Catalyst

Informed Families Catalyst

Lock Your Meds Campaign: Publix Partnership Unveils a Safer Tomorrow

Posted by Informed Families on January 29, 2024 at 1:51 PM


Exciting News from Informed Families and Publix Pharmacy! We are thrilled to announce a dynamic collaboration that's set to make a monumental impact on prescription drug safety—the formidable partnership between Informed Families and Publix Pharmacy in support of the national Lock Your Meds campaign.

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Topics: prescription, prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, prescription drugs, prevention, lock your meds pledge

A Parent's Guide to Preventing Prescription Drug Misuse Among Youth

Posted by Informed Families on January 21, 2024 at 3:44 PM


At Informed Families, we're committed to helping Florida's children grow up safe, healthy, and drug-free. An area of growing concern is the misuse of prescription drugs among youth. As parents and guardians, you play a crucial role in preventing this issue. This guide offers practical advice and resources to help you safeguard your children against prescription drug misuse.

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Topics: prescription, prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, prescription drugs, prevention, lock your meds pledge

How Securing Your Medications Can Save Lives

Posted by Informed Families on January 15, 2024 at 9:12 PM


In our cozy homes, amidst the bustle of daily life, lies a hidden danger often overlooked: unsecured medications. While we diligently lock our doors and guard our online information, our medicine cabinets may not receive the same attention. Informed Families' Lock Your Meds Campaign shines a spotlight on this pressing issue.

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Topics: prescription, prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, prescription drugs, prevention, lock your meds pledge

Crafting Connections: 5 Easy Festive Holiday Activities

Posted by Informed Families on December 2, 2023 at 1:56 PM


Creating holiday crafts with kids is more than just a fun activity; it's an opportunity for family bonding, which is crucial for the healthy development of children and teens. At Informed Families, we understand the significance of family togetherness in reducing the risk of substance abuse among young people. Parental involvement is indeed the most potent weapon in preventing substance abuse among youth.

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Topics: holidays, lock your meds, family bonding, safe homes smart parties, alcohol use

Creating a Safe Home for the Holidays

Posted by Informed Families on November 11, 2023 at 8:17 PM


The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and connection. However, amidst the festive spirit, it's crucial to ensure our homes remain safe and welcoming for everyone. Drawing inspiration from Informed Families' "Safe Homes Smart Parties" campaign, this blog aims to provide you with practical tips to make your home a safer place during the holiday celebrations.

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Topics: holidays, lock your meds, safe homes smart parties, alcohol use

Lock Your Meds, Save a Life

Posted by Informed Families on January 28, 2022 at 6:00 AM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that:

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Topics: prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, lock your meds pledge, parents, safety

President's Message - April 2020

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on April 1, 2020 at 8:00 AM

Adapting to Change…who likes it? The Answer…no one!

Adapting to the shelter-in-place order forced on us during the COVID-19 crisis is showing some early adapters: the winners are colleges and schools making the switch from sitting in a classroom to having the classroom on your laptop. Hats off to you!

One of my college-age granddaughters sent me a text yesterday, but when I called her back (generational thing) she replied back via text: I’m in class can’t talk right now.

Many schools are requiring the students to show up for their online classes in their school uniforms or in the school’s dress code. Schools are getting on with business, the content is the same, but the delivery is different.

Informed Families was scheduled to be closed for Spring Break this past week, but we canceled it. Why? So we could get our Lock Your Meds curriculum online and ready to use when Miami-Dade County public schools reopened on March 30. Schools, teachers, parents and students rely on Informed Families to provide them the latest information, tips, and resources to keep kids safe, healthy & drug free.

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Topics: President's Message, education, Webinars, prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, teacher tools, lesson plan template, Peggy Sapp, social media, Covid-19

Miami-Dade Students Present on Drug Prevention Efforts in Their Schools and Communities

Posted by Informed Families on May 27, 2019 at 12:16 PM

“I learned how to handle peer pressure and say no to drugs.”

“I didn’t know people could die from alcohol poisoning.”

“I didn’t know how much of a problem prescription drug abuse was.”

“Many of our peers are dealing with drug issues themselves or have a family member with a problem.”

Student ambassadors in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Creating Community Change: Youth Engagement Program (CCC:YEP) program shared these messages and much more during their end of the year presentations at the Betty T. Ferguson Center in Miami Gardens on May 22, 23 and 24. 

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Topics: red ribbon week, ambassadors, prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, safe homes smart parties, middle school, peer pressure, drug free, drug prevention, parent peer group, miami gardens, miami

Prevention Awareness Key in Fight Against Opioids

Posted by Informed Families on April 26, 2019 at 9:15 AM

Informed Families President & CEO Peggy Sapp was invited to participate in a round table discussion about the opioid epidemic on Saturday, April 20. Organized by Congresswoman Donna Shalala, the panel was moderated by Rodrigo Lozano, LCSW, from the National Association of Social Workers and included John W. Newcomer, M.D., president and CEO of South Florida Behavioral Health Network in Miami, FL, Judge Victoria Sigler and Howard Rosen, Esq., head of narcotics in the State Attorney’s Office.

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Topics: lock your meds, prescription drugs, overdose, Peggy Sapp, drug prevention, drug use, opioids

President's Message - February 2019

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on February 26, 2019 at 1:11 PM

How We Pass Down Values To The Next Generation

From the moment our children are born, everything we do, every choice we make and every action we may or may not take communicates our values. Our kids are absorbing our every move, soaking up our interactions with them and with others.

We want them to learn right from wrong, how to be kind to others, how to recognize and manage their emotions and how to be honest, responsible and fair. Not only are our children more pleasant to be around when they learn these things, but they are more likely to be happy, perform well in school and become a productive members of society. 

The loss of our great supporter, friend and philanthropist Betty Chapman this past week is a great reminder that we have the ability to not only pass values down to our children and their children, but we can pass down values in a community. Betty’s dedication to her community will continue to influence others to give back to their communities for decades to come.

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Topics: President's Message, parenting, lock your meds, children, opioids, parents

About Us

We teach people how to say no to drugs and how to make healthy choices. To reduce the demand for drugs, Informed Families has focused its efforts on educating and mobilizing the community, parents and young people in order to change attitudes. In this way we counteract the pressures in society that condone and promote drug and alcohol use and abuse. The organization educates thousands of families annually about how to stay drug and alcohol free through networking and a variety of programs and services .

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