A television program involving the Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa will make its debut across the state this afternoon. The program, Drugs and Children: Secrets for Parents, was developed in conjunction with Mediacom.

Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa President Peter Komendowski serves as host of the 30 minute show, which he hopes will help prevent alcohol and drug abuse among Iowa teens. “Every (program) will have children and some will have parents involved too who’ve had a first-hand experience at how this affects a family,” Komendowski says.

“We’re really focusing on getting the message of people who’ve been there, especially children or parents with children who’ve been there. Often times, that resonates the best with parents.” The pilot program of Drugs and Children will air at 4 p.m. today on Mediacom channel 22.

Komendowski describes many of the teens in Iowa who are struggling with substance abuse as “good kids” who come from solid families. “I mean, yes, we have children who live in stressed environments, in poverty, and in households where maybe the situation is not ideal,” Komendowski says. “But, there are a lot of kids from good families that are well off…who are good athletes and good students, but run into these problems. I think a lot of these stories are going to show how unsuspecting some parents might be to risks in their own households.”

In addition to the this afternoon, the pilot program will air three more times on Thursday (10:30 a.m.), Friday (2:00 p.m.), and Saturday (10:30 a.m.). Five more episodes will be shown at later dates.

Komendowski says the upcoming episodes will be dedicated to the dangers of prescription drugs, methamphetamines, synthetic drugs, alcohol, and marijuana. In addition to Mediacom channel 22, the Drugs and Children program will be made available on YouTube.