Supervisor Daniel J. Panico has announced a new initiative aimed at preventing substance abuse among the youth in Brookhaven. The Brookhaven Town Department of General Services Youth Bureau Division is collaborating with the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (LICADD) to present a workshop titled “Mindfulness Matters: A Preventive Approach to Youth Substance Abuse.”
“The purpose of this workshop is to prevent substance abuse in Brookhaven’s youth by providing tools that could be used to help manage stress and anxiety, rather than turning to drug and alcohol experimentation,” Supervisor Panico stated.
The workshop is funded by the Suffolk County Opioid Settlement Grant and will be led by LICADD Executive Director Steve Chassman. It targets individuals interested in youth mental health and substance abuse prevention, offering 2.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for mental health professionals, pending approval.
Participants will learn mindfulness techniques designed to enhance awareness of thoughts and feelings, manage stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, build emotional resilience, tolerate discomfort without substances, and increase self-compassion and non-judgmental acceptance.
Scheduled for July 22, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the program will be accessible both virtually via Zoom and in person at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville. A light breakfast will be provided. Due to limited space, registration is required through https://forms.office.com/r/cGYSNpbM3m or by contacting the Brookhaven Youth Bureau at 631-451-8011.
