Why Parent & Caregiver Education Matters

Parents and caregivers play a critical role in keeping youth and families safe from prescription opioid misuse. Community data consistently shows that many young people who misuse prescription medications obtain them unintentionally from the home, often from family members or shared medicine cabinets.

Our Parent Education & Community Outreach strategy focuses on reducing social access to prescription medications by equipping parents and caregivers with practical tools, clear information, and easy-to-use resources that promote safer homes.

This work supports families across Bernalillo County and is grounded in evidence-based prevention practices.

What We Do

Through community outreach, events, and partnerships, we provide parents and caregivers with education and resources that focus on:

  • Safe storage of prescription medications

  • Safe and convenient disposal of unused medications

  • Reducing the sharing of prescription pain medications

  • Increasing awareness of the risks associated with prescription opioid misuse

Our approach is preventive, non-judgmental, and accessible, meeting families where they are in the community.

HOPE Toolkits

(Home Overdose Prevention Education)

A core component of our parent outreach is the distribution of HOPE Toolkits — practical, prevention-focused kits designed to help families take immediate action at home.

What’s Included in a HOPE Toolkit

Each toolkit may include:

  • Medication lockboxes to safely store prescription medications

  • Deterra disposal bags for at-home medication disposal

  • Naloxone (Narcan) kits to reverse opioid overdoses

  • Parent Guide Handbook focused on prescription opioid safety

These toolkits are distributed during community events, outreach activities, and through partner organizations to reduce barriers to medication safety.

Why HOPE Toolkits Matter

HOPE Toolkits:

  • Increase safe storage of medications in the home

  • Reduce accidental access by children and teens

  • Support parents with tangible tools, not just information

  • Help prevent overdoses and other medication-related harms

Parent Guide Handbook

In addition to toolkits, we developed a Parent Guide Handbook focused on raising awareness about prescription opioids and supporting parents in keeping their families safe.

What the Parent Guide Covers

The handbook includes easy-to-read, parent-friendly information on:

  • What prescription opioids are and how they work

  • Why sharing medications is dangerous

  • How to safely store prescription pain medications

  • How and where to dispose of unused medications

  • How to talk with youth about medication safety

Community Outreach in Action

Our prevention team conducts ongoing outreach across Bernalillo County, connecting with parents and caregivers at:

  • Community events and health fairs

  • School and family-focused events

  • Coalition and partner-hosted activities

  • Prevention and public health initiatives

Through this outreach, we:

  • Share prevention education

  • Distribute HOPE Toolkits and parent guides

  • Answer questions and provide trusted information

  • Increase awareness of medication safety resources

Partner With Us

We collaborate with schools, healthcare providers, community organizations, and coalitions to expand parent education efforts.

Partners Can:

  • Request HOPE Toolkits for events or programs

  • Distribute Parent Guide Handbooks

  • Host parent-focused education activities

  • Collaborate on community outreach efforts

Interested in partnering or requesting materials?
Contact our prevention team to learn more.