
- Parents Hold the Key is a collaborative initiative to help reduce unintended access to substances in your home.
Alcohol and Medicine that is not safely stored (locked-up or out of reach) can easily be misused by a friend, family member, or anyone entering your home.
- Reducing access in your home helps reduce underage drinking, medicine misuse, and poisoning.
There are simple, easy ways to safeguard your home to keep your family and community safe.
PDF Link Parent & Caregiver’s Guide (2020)
Best Practices

+ Safe Storage is HOW and WHERE substances are stored in the home
+ Use Safe Storage methods by locking away these substance and holding the key.
MONITOR SUBSTANCES:
+ Know WHAT and HOW MUCH you have in your home.
+ Monitoring of may include keeping a list on your phone, counting or marking bottles.
Even if you trust those entering your home, it’s best to keep substances locked-up – safe storage practices can often remove the temptation and prevent you from becoming a victim.
Mental Health and substance use addiction are not always easily identified and even if someone is being treated by a professional, overdose can still be a risk.
Don’t take any chances, keep any potentially harmful substances locked-up and out of reach at all times.
Even if you trust the people entering your home – it’s better to be on the safe side and lock away your substances, especially if Caregivers are left unattended.
Safe Home Storage

Alcohol – Best Practices
+ Make sure to keep any alcohol that you plan to serve is in one location, and
+ Assign a designated person to serve any alcohol. This can prevent over-serving and underage drinking.
+ Any alcohol that you don’t plan to serve, make sure that it is completely secured by keeping it locked away.
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CABINET/PANTRY LOCK
Measure the width of the door to get one that fits. Lock kits can be less than $5 and may require a drill and a screwdriver to install.
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FRIDGE LOCK
Secure a Basement or Garage Fridge with a Marine Lock. These locks come with either a combination or a key lock.
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BOTTLE LOCK
About $5, these easy to use locks work on Wine or Liquor bottles.

Medicine – Best Practices
Ask your pharmacist about Medicine Lock Boxes and how to keep medicines safe in your home.
+ Rx (Prescription) Medications
– Opioids (Pain relievers), such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, Vicodin, codeine, fentanyl.
– Benzodiazepines (Anxiety or Seizure medication), such as Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Kllonopin.
– Stimulants (ADHD, or Narcolepsy), such as Biphetamine, Dexedrine, Adderal.
+ OTC (Over-The-Counter) Medicine
– Cough and cold, containing DXM (dextromethorphan)
– Motion sickness (dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine)
+ Pet Medications
– Ketamine (Pet Tranquilizer)
– Barbiturates, such as Phenobarbital (Pet Anxiety)
– Opioids, such as Tramadol (Pet Painkiller), and Hydrocodone (Coughing in Dogs)
Even if you’re not worried about friends or family members misusing medicines, your home may still be vulnerable.
+ Assign ONE adult for safe home-dispensing.
+ NEVER – share or use someone else’s medication. Not only is it illegal, it is also dangerous. Unless you get a medication from a Doctor or Pharmacy, you have no idea what you could accidentally take or how it may effect you.
+ SOLIDS (Pills, patches, inhalers):
– Leave medications in the container
– Remove any personal information
– Bring to your local Medicine Drop Box location (tinyurl.com/SCCMedDropBox)
+ LIQUIDS: In a sealable bag or coffee can, make the medicine appear unattractive by mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter. Dispose in household trash.
+ NEEDLES/SYRINGES: Ask your pharmacist about safe needle disposal boxes or find a Safe Syringe Disposal Program near you.
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MEDICINE LOCK BOXES
A medicine lock box can range from $15 and up. They can be installed in a cabinet or drawer.
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TRAVEL LOCK BAGS
Ideal for Purses or Backpacks, Gym Bag, Locker room, Vehicle Glove-box
Alcohol PSA’s
OVERDOSE PREVENTION LAW

+ Passing out, semi-conscious
+ Cold, pale or bluish skin
+ Vomiting
+ Slow or irregular breathing
+ Seizures
OTHER SIGNS:
+ The person is unconscious and you can’t wake them
+ Breathing slowly or not at all
+ Lips or nails are turning blue
+ Say “I think someone may have overdosed. (S)he isn’t breathing.”
If the person is not breathing, do rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth)
+ Give Narcan/naloxone (the opioid overdose reversal drug) to the person if you have it
+ Lay the person on their side once they resume breathing
RESOURCES
New Jersey Hotlines
Contacts
- Safe Communities Coalition
- PR's Family Support Services
- PR's Recovery Community Center
- STOP & Think - UAD Prevention
Facebook @SafeCommunitiesCoalition
ABOUT US
Vision: To live in a Safe and healthy community by eliminating drug use, underage drinking and prescription drug abuse.
Mission: Through wide spread community collaboration, environmental change, and community education in Hunterdon and Somerset counties, we will address areas of concern including, but not limited to, reducing Rx drug abuse across the lifespan, underage drinking, tobacco, marijuana, and other drug use.
Prevention Resources’ (PR) Family Support Center serves Hunterdon, Somerset, and Mercer counties and may also offer 1-1 or additional information about navigating resources.
PR also serves Middlesex, Monmouth, and Union Counties in Partnership with Prevention Links.
Family and Caregiver Support Group:
• Connect with other families who are facing similar issues in a compassionate and supportive environment.
• Learn new tools to manage crisis, solve problems and communicate effectively
• Improve your quality of life by learning self-care strategies to reduce stress
• Become a more effective advocate for your loved one
HUNTERDON: Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the Month, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, at Prevention Resources, Inc. (4 Walter Foran Blvd. Suite 410, Flemington, NJ 08822)
SOMERSET: Every 2nd and 4th Friday of the Month from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at Pioneer Family Success Center (50 Division St suite 303, Somerville, NJ 08876)
Our belief is that everyone has the potential to achieve a healthy and happy life.
Since 2016, Prevention Resources’ Recovery Community Center of Hunterdon County has served those in all stages and phases of substance use recovery.
We provide a safe, welcoming environment with peer-to-peer support, activities, as well as resources and information.
LOCATION:
Harvest Family Success Center
(87 Park Avenue, Flemington, NJ 08822),
HOURS: Wednesdays and Saturdays
5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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