Guiding Good Choices

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The Guiding Good Choices program helps parents and caregivers build the skills and confidence needed to guide their children through the challenges of early adolescence. Offered through the Wilson Area LINCS Coalition for Families and Youth in partnership with Concern Behavioral Health, this evidence-based family training program equips parents with practical strategies to strengthen communication, set clear expectations, and reduce the risk of youth alcohol and drug use.

The program is designed specifically for families of intermediate school–aged youth, a critical developmental stage when young people begin facing increased peer pressure and exposure to risky behaviors.

Guiding Good Choices focuses on strengthening family relationships and giving parents and guardians tools that help young people make healthy decisions. During the program, families learn how to:

• Improve family communication and build stronger relationships
• Set clear expectations and consistent family rules
• Help youth develop skills to resist peer pressure
• Reduce the risk of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
• Support positive decision-making during the middle school years

Research shows that when families strengthen communication and establish clear expectations, young people are significantly less likely to engage in substance use and other risky behaviors.

The Guiding Good Choices program has been offered virtually to families of students at the Wilson Area Intermediate School. Over the past year, the program has successfully completed two semesters of virtual sessions, providing parents with flexible access to prevention education and family skill-building.

Due to strong participation and continued interest, the program is launching a third semester, allowing additional families to benefit from this important prevention resource.

Guiding Good Choices is part of the broader prevention work led by the LINCS Communities That Care initiative, which focuses on strengthening protective factors for youth and supporting families with evidence-based programs.

For more information about upcoming sessions or how to participate, please contact LINCS@wilsonareasd.org.