Looking Glass New Roads Therapist Angela Day sits in the meeting space for the newly formed Youth Narcotics Anonymous group she convenes each Thursday at New Roads School from 1-2pm.
Looking Glass New Roads Program, which provides support and basis needs to homeless youth ages 16-21, has started offering a weekly Narcotics Anonymous meeting every Thursday from 1-2pm at New Roads School and hopes to create more awareness of this offering to any teen who has interest in attending. Anyone under the age of 21 can attend, no sign up needed. Angela Day, the on-site therapist at New Roads, runs the meetings, which started in February. Day said she is unaware of any such meetings being offered elsewhere in Lane County for youth but thinks the need is significant.
“It is likely that most youth I work with here is using one substance or another,” Day explained. “They use for a variety of reasons. It’s very accessible to these kids and for those experiencing trafficking, it can be a commodity.” Day said the drugs she hears about most are marijuana, meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.
Examples of the chips handed out at New Roads youth NA meetings
Day has 25 years in recovery herself. She also experienced significant loss with the fentanyl overdose of her son 2 years ago. She said that was one of the main reasons she wanted to start up this group. Her son was not a big drug user, just tried the wrong thing and fentanyl is so strong, that was it.
The reasons for youth addiction can also vary but include response to trauma, to avoid dealing with traumatic feelings or also to help with sleep or help stay awake while on the streets.
Day hopes to bring in guest speakers - if any community members are interested, please reach out to Angela (angela.day@lookingglass.us). In addition to guest speakers, the meetings follow a topic format, often using subjects from the 12-step meditation book called “Just for Today.” She utilizes sobriety chips, similar to other NA or AA groups including a welcome chip, 30-day sobriety chip and so forth.
Day also hopes to be able to receive donations of snacks or funds to help with snacks such as donuts or cookies or coffee. The meeting is “low barrier” meaning the attendees don’t have be clean to attend. If community members wish to donate snacks or funds to support this new meeting group, please contact Development Director Tyler Mack (tyler.mack@lookingglass.us) or donate directly on our website at https://lookingglass.us/donate and indicate “New Roads NA meeting support” in the “what compels you to donate today” area.
For any youth or parent with immediate questions or someone in crisis needing help now, please call our 24-hour Crisis line 541-689-3111. For anyone with questions for Angela Day or others at New Roads call 541-686-4310.
A page out of “Just for Today” the 12-step guide meditation book used at the New Roads NA meetings.