WESTCHESTER PARENTS PROVIDED RESOURCES TO HELP THEIR TEENS CELEBRATE PROM AND GRADUATION SEASON SAFELY

Media Contact:
Tara Carraro, Heineken USA
914-681-4153
tcarraro@heinekenusa.com

White Plains, N.Y. – May 15, 2009 – With the high school prom and graduation season about to enter full swing the Health Alliance on Alcohol (HAA) today issued a call-to-action to Westchester County parents to take advantage of resources designed to help them talk to their teens about the dangers of underage drinking prior to these celebrations.

With the endorsement of Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore, White Plains Hospital Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and Heineken USA, the Health Alliance on Alcohol will offer support to parents as they talk to their teens about important safety issues during this high risk season.

Dr. Karen Soren, director of adolescent healthcare at the NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, will host a live chat later in the month to provide parents direct access to and feedback from doctors and law enforcement regarding issues and questions on underage drinking. The organization will also post 10 tips for parent-teen conversations at HealthAllianceonAlcohol.com and encourage parents to share their creative ideas for alternative post-prom events, conversations or safety tips.

“The upcoming prom and graduation season represents a significant milestone in the lives of our community’s teens,” said Jon Schandler, president and chief executive officer, White Plains Hospital Center. “While we hope that students enjoy the occasion and the related celebrations, we are calling on all parents take an active role before the party begins to discuss the issues around underage drinking and the impact on their kids’ health and well-being.”

Resources Provided to Community – Live Chat on May 21
At a press conference this morning, health professional and community and business leaders provided prom and graduation tips for Westchester County parents, while introducing a number of resources available to help start the conversation.

In addition to the tips, the Health Alliance on Alcohol shared plans for an online chat on May 21 to answer specific questions from Westchester County parents regarding items to watch out for and preventative measures to take to help prevent underage consumption of alcohol beverages. To ask questions and obtain additional details regarding the online chat, please visit www.healthallianceonalcohol.com.

“Our goal is to make this prom and graduation season safe and virtually incident-free for all students, parents, and visitors to Westchester County,” said Janet DiFiore, Westchester County district attorney. “Parents have a significant impact on the choices children make while celebrating. This effort by the Health Alliance on Alcohol will put critical information in the hands of parents, care givers, and students, enabling them to celebrate prom and graduation season safely and legally.”

Identifying the Threats and Parents’ Roles
Underage drinking is a serious problem in communities in and around Westchester County and across the country. Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children’s perception on alcohol, beginning with access to it before reaching the legal drinking age.

When parents initiate the sometimes difficult conversation about alcohol and underage drinking with their children, a positive impact can be delivered. The Journal of Adolescent Health reported in its July 2005 issue that teens are less likely to get into trouble when they know that their parents expect that they will not drink alcohol or use drugs.

“At Heineken USA, we have always taken seriously our responsibility to market and sell our products in a responsible manner and to educate consumers about the importance of responsible alcohol consumption,” said Dan Tearno, chief corporate relations officer, Heineken USA. “Today’s activities are consistent with that commitment and encourage parents to use these resources to talk to their teens. This investment in our corporate hometown is a larger investment in the collective health and growth of the community.”

Commitment to Empowering Parents
The cornerstone of the HAA’s activities is the Facts & Conversations book series, which offers conversation starters for parents whose children may feel pressured by their peers or compelled to engage in underage drinking and provides a productive outline for how to approach the issue with teens at various ages. The educational books are written by experts and thought leaders to explore the benefits of parent-child communication.

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Health Alliance on Alcohol

The Health Alliance on Alcohol is a national education initiative on underage consumption of alcohol through parent/child communications that includes partner members Heineken USA; the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System, the largest secular not-for-profit non-governmental healthcare system in the U.S.; and White Plains Hospital Center, a voluntary, not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of offering high-quality, acute health care and preventative medical care to people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. Please visit HealthAllianceonAlcohol.com.

Heineken USA
Heineken USA Inc., the nation's premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world's most international brewer. Brands imported into the U.S. include: Heineken Lager, the world's most international beer brand; Heineken Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. Heineken USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from FEMSA Cerveza of Mexico. Please visit EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com.

The NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System
The NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System, the largest secular not-for-profit non-governmental health care system in the U.S., is committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective, and accessible care to communities throughout the greater New York Metropolitan region. The System, made up of 24 acute care hospitals, 100 ambulatory sites, 8 rehabilitation, nursing homes and specialty institutions, and more than 13,000 affiliated physicians, serves one in four patients in the Greater New York Metropolitan area. System members are affiliates of the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University or Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. During 2008 System institutions discharged more that 400,000 inpatient cases and provided more than, 4,500,000 outpatient visits. For additional information, visit www.nypsystem.org

White Plains Hospital Center
White Plains Hospital Center (WPHC) is a 292-bed voluntary, not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of offering high quality, acute health care and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. Centers of Excellence include the Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center, The William & Sylvia Silberstein Neonatal & Maternity Center, The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel Stroke Center and The Westchester Orthopedic Institute. The Hospital has the busiest Emergency Department in Westchester County, treating more than 45,000 patients a year. White Plains Hospital Center is a five-time winner of the Consumer Choice Award, an honor given to the nation’s top hospitals by the National Research Corporation. WPHC is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and the Stellaris Health Network, Inc. For additional information, visit www.wphospital.org.