The Blaine County Public Health Department will host Tough Topics: Talking to Your Teen. The one night program is the second in the Family Education Series the local health department has been hosting. Jana McPherson-Hauer, RN, Health Supervisor for the county public health department, said the evening program will provide tips to parents for talking about several topics of interest and importance to teens.

There are four topics that will be covered during the program. Nurse McPherson-Hauer will be talking about reproductive health and sexual issues faced by teens. Jay Schuschke, Tobacco Prevention Specialist for Hill and Blaine Counties, and Amber Huestis, Program Assistant with Blaine County Public Health, will be presenting about vaping and tobacco. Originally promoted as a health alternative to smoking cigarettes, vaping has recently come under fire as posing a number of serious health risks, especially to teens.

Mark Weber, a Program Assistant with county public health, will present information about illegal drugs. The former police chief in Chinook, Weber saw the effects of illegal drugs and can discuss some of the legal consequences as well as health effects of illegal drug use by teens. Frank Billmayer, Blaine County Undersheriff, will cover legal issues related to teens and alcohol. For parents he will be covering concerns related to social hosting (Serving alcohol to teens in a family home, “so we know where the kids are.”) His presentation will also deal with Minors in Possession (MIP) of alcohol and some of the legal consequences.

Tough Topics: Talking to Your Teen will meet the evening of Thursday, April 12 at 6pm. The class will be held in the meeting room adjacent to the Blaine County Library in Chinook. For more details or to reserve a space in the class, call the Blaine County Public Health Department at 357-2345.