
McAllen
- Advertisement -

Youth Prevention programs aim to “Shatter the Myths” surrounding drugs and alcohol during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®

Translate to Spanish or other 102 languages!

Mega Doctor News

- Advertisement -

Pharr, TX — Prevention Specialists from Behavioral Health Solutions have joined forces with local schools as part of “National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®” (NDAFW). The week-long health observance, organized by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), both part of the National Institutes of Health, takes place from January 22ndto the 27th. NDAFW celebrates the inquisitive minds of youth by giving them a space (virtual or physical) to ask questions about drugs and alcohol and to get answers from experts.

While drugs can put someone’s health and life in jeopardy, many youth are not aware of the risks. Even for those youth who do not abuse drugs, many have friends or family who do, and they are often looking for ways to help them.  

In Texas Health Region 11, which encompasses nearly all of South Texas, 70.4% of youth in substance use treatment programs were there for marijuana, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This number is in spite of the fact many youth don’t view marijuana as addictive, but the science says otherwise.

- Advertisement -

“We want youth to have the opportunity to learn what science has taught us about drug abuse, alcohol, and addiction,” said Violeta Davila, Director of Prevention Programs at Behavioral Health Solutions. “There are so many myths about drugs and alcohol cluttering our popular culture. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® is for everyone to get honest answers about drugs so they can make good, informed decisions for themselves and share accurate information with friends.”

The mission of Behavioral Health Solutions is to provide a multilevel approach inclusive of prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery to reduce substance abuse and related co-existing conditions in our communities, encourage healthier lifestyles related to at-risk public health behaviors, and promote stronger families. 

For more information about National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® or Behavioral Health Solutions, or to get more information on drug prevention presentations and activities, contact Irwin Mendoza, Director of Planning at imendoza@bhsst.org or (956) 787-7111, ext. 295. You can also join our efforts through our website at www.bhsst.org and social media at Facebook.com/bhsofsouthtexas, Twitter.com/bhsst, or Instagram.com/bhs_st.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

More Articles

No-Cost COVID-19 Testing Ends January 31st

The Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department announces that no-cost COVID-19 testing at the Hidalgo County Public Health Laboratory will conclude on January 31, 2026.

DHR Health Celebrates 100th ECMO Patient

Driven by its mission to heal even the most critically ill patients across the Rio Grande Valley, DHR Health recently provided extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to its 100th patient since the program’s inception in 2023. ECMO is medicine’s most sophisticated life support system that can save lives even when a ventilator and strong medications cannot.

Millions React Online as Health Insurance Costs Rise After ACA Subsidy Expiration

Millions of Americans are expressing anger, fear, and confusion on social media after learning that enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies expired at the end of 2025, leading to higher monthly health insurance costs in 2026. While the ACA itself remains in place, the loss of temporary financial assistance has changed what many people now pay for coverage.

South Texas Health System Welcomes Arrival of First Baby Of 2026

Weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 20 inches in length, Little Samuel arrived at The Maternity Center at South Texas Health System Edinburg at 6:38 a.m., making him the first newborn delivered at an STHS facility in 2026.
- Advertisement -
×