Portage County’s Townhall II in downtown Kent is holding Family Program: Addiction Series, a special weekly series to help families that are affected by their loved ones’ addictions.

According to the Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities, the series “provide(s) education and support for the family members and loved ones (adults and children) of individuals recovering from, or living with, addiction.”

Kari Hall, who’s in charge of the program for Townhall II, said the goal is to help those close to someone dealing with addiction.

“It can be challenging for them to function, with having a loved one that’s in addiction or even in recovery,” Hall said. “It’s to give support to loved ones and to provide them with education.”

The series started last Monday at 6 p.m., and will continue to take place every Monday for five consecutive weeks. There will be a different topic each week, which Hall described as being a part of breaking down lessons into “manageable pieces.”

The program is being offered for attendees of any age, as long as children are accompanied by a registered adult.

The weekly program for adults deals with the cycle of addiction, recovery and the role of family, while the topics for children and youth deal with making good decisions and resisting peer pressure, as well as the effects of using different kinds of drugs.

Townhall II provides addiction recovery, treatment and prevention services, along with services for those who have experienced criminal, sexual and domestic violence.

Erik Svensson is the social services reporter, contact him at [email protected].