Top issues facing teens explored

Betsy Sutherland's son Tyler had all the support that professionals say kids need to keep them away from drugs: family, community and church. Despite all that, Tyler died at age 19 from a heroin overdose.

She shared her emotional story Thursday with a crowd of about 200 parents and teenagers attending the Power in Parents Conference at Cottonwood High School. The conference was part of Utah first lady Mary Kaye Huntsman's Power in You outreach program for teenagers.

Sutherland said that although her son was involved with a church youth group and had an active social life, he suffered from anxiety and depression — which his parents didn't recognize.

"I wish as parents we had recognized his anxiety and depression," she said. "Parents, do not think this can't happen to your child."

The conference addressed what Huntsman called the top four issues facing young people in Utah: substance abuse, eating disorders, mental illness and suicide. Bethany Harper, the program's executive director, said that the issues were chosen by school counselors as the most serious obstacles facing teens.

Huntsman told the audience that the best way for parents to protect their teenagers is to be involved in their lives and talk about these issues often. Huntsman said her group is all about giving hope to troubled teens and their parents.

"So many people are hurting, nobody is immune," she said. "We are here to help bring back hope into the lives of our teens."

Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr., who also attended the conference, called it a powerful hour and a half.

"You can't always penetrate someone's soul as a state, but you can do it as parents and as groups of people," he said.

His wife started the Power in You group eight years ago, when their daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, to raise awareness and give emotional support to teenagers with the disease.

The group's Web site, powerinyou.org, has stories about troubled teenagers and lists resources.

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E-mail: dgardiner@desnews.com