Tech-Healthy Family
Prevention teams unite in Tech-Healthy Family events
K-Link, CPAKC, and Our Klickitat host events in September
Klickitat County, WA (August 26, 2025) - Prevention organizations in Klickitat County are coming together to host free events for parents, focusing on creating tech-healthy families. K-Link Collaborative, Our Klickitat Prevention Coalition, and the Coalition Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC) work to create safe teen cultures, safe spaces, and community education in efforts to reduce youth access to substances throughout Klickitat County.
Kirsten McReath, the Community Prevention & Wellness Initiative Director for White Salmon Valley and coordinator for K-Link, said this workshop will focus on what every parent needs to know to reduce screen time, restore family connection, and raise kids who thrive in a digital world.
Supporting K-Link, Rita Pinchot, a Regional Behavioral Health Specialist with ESD 112, said, “These events came about after we (K-Link and several community partners) hosted an event last winter focused on educating parents and increasing awareness of the risks of fentanyl. Parents requested continuing events and included mental health, tech, and social media in a list of suggested topics they would like to learn more about.”
It’s a hot topic. Concerns over the impact of student use of cell phones and other smart tools during school are leading a majority of Washington State school districts to restrict devices. In an August 21 news release put out by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Superintendent, Chris Reykdal, said, “Our educators, parents, and families are seeing, on a daily basis, how students’ learning is disrupted—repeatedly—by their smart devices. As an education system, we have a responsibility to protect the learning environment, removing disruptions and ensuring our policies are updated regularly to address emerging needs.”
Pinchot said that K-Link, with the support of WAGAP, sent a funding proposal to Carelon and was awarded a grant to support three or more events, so they reached out to their partner prevention coalitions. The group decided to focus on mental health support and the use of technology, knowing it was a priority concern for many parents and schools.
Events will go from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., except the Goldendale event, which will start at 5:30 p.m. All will have a light dinner provided. Events will be held in several communities throughout Klickitat County and will be conducted in English, with one event held in Spanish on September 10 in White Salmon.
Monday, September 8, at the White Salmon Valley Community Library.
Wednesday, September 10, at the White Salmon Valley Community Library, in Spanish.
Thursday, September 18, at the Lyle Lions Club.
Tuesday, September 23, at the Goldendale Community Library, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Glenwood area - event details are coming soon.
The sessions are presented by Andrea Davis, founder of Better Screen Time, who is certified by the Digital Wellness Institute. The program for Creating a Tech-Healthy Family was first released in 2020 to provide parents with tools and resources to facilitate discussions with their children and help them establish boundaries around technology, enabling them to feel more confident raising their children in a digital world.
The WAGAP Prevention team is fortunate that Davis is local to the Gorge. This makes the free presentations accessible for Klickitat County parents who can attend any of the sessions that work best for their schedules. No prior registration is required.
For more information on the Creating a Tech-Healthy Family workshop, or other prevention-related questions, reach out to Rita Pinchot by phone at (509) 637-8143.
Funding for K-Link and CPAKC comes from the Washington State Health Care Authority, and Our Klickitat is funded through the Federal Drug Free Communities grant. All three organizations operate locally under the WAGAP umbrella. Information on Prevention teams can also be found on the WAGAP website at https://www.wagap.org/prevention.