“I have been working in the behavioral health field for 22 years, and prevention has always sparked my passion and purpose,” says Kristen Polin, CEO of notMYkid. “I have seen the dark side of the disease of addiction personally and professionally, and that fuels my vision to lead an organization that is dedicated to high-impact prevention and early intervention.
Kristen worked with notMYkid for 2 1/2 years previously, leaving for a one-year exit to work in the recovery space. This February, she returned as CEO.
For the past 19 years, notMYkid has worked tirelessly across the state to help teens and their families navigate issues such as bullying, unhealthy relationships, addiction and depression, and avoid negative behavior through proactive prevention education.
This year, through the organization’s presentations and trainings, it aims to reach 75,000 youth, parents and professionals in order to prepare youth for the difficult and even life-altering issues they routinely face.
“notMYkid is heavily focused on two severely concerning issues our community faces surrounding the opioid epidemic and youth suicide,” Kristen says. “We are losing too many of our children to overdoses and suicide. I am determined to continue to grow our programs so we can effectively reach more students, more schools and more families. Our children are struggling, and we need to make sure they know how to ask for help and who to turn to when they need it. notMYkid can be that support service for our partner schools, and we are committed to doing even more as we head into our 20th year of service.”
For more information, visit notMYkid.org.
