“Talk. They Hear You.”

In response to high rates of underage drinking in the United States, the nationwide “Talk. They Hear You.” underage drinking–prevention campaign works to enable parents and caregivers to talk with their children about alcohol. One useful tool that comes from this campaign is an application (app) that SAMHSA developed to help parents practice talking to their children about the dangers of alcohol.

The app features an interactive simulation that teaches the “dos and don’ts” of talking to children about underage drinking. It provides avatars—a computer animation/embodiment of the parent and child—to practice bringing up the topic of alcohol, learning the right questions to ask, and getting ideas to keep the conversation open in the future.

The app is available on desktop computers, at the App Store, on Google Play, and at the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store.

For more information on the campaign and the work they are doing to help improve the conversation, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking.