SPOKANE, Wash. – An event called “Hidden in Plain Sight” aims to get parents engaged in conversations about mental health and substance abuse with their children.
The event coincides with World Mental Health Day and features a teenager’s room to demonstrate how easily items can be concealed. Attendees, like Amanda Caplan, noted the effectiveness of the setup.
“I was really surprised at how well hidden some of the things were there something in a lightbulb. It was pretty surprising,” Caplan said.
The event primarily focuses on helping parents identify the warning signs of teenage drug and alcohol abuse. Keynote speaker Jennifer Dorset emphasized the mental health impact these substances can have on young people. Dorset also shared insights into why teens might turn to substance use.
“And so when we ask kids what’s going on here are the reasons they gave us that they use okay so to cope with life situations, that’s pretty general. Who’s great 100% of the time at coping with life situation raise your hand…yeah,” Dorset stated.
According to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, calls to 9-8-8 increased by 2,578 in August 2024 compared to the same month in 2023, highlighting the urgency of mental health conversations.
Dorset stressed the need for parents to maintain open lines of communication with their children.
“And so we have to make sure to have conversations, do emotional check-in. How’s your day what’s going on in your world all that kind of stuff because we don’t want kids to act on those kind of thoughts,” she said.
“Don’t be afraid to have a conversation don’t be afraid to start talking about things you know it’s okay to have just a couple of small conversations. It doesn’t have to be talking about everything all at once but being open and honest I think it is a really big first step,” Caplan added.
The interactive program “Hidden in Plain Sight” also educates parents on what items to watch for, including vapes and flasks, to better safeguard their children’s well-being.
