The Maryland Collaborative created a parent-focused website, College Parents Matter, to provide parents tips for talking to their college-aged child about alcohol and high-risk situations that involve alcohol.

At the Maryland Collaborative, we believe that scientific evidence should guide decision-making rather than anecdote or opinion. The information found on this website is informed by science and parents. In developing the website, the Maryland Collaborative conducted focus groups with parents of college students. The parents in these focus groups all agreed, they did not need more information about the harms of drinking among college students, they needed tips to know how to have a meaningful conversation with their child about making smart decisions about alcohol throughout their college experience.

This website is designed to equip parents with the tools and resources to engage in effective communication with their college-attending child. The website features topics or common situations that increase the potential for high-risk drinking, such as the 21st birthday, spring break and housing and roommates. Each topic has a section that explains why the topic is important based on the science related to that topic, followed by a script called “ Say this ” and “Not this.”

To access these scripts and more, visit the College Parents Matter website.