Children in Geneva and the Tri-Cities are just as susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse as those in the inner city, according to some experts.

That is the message community organizers hoped to convey during Red Ribbon Week, which was observed last week and culminated with a candlelight vigil Sunday at city hall.

Last week, organizations, such as Students Against Destructive Decisions, the Coalition for Youth and Snowball, held events and a public relations campaign to bring awareness to the community and promote involvement with intervention of “at-risk” behavior in children.

“I really appreciate the efforts of everyone involved,” said School Superintendent Kent Mutchler. “It takes a lot to send a message that we’re opposed to drug use.”

But school officials want people to know that the school district cannot solve the problem by itself.

“Really, it has to be a community effort,” said Charles Williams, a community intervention specialist who contracts with Geneva Community Unit School District 304. “It’s a community problem, not just a school problem.”

He said most experts believe schools are actually a safe place for children, free from drugs.

“Usually, drug dealers stay away from schools,” Williams said.

Part of the danger in an affluent community, such as Geneva, is that many parents don’t think their children would abuse drugs and alcohol.

“I think parents are still in denial and, sometimes, they think it’s OK. It’s a right of passage,” Williams said. “I think parents are misinformed. It can lead to severe problems. ... There’s a false sense of security in parents who don’t think it can happen to them.”

Williams, a certified drug and alcohol counselor, has been working with the school district since 1995. He and his wife Linda work out of an office in the school administration building. Their office receives referrals from the school district and police department.

The office is the first stop for many families seeking help, not only from Geneva, but from all over Kane County.

“We’re starting to get calls from parents,” Williams said. “It seems the word’s out now.”

If the problem is serious, the family is referred to formal counseling at another agency.

“We believe in getting intervention between the kid and the at-risk behavior and helping families make decisions,” Williams said.

He said children of all backgrounds are susceptible and he’s seen a rise in the use of hard drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, as well as prescription drugs in the Tri-Cities in the last decade.

“We’re looking at more across the board use,” Williams said. “It’s harder to identify the kids that are involved.”

Williams said he has seen some success in children who have passed through his office and later received treatment. About 40 children are required to have a drug test every week and Linda Williams said that could help with someone looking for a reason not to use drugs when pressured by peers.

Mutchler said he hasn’t seen any recent significant increase or decrease in drug use among youth.

“In terms of our society, I think drug use goes in cycles,” Mutchler said. “Right now, we’re kind of in a steady pattern.”

He added that the school district works to be very proactive, such as sending constant messages through student support groups and, in recent years, using drug-sniffing dogs as a deterrent.

Overall, Charles Williams feels that children are risk-takers, but there are healthy and unhealthy risks.

“I believe there are very few bad kids, if any,” Williams said. “Good kids make poor choices.”