Brought to you by Ventura County Responds and Ventura County Behavioral Health.

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE

Child-resistant doesn’t mean child-proof. Secure your prescription and over-the-counter medications, including medical cannabis, out-of-reach from young children as well as teens. Child-resistant packaging helps but is no guarantee of safety.

• Properly dispose of expired and unused...

Brought to you by Ventura County Responds and Ventura County Behavioral Health.

SAFE AND SECURE RX DRUG DISPOSAL

Ventura County is actively engaged and committed to preventing prescription drug misuse and abuse. One of the ways the County works to address the issue locally is by reducing access, especially to teens. The VCSO, in collaboration with Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH),...

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, here are some tips on how to support people you may know who deal with mental illness. 

It can be challenging to know what to say to someone who is struggling with mental illness. Whether it’s a chronic issue that is temporarily worsened, or a new challenge that’s just emerged, many people ask “what should I say?” or...

As part of the Department of Ventura County Healthcare Agency, Ventura County Behavioral Health has created new online resources for teens, parents, families, and individuals within Ventura County who might be struggling with addiction, underage and binge drinking, prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse, cannabis use, mental health issues, and suicide prevention. Their website, Ventura...

This post was written by CSUCI student Paige Egizi.

The first time I had a panic attack, I was in junior high. I got a bad grade on a test and I did not want my parents to find out. The idea of them finding out about my grade, the fact I got that grade, and all the other things I was dealing with had caught up to me. I was in my room with my dad and I could not stop crying, my chest felt tight,...

While at home together, take time to talk with your children about healthy choices. Now that children are back in school it is even more important to start the conversations. Here are some tips for talking with your kids about vaping, drugs and alcohol:

• Remember: Parents are the #1 reason that kids choose not to use drugs.

• Start young and make talking about it a regular habit.

• Find the...

The DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021. Rx Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription...

You deserve to be happy and live a long life full of good moments.

Written by a Ventura County high school student.

Have I ever tried to kill myself? Yes, twice. Both times were unsuccessful.

Life was hard and I was done. I had many internal problems and demons that I wanted to get rid of. Slitting my lower stomach seemed like the best option for me, but it didn’t work. I guess I did not...