PFO & Children of Addiction Awareness Week 2024

Edmond, OK -- Peaceful Family Oklahoma is spending this week raising awareness during International Children of Addiction Awareness Week. Peaceful Family Oklahoma, an affiliate organization of the National Association for Children of Addiction, is the only organization in the state of Oklahoma dedicated solely to providing programming for children who have a family member with a substance use disorder. PFO will be connecting with Oklahomans this week to break the stigma and shame that often keeps necessary conversations around substance use disorders from taking place, and wants to send the message that families experiencing the impact of addiction are not alone--there is hope.

Locally, for the third year, Governor Kevin Stitt has issued a proclamation that this second full week of February be used to spread awareness about substance use disorders and the children they impact. However, 2024 has brought us, for the first time, Oklahoma Children of Addiction Awareness Week, with a focus on the children in our state specifically.

"Whereas, an estimated 700,000 – 950,000 Oklahoma adults face substance use disorders, impacting one-in-four children amounting to nearly 250,000 Oklahoma youth, and

Whereas, the presence of addiction in a family affects children lifelong, especially amid a recent 67% increase in unintentional drug overdose deaths in Oklahoma; and

Whereas, the COVID-19 and opioid pandemics have left children especially vulnerable to the devastating consequences of substance use disorders in their families; and

Whereas, these children face the risk of struggling with addiction themselves, and educating all Oklahomans about the stigma, shame and science of addiction in families is crucial; and

Whereas, organizations working to help children impacted by addiction play a pivotal role in providing support systems and implementing targeted strategies to give children protective and compensatory experiences from the collateral damage of addiction; and

Whereas, short-term help and long-term resilience hinge on a concerted effort to break the cycle, emphsaizing the impact that timely intervention can have on the future of these young lives, and the future of our state;

Now therefore, I, Governor J. Kevin Stitt, do hereby proclaim  February 11th-17th, 2024, as "Oklahoma Children of Addiction Awareness Week" in the State of Oklahoma.

Additionally, Peaceful Family Oklahoma will be facilitating a Children of Addiction Panel at the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City on February 13, 2024. Participants include Lisa Reed, Peaceful Family Oklahoma; Isela Perez, OK Dept of Mental Health; Charles Gosset, moderator.

If you have a child in your life who has a family member with a substance use disorder or a drug or alcohol addiction, get started by answering a few simple questions to see if Peaceful Family Oklahoma is a good fit for your family today.

Our programs are completely free to participants and their families, thanks to our generous partners and donors. You can find out more about how to support the work of Peaceful Family Oklahoma on our website.

Finally, you can help spread the word about Children of Addiction Awareness Week by liking, commenting on, and sharing our posts on Facebook and Instagram, which will point families who have experienced a substance use disorder addiction to resources.