The Courage to Speak Foundation

Schedule: https://tinyurl.com/2nscxwpd
Blog: https://tinyurl.com/f3x5rxzw
The Book: https://tinyurl.com/mtwzb6f6
More Info: https://tinyurl.com/yck9fed2

The Courage to Speak® Foundation is a Connecticut-based nonprofit organization with a national reach. We provide presentations, school based curricula, and parent programs that have been scientifically evaluated by Yale University School of Medicine. Our book and other proven drug prevention resources help break the silence and denial that enable drug use and give students, parents, teachers, schools and communities tools and information to keep our children safe. All Courage to Speak programs empower children to make healthy decisions and encourage parents to communicate openly and honestly with their children about the dangers of drugs. The organization was founded in 1996 by Ginger and Larry Katz and is devoted to fulfilling a promise Ginger made to her son Ian, who died when he was just 20 years old of an accidental drug overdose – to do everything in her power to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family. The heart of the work is the nationally renowned Courage to Speak Presentation, which provides a first hand understanding of drug use and its impact on families. This real life story with its prevention message has been delivered in over 1000 presentations to hundreds of thousands of people across the country including students, parents, teachers, colleges, law enforcement, civic groups, social workers, clergy and state and national conferences. Among the more notable are National Association of Secondary School Principals, Keynote at National Narcotic Officers Association, Keynote at Connecticut PTA 105th Convention and the CADCA National Youth Conference. The Courage to Speak Foundation worked alongside teams of experts in the drug prevention field to develop the following core programs and services:

1. Drug prevention programs include an 9-lesson Elementary School Curriculum (Grades 4-6); a 16-lesson Middle School Curriculum (Grades 7-8); a 14-lesson High School Curriculum; and an After-School Curriculum (4-8); More info: https://tinyurl.com/2p9bs79v

2. Courage to Speak Presentation for parents and youth and Courage to Speak -Courageous Parenting 101® a single-session course offered in both English and Spanish. This course is called Courage to Speak - Courageous Parenting 101® “Protecting Youth Through the Opioid Crisis and Beyond” ™ as a single session program which covers additional topics specifically related to the Opioid Crisis affecting our nation. More info: https://tinyurl.com/2b6b4fr4

3. The newest development of the Courage to Speak is an Online Video Module for parents interested in accessing drug prevention knowledge and tools from anywhere, at any time, free to parents. To view: https://tinyurl.com/2p9xrnzp

Our drug prevention book is called Sunny's Story, written by Ginger Katz, Founder of the Courage to Speak Foundation. The book is for all ages and used in hundreds of schools across the country. The book is told from the perspective of the family beagle. To Purchase the book go to https://tinyurl.com/mtwzb6f6

The Courage to Speak® Drug Prevention Programs provide a three tier approach to drug prevention by incorporating home, school, and community programs™ and delivers social-emotional skill building lessons to increase youth’s ability to live healthy lives and empowers parents with skills to communicate effectively with their children about the dangers of drugs. More info: https://tinyurl.com/2p9bs79v

Launched in 2008, Courage to Speak - Courageous Parenting 101® is a free single-session course designed so that parents understand what their children are facing and to arm them with the knowledge and tools to keep their children safe. To date, 110 professional facilitators have been trained by the Courage to Speak Foundation to teach the course in English and Spanish in CT, NY, MA, MI and RI. More info: https://tinyurl.com/2b6b4fr4

Ms. Katz authored the book Sunny’s Story, a compelling message of empowering youth to be drug-free. Sunny’s Story is narrated through the eyes, ears and mind of Sunny, the family beagle, who tells the ups and downs of life with his young master Ian, beginning with their meeting at an animal shelter, and ending with a futile effort to ward off disaster. He tells a heart warming, but tragic story that makes readers, young and old, think twice about choices being made every day. To get your copy visit: https://tinyurl.com/mtwzb6f6

The Courage to Speak Foundation has formed alliances and collaborates with state and national organizations such as the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the US Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Mid-Fairfield Substance Abuse Coalition, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and other local and state groups. For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/23mtdsrb