By City Manager Ken Striplin
Every parent wants to have the information they need to keep their children safe. When it comes to fentanyl and other drugs, that starts with understanding the risks and being willing to have tough conversations.
For some families, that message comes from an experience no parent should have to endure.
This year, our Parenting for Prevention campaign is sharing the voices of parents who have lost children to fentanyl. Through our new short video series, “A Parent’s Story,” parents talk about their children, the warning signs they wish they had known and what they want other families to understand.
I am grateful to every parent willing to share such a personal part of their life with our community. Their stories remind us that behind every statistic is a child, a family and a reason to pay attention.
From 2020 to 2024, 75 percent of overdose deaths among young people ages 10 to 19 involved fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl may be unknowingly consumed through counterfeit pills and other substances.
We cannot assume young people already know the risks. Parents and caregivers need to ask questions, listen and make sure their children know they can come to them when they need help. Parenting for Prevention is designed to help families start those conversations.
This year’s campaign also includes our Drug Emojis series, which helps parents recognize emojis, slang and other digital language that may be used to communicate about drugs. We will also host two Parenting for Prevention parent meetings where families can speak directly with experts, ask questions and learn about prevention, intervention, treatment and available resources. Dates and additional details will be announced soon.
We understand how busy families are, which is why we are working to make this information easy to access. Throughout the campaign, we will share short videos, educational content and practical resources through @DFYinSCV on Instagram and Facebook.
The City, along with local partners, is also launching a new educational social media campaign to engage youth about the dangers of fentanyl. Through a series of trivia questions and a virtual scavenger hunt, teens can learn critical information while also having a chance to win amazing prizes, like passes to Six Flags Magic Mountain and laptops. Stay tuned to the City’s social media for more information.
Talk to your children about fentanyl and the risks associated with drugs. Ask what they know. Listen to what they have to say. Even if the conversation feels uncomfortable, have it anyway.
Start the conversation. It could save a life.
For more information about Parenting for Prevention, visit SantaClarita.gov/Parents and follow @DFYinSCV on Instagram and Facebook.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
