Free Classes for Parents/Guardians & Grandparents

Free Classes for Parents/Guardians & Grandparents

Spring 2024 REGISTRATION IS OPEN: Raising preteens and teens is tough. Wouldn’t it be great if adults could take a class that taught us how to help our kids avoid risky behaviors, all while learning how to say NO to drugs and alcohol? There is! Guiding Good Choices® is an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that…

Giving Tuesday 2023

Giving Tuesday 2023

How it all began: In 1995, a group of dedicated staff members from a local high school came together to address the challenges of youth drug and alcohol use in their community. This initial effort quickly expanded to encompass multiple schools. By 2004, recognizing the growing demands, the nonprofit organization HC DrugFree was established to comprehensively…

HC DrugFree Executive Director Completes Training Program

HC DrugFree Executive Director Completes Training Program

In November 2023, HC DrugFree Executive Director Joan Webb Scornaienchi completed the Standards for Excellence Institute® Licensed Consultants Training Program allowing her to provide training, consulting, and support on the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. Ms. Scornaienchi has the expertise and ability to guide a nonprofit in governance…

Free Life Skills Classes

Free Life Skills Classes

More information about future Life Skills and other classes and events will be shared in our newsletter. FREE and back by popular demand!!! Life Skills Training for Grades 6-9 (or slightly younger or older) The 8 FREE online sessions will be offered January 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27, and March 5, 2024 from…

DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Day Removes Almost 600,000 Pounds of Unneeded Prescription Medications Across the Country

DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Day Removes Almost 600,000 Pounds of Unneeded Prescription Medications Across the Country

HC DrugFree is proud to partner with the DEA and the Howard County Police Department for our twice a year medication and sharps collection event. On October 28, 2023 we collected 1,223.5 lbs. of medication at the HC DrugFree site in the Wilde Lake Village Center. Below is an excerpt of the press release from…

HC DrugFree Collects Medication and Sharps in Disposal Event

HC DrugFree Collects Medication and Sharps in Disposal Event

HC DrugFree collected more than half a ton of medication and sharps on Saturday. The organization that aims to give Howard Country residents resources to prevent, treat, and recover from substance use and behavioral health disorders, collected 43 bins of medication and 24 bins of sharps over four hours at its collection event on Saturday.…

HC DrugFree Partners with HCPD and DEA on National Drug Take Back Day

HC DrugFree Partners with HCPD and DEA on National Drug Take Back Day

The Howard County Police Department announced that 1,278 pounds of unwanted medication and sharps were collected during #DrugTakeBackDay. The collection took place at the Wilde Lake Village Center and various drop boxes throughout the county. In collaboration with HC DrugFree and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the police hosted the event as part of a…

Vaporized Youth: Navigating the Effects of Teen Vaping – Town Hall Replay

Vaporized Youth: Navigating the Effects of Teen Vaping – Town Hall Replay

In case you missed it! We have made the Zoom replay available for HC DrugFree’s recent Town Hall, Vaporized Youth: Navigating the Effects of Youth Vaping. DID YOU KNOW…?• Nearly 40% of high school students will try vaping• More 8th-10th graders vape than drink or use cannabis• Despite being promoted as a healthier alternative to…

National Take Back Day Results for April 2023

National Take Back Day Results for April 2023

HC DrugFree is proud to partner with the DEA and the Howard County Police Department for our twice a year medication and sharps collection event. On April 22, 2023 we collected 1,234 lbs. of medication at the HC DrugFree site in the Wilde Lake Village Center. Below is an excerpt of the press release from…

HoCo Student Film Festival 2023

HoCo Student Film Festival 2023

The 2023 HoCo Student Film Festival was held at the Miller Library in Ellicott City at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 5, 2023. Congratulations to Alyssa Collins from Centennial High School for winning the HC DrugFree Category at the HoCo Student Film Festival on Friday, May 6 with her film Don’t Do Drugs, Live for Hugs, featuring the…