loader image
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
81 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

Texans Make History with Passage of Proposition 14

In a landmark victory for public health and scientific innovation, Texas voters have overwhelmingly approved Proposition 14, authorizing a $3 billion investment to fund the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). This historic vote funds the largest state-funded initiative in the nation dedicated to dementia research and prevention.

Full Circle of Healing

The appointment of Roxanne Ramirez as Chair of the Hidalgo County Mental Health Coalition marks a defining chapter in her lifelong commitment to advocacy and service. “The appointment on behalf of Judge Richard Cortez to serve as the Chair for the Hidalgo County Mental Health Coalition is both humbling and deeply meaningful to me,” she said. “I have served in this position for one year, and I am honored to work alongside the coalition members as we continue to build on the strong foundation that my predecessor set.”

STHS & Prominence Health Hosting Joint Pain Educational Seminar for Seniors, Nov. 7th

Mega Doctor News It’s a fact of life: Aging causes “wear and tear” on the body’s musculoskeletal system, including natural deterioration of the cartilage and...

DHR Health’s 15th Annual International Behavioral Medicine Conference, Nov. 21-22

DHR Health will host its 15th Annual International Behavioral Medicine Conference on November 21 and 22, 2025, at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, located at 118 Paseo del Prado.
- Advertisement -
×