By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
LARSO

The recent arrest of a man selling fentanyl in our town better be more than a wake-up call. That mixed with two consecutive years of deaths of young adults due to accidental overdose and experimentation has seemed like just another day. Now, we have Xylazine, look it up.

Recently, one of my former leadership students embarked on research using the New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency data available at www.youthrisk.org. We have some missing data, but does it matter? Do we know or even pay attention to it? The buzz word was that, “we need to get to the root causes,” and while that may be true, we need to do some things now.

In 2008, we as a community tried to unite behind the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. You can learn more at www.search-institute.org. The saying on their website is, “In your hands, youth development research can advance equity and help all young people thrive.” So, what can you do?

Here are a few short-term solutions:

• First, ask your kids if they have one non-family adult they would go to for help. Let them know you don’t need to know WHO, just that they have one. If you feel like you have to know who, you might be part of a bigger problem.
• Second, give your kids the crisis and warm line number for the New Mexico Crisis and Access lines. Sit with them and ask them to put them in their phones. Yes, you can use 988, but no matter what age, kid, adult or senior citizen you have a help line at your fingertips. I don’t need to be the one to tell you this community doesn’t like to admit they are in crisis, so a warm line may be an acceptable choice.

While I support medical cannabis for those who need some medical help, I was sad to see recreational cannabis pass. We unknowingly are demonstrating a lack of coping mechanisms, especially when vendors feel the need to package it like fun sweets for youth. I feel more serious accidents are just waiting to happen.

Spring starts Monday and many, many people young and old don’t find it a time of renewal and re-birth. They only see they are not succeeding, not feeling better or improving themselves. So, help friends and young people find something they can do on their own; reading, exercise, yoga, meditation or mindfulness, walking while listening to music. Help them think about their ONE.

It’s easier to be the cute one, the well liked one or the one surrounded by adults who like them, but what about the rest? If you’d like to know more about the 40 Developmental Assets email us at cya.org@att.net, on our website at www.cya-nm.org and find us on Facebook at Champions of Youth Ambitions or even text us your email address at 505.695.9139.

Talk to the young people in your life before it is too late.

C’YA is a registered 501-c-3 based in White Rock, New Mexico.

New Mexico Crisis and Access Line

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
1.855.NMCRISIS (1.855.662.7474)
TTY 1.855.227.5485
711 for relay (hearing & speech impaired)

New Mexico Peer-to-Peer Warmline

Call 7 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. or text 6-11 p.m. every day
1.855.4NM.7100 (1.855.466.7100)
711 for relay (hearing & speech impaired)