MILFORD — Statewide efforts to curtail substance abuse among youth and teens, as well as programs to reduce overdoses amid the opioid crisis, were highlighted during a press briefing Friday.

Lt. Gov Bethany Hall-Long was joined by Secretaries Molly Magarik of the Department of Health and Social Services; Josette Manning of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families; and Dr. Mark Holodick of the Department of Education, plus several stakeholders, for the discussion at the Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club.

Hosted quarterly by the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, the briefings provide information regarding Delaware’s ongoing response to the opioid emergency.

“We know that young people’s brains are still developing well into their early 20s, and education alone is not enough during years when impulse control is still developing. So providing meaningful activities for teens is crucial,” Ms. Magarik said. “The more we can build social safety nets around our teens, where they connect with caring adults and learn positive skills, the more we lower the risk of teens turning to unhealthy behaviors.”

According to survey data presented by Dr. Rochelle Brittingham, associate scientist for the Center for Drug & Health Studies at the University of Delaware, 56% of high schoolers think using prescription drugs without a prescription poses a great risk, 37% believe it poses slight risk, and 7% believe it poses no risk.

And, while U.S. middle school and high school youth reported using fewer illicit drugs in 2020, there was a 94% increase in overdose deaths from 2019-20 among this age group and a 20% increase the following year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics.

Further, Ms. Manning noted CDC numbers showing that median monthly overdose deaths among ages 10-19 increased 109% from 2019-21.

“The data is shocking,” she added. “We must take action to help our children. The best way for parents to safeguard their children is to educate themselves and to talk openly with their children about drugs and alcohol, long before they start experimenting with it.”

Despite reporting less illicit drug use among this population overall, the centers named increased potency as a major contributing factor in the rise in overdose deaths. Approximately 90% of such fatalities involved opioids, and 83.9% involved illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

In addition, Tom Morrison, family services program administrator with the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services, advised parents to safely secure and dispose of medications, and to carry naloxone and receive training on when and how to use it if there are opioids or opioid users in their children’s lives.

During the briefing, several initiatives were highlighted, including the Division of Public Health’s #MyReasonWhyDE social media campaign to encourage youth to remain drug-free, as well as the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health’s Talk 2 Kids About Drugs toolkit to inform parents, caregivers and educators about substance use and addiction risk among teens. Available at helpisherede.com, the kit contains resources such as fact sheets, educational materials and social media messaging.