Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse discusses increase in teens struggling with alcohol and marijuana across Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse known as CADA is seeing a higher number of teens struggling with drug addiction across Santa Barbara county this year.

“Especially since Covid, a lot of youth who were you struggling with a social Isolation during those years are now coming out with more mental health needs than we’ve seen in the past," said director of youth treatment services Michelle Kerwood of CADA.

Right now Leaders of CADA are seeing more teens struggling with addiction to alcohol and marijuana.

“But they’re obviously is an increase in fentanyl, especially in our north county services and you know a very scary thing when we’re talking about adolescence," said Kerwood.

"We're here to help people not only before they’re even starting to find a problem, experience a problem or sense a problem to when they might be going through the addiction," said director of development Alison Brainard of CADA.

In order to meet the supply and demand for CADA’s services, the program will be supported by an upcoming Chubby Checker performance at the Lobero Theater.

“We areecstatic we’re absolutely thrilled. We’re getting awareness not only from the community, but we’re bringing wonderful musical. Legend back to Santa Barbara and the collaboration is really quite exciting for us," said Brainard.

The Daniel Bryant Center hopes the community will support this concert to help teens in need. 

“We’re a nonprofit ... 100 percent of what we do we have to find grants and our donors who support us," said Brainard.

The Chubby Checker concert is set for August 31st.

Tickets are currently on sale for $25.

But CADA welcomes community support at any time.

“The money is going directly to the Dan centers here in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria so it helps support the therapist. It helps training it helps. Give us the capacity to open our doors and have the youth come here," said Brainard.

The CADA team wants to ensure everyone struggling with addiction knows they are not alone, and there is help.

To date, CADA has treated over 9,000 youth struggling with addiction and mental health challenges.

The goal of the Daniel Bryant Youth and Family Centers is to reach those between the ages of 10-21, as studies have shown that youth drug and alcohol interventions have more successful outcomes than those for adults. 

Treatment can include counseling, psychotherapy, family therapy, drug testing and more.

For more information on the Chubby Checker performance, visit: https://www.lobero.org/events/v2-chubby-checker-and-the-wildcats/.

For more information on CADA, visit: https://cadasb.org/.