Health Department Reschedules NHS Get the 411: Parent Rally

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The Garrett County Health Department has rescheduled the Parent Rally that was canceled due to inclement weather. The new date is November 29^th at 6 pm in the Northern High School cafeteria. Lieutenant Michael Sigmund from the Maryland State Police (MSP), Joe Dugan from MSP Internet Crimes Against Children, and DFC Jenna Wilt, School Resource Officer from the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, will be briefing parents, guardians, and any other interested adults on the most common trends among our youth. If you have ever wondered what school-aged youth are hearing on the bus or in the hallways at school or on TikTok, plan to attend this informative session.

Staff from the Garrett County Health Department will be on hand to share visuals and hands-on information for attendees to become fully aware of potential drug threats youth could face. There will also be a mock teen bedroom for adults to browse through and look for the telltale signs that a teen might be experimenting with or regularly using drugs.

“Lt. Sigmund and Joe Dugan will be briefing parents on topics like sexting, vaping, and greening out,” said Kendra McLaughlin, Director of Health Education and Outreach at the Garrett County Health Department. “Keeping up with the latest information that our kids are hearing and seeing is difficult at best, so this is a chance to “get the 411” on local and national trends.”

The same format was presented at Southern High School in September and nearly 40 adults took advantage of the opportunity to ask pertinent questions of law enforcement and health department staff, as well as gather resources that could support parenting efforts.

Refreshments will be provided, and two lucky participants will win a family pack of tickets to the WVU vs. University of Alabama-Birmingham basketball game on December 10, 2022. The Parent Rally is free to the public with funding made possible by a STOP Underage Drinking grant from SAMHSA and a CARA Local Drug Crisis grant from the CDC.

For answers to questions about the event, contact the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730.

Cutline: Lt. Michael Sigmund from the Maryland State Police will be briefing attendees of the Health Department’s Get the 411 on Drugs: Parent Rally about the most common drug trends among youth.