SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Emily’s Hope is working to help parents understand the dangers and warning signs of teenage addiction.

It’s something Emily’s Hope founder Angela Kennecke knows first hand and after losing her daughter to fentanyl poisoning in 2018.

She wants to makes sure other parents have the knowledge and tools to help their kids.

“We will hear from a school resource officer. We will hear from a young person with lived experience with addiction in the home and we’ll have an addiction counselor who is also a prevention specialist. So really its a chance for parents to learn more and to ask questions,” Kennecke said.

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Tiffany Kashas, a licensed Addiction Counselor and Certified Prevention Specialist at Avera works with kids every day. She will share strategies for prevention and communication.

“I think just having basic information about what is out there, what are the trends, and what are some of the concerns they should be watching out for to support their own children or somebody else’s children or other parents to come together as a community to work on things together,” Kashas said.

Kennecke says the risks associated with youth substance use are real, and parents and caregivers play a critical role in prevention.

“This is one of the biggest threats facing our children today. Parents may not be aware and they may think, not my kid. That’s certainly what I thought.” Kennecke said.

“Even good kids can make poor decisions sometimes and in today’s world kids can’t afford that because one poor decision can result in death. And so parents need to be equipped with this information in order to protect their families and to avoid tragedy.”

Both Kennecke and Kashas say parents should not feel alone and know there are resources available to them.