Plainfield District 202 Parent Group to Discuss Vaping, Marijuana and Opioids

The Plainfield Parent Community Network will help parents learn about three of the most controversial topics of the past several years — vaping, marijuana and opioids — at its first program for the 2019-20 school year on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

“Vaping, Marijuana and Opioids – What Do You Know?” will be presented in the Plainfield East High School auditorium, 12001 Naperville Road, Plainfield.

Speaker presentations will start at 6 p.m. Community resources will be available at 5 p.m. including the “Hidden in Plain Sight” trailer, which shows parents where alcohol and drugs can be hidden in plain sight in a typical teen bedroom.

This free event is open to the community. It is specifically intended for parents, caregivers, family members, teachers, school staff and administrators, social workers, nurses, psychologists and counselors.

The program will feature Dr. Kathleen Burke, director of substance use initiatives in Will County. She manages the Illinois Drug Overdose Prevention Project in Will County which trains law enforcement and community members to prevent overdose deaths.

Burke has also helped advance several programs to fight the opioid epidemic through her work with several other organizations.

Dr. Aaron Weiner will also share insights about the nature and treatment of addiction, helping medical teams provide compassionate and competent care and empowering patients to be informed consumers.

Weiner is Director of Addiction Services for Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. He is a clinical psychologist and is on the Science Advisory Board for Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

District 202 social workers, special education administrators and counselors formed the PPCN in fall 2016 to support parents with common parenting needs. A committee comprising district administrators, principals, counselors and community members oversees the PPCN.