American Radio Works/BBC special: Logging on and Losing Out: Dealing Addiction to America’s Kids
Aired March 21, 2006 on 90.3 WCPN
Internet poker has taken America by storm. Three quarters of high school and college kids are gambling on a regular basis. But adolescents are far more vulnerable to getting addicted to gambling than adults. And with internet companies making millions from online gamblers, there’s little incentive or legal controls to restrict youth gambling. In this show, American Radio Works and BBC radio teamed up to reveal the heavy social costs of America’s poker addiction.

90.3 at 9: Mental Health & the Juvenile Justice System
Aired March 23, 2006 on 90.3 WCPN
It's probably not news to you that men and women with mental illness frequently wind up behind bars - or that the same is true for kids. What you may not be aware of is what's required to help these kids, and to reduce the chances they'll re-offend - intense and ongoing coordination among mental health agencies, child welfare, courts, schools, families. How well are we managing it? We'll talk about it Thursday morning on 90.3 at 9.
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  • On today's show, we looked at what happens when kids with mental health problems and/or drug addictions wind up in the juvenile justice system. Akron's juvenile court has a program called Crossroads, which kids can choose to go through after admitting to the charges against them. If they succeed, their record can be wiped clean. One of our guests, Judge Linda Teodosio, developed and runs the program. Professor Chris Mallett, of the Cleveland State School of Social Work, was also on the show, as was Gabriella Celeste, director of the Alliance of Child Caring Service Providers. Among the resources mentioned on the show was the National Mental Health Association's website, which has a section on juvenile justice. Also: the Ohio Department of Mental Health's program on identifying warning signs of depression in kids.

If you need help with a child whose behavior you feel is spinning out of control, you may find assistance here:

  • In Summit County:
    • Summit County ADM, the Alcohol, Drug, Mental Health Board. The ADM also runs a crisis line at (330) 996-7730
  • For additional mental health resources, click here

Pioneering High School Helps Teens With Addiction
Aired May 9, 2006 on 90.3 WCPN
For many young people, drinking seems to be a rite of passage into adulthood. But for some, it's a short step from having fun to having an addiction. ideastream's David C. Barnett recently paid a visit to a pioneering Ohio high school where addicted teens help each other stay straight.