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 Welcome to the Health Promotion & Prevention Newsletter, released every two months by Marion County's Health Promotion & Prevention Team! In this newsletter, our team shares information, tips, news, and updates on community work being done to promote health and prevent disease in Marion County.
Help us spread awareness by sharing this newsletter with your friends and colleagues!
Community trainings
2026 Prevention Workshops for Woodburn Youth and Parents
Marion County Prevention has partnered with the City of Woodburn and the Woodburn School District to offer a series of prevention workshops for youth and parents during the 2025-26 school year. Workshops will be available in Spanish and will focus on mental health, substance use prevention, and other health-related topics.
Spanish-language Parent workshops will be held at the Woodburn High School Auditorium from 6:00–7:00 p.m. Free coffee, sweet bread, and childcare will be available.
Parent workshop dates:
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Vaping Risks: April 1 (Spanish)
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Recognizing Addictive Behaviors and Gambling Harm: April 16 (Spanish)
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Narcan Training: May 4 (Spanish)
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Dangers of Substance Use: May 6 (Spanish)
Spanish-language Youth workshops will be held at the Woodburn Success High School from 6:00–7:00 p.m. Free dinner will be available.
Youth workshop dates:
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Vaping Risks: April 29 (Spanish)
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Dangers of Substance Use: May 27 (Spanish)
For more information about these workshops contact 503-980-6250 or email MCHDPrevention@co.marion.or.us.
Free Virtual Trainings
Successful Grant Writing 101 Training
Click Here to Sign up for the Successful Grant Writing 101 Training
March 7th - ILead Youth Summit
Free 1-day leadership and wellness youth summit for high school-aged youth. Invite a friend or make new friends there. Choose the workshops that interest you and enjoy games, tacos, and donuts. See you there!
Host a Nature Walk!
Click Here to Sign up to Host a Nature Walk
Check out these additional health promotion trainings and educational opportunities:
Know of another organization that provides great trainings? Share them with us at MCHDPrevention@co.marion.or.us.
2026 Problem Gambling Awareness Month
“Caring Communities, Stronger Futures,” emphasizes the importance of a community-driven approach to problem gambling awareness and support. When a community comes together, friends, families, educators, healthcare providers, local partners, and policymakers replace silence with support and isolation with connection.
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling there is hope. Help is free. Call 1-877-MY-LIMIT or visit OPGR.org
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April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to reflect on how alcohol may be affecting our health and community. Many people drink more than they intend to, and small changes can make a meaningful difference.
Excessive drinking includes:
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Binge drinking: 4 or more drinks on one occasion for women, or 5 or more drinks for men
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Heavy drinking: Regularly drinking more than 1–2 drinks per day
In Marion County, about 13% of adults report binge drinking in the past 30 days, showing that alcohol continues to impact many people in our community.
The good news is that support is available. Whether you’re thinking about cutting back, taking a break, or simply becoming more mindful of your drinking, helpful tools and resources are available at rethinkthedrink.com.
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Lucca Braudagan is one of the new Health Promotion and Prevention interns at Marion County Health and Human Services. She will assist the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program team with qualitative data analysis for the Santiam Canyon Project.
Lucca is currently a junior at Willamette University. She is double majoring in Statistics and Data Science and minoring in Public Health and Mathematics. She hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of public health and statistics, such as epidemiology or biostatistics.
Outside of school, Lucca enjoys puzzles and games, spending time with her family, friends, and cats, and going on walks to meet neighborhood cats. She is excited for the opportunity to intern with Marion County!
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If you or someone you care about is struggling with gambling, there’s a new digital support option worth knowing about. Evive is an evidence-based mobile app designed to help people better understand and manage their relationship with gambling .
Whether the goal is to stay safer, cut back, or stop completely, Evive offers practical, personalized tools you can access right from your phone, including:
- Goal-setting and progress tracking to build positive habits and stay motivated
- Daily check-ins to raise awareness of gambling patterns and urges
- Interactive lessons and educational content based on behavioral science
- Community support where users can connect with others facing similar challenges
- Tools to help set limits, manage budgets, and cope with urges in tough moments
The app is evidence-based and developed with input from addiction specialists and people with lived experience, blending proven strategies with user-friendly technology.
Thanks to a partnership between the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon State Lottery, Evive is currently free to all Oregonians, making confidential, real-time support more accessible than ever.
For more information, visit: Getevive.com
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Middle school students are invited to participate by creating a poster that promotes hope, strength, and healthy choices. This is a chance for students to use their creativity to make a positive difference by sharing uplifting messages about gambling awareness and prevention within their community.
The top 12 submissions will be featured in a community calendar and will receive prizes. Entries will be judged on both artistic creativity and the strength of the positive message.
Entries are due April 24, 2026. For full details and registration forms, visit the Marion County Youth & Schools Gambling webpage. Contact Heidi Johnson at hejohnson@co.marion.or.us with any questions.
By Phoebe Barker, Tobacco Prevention Health Educator
The CATCH Global Foundation recently hosted an advanced professional development training to strengthen youth vaping prevention efforts. Designed for educators and prevention professionals who have already completed standard implementation training, this session focused on expanding the evidence-based CATCH My Breath program through a peer-to-peer model.
CATCH My Breath has been shown to increase students’ knowledge of vaping harms, shift attitudes about nicotine use, and reduce the likelihood of initiation. Across Marion County, our Prevention Team continues to recommend and support this evidence-based curriculum in middle and high schools.
This training prepares participants to guide high school students in delivering peer-led lessons to middle school youth using the Students-Teach-Students model, helping build youth leadership and engagement.
We’re proud to share that Marion County Prevention team members, Phoebe Barker and Marie Little were part of the first cohort to receive this training and are now certified CATCH My Breath Peer-to-Peer trainers, further strengthening our local prevention efforts.
Interested in bringing this peer-led model to your school or organization? We’d love to connect and explore next steps. Contact us at MCHDPrevention@co.marion.or.us.
A Shared Roadmap for Regional Health: 2026–2030 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)
The Marion-Polk Community Health Collaborative has officially released the 2026–2030 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a community-driven strategy to improve health and well-being across Marion and Polk counties.
The CHIP is more than a plan. It’s a shared commitment to our community.
Developed through extensive community and partner input, the CHIP identifies three priority areas that reflect the voices and lived experiences of thousands of community members. In total, the CHIP is supported by more than 90 objectives that Collaborative agencies will work on together over the next five years.
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1. Access to Healthcare
Community input made it clear that navigating the healthcare system remains difficult for many. This CHIP cycle aims to improve access to comprehensive, high-quality healthcare services and providers. The plan outlines actionable goals to:
- Improve access to healthcare services
- Increase the number of providers serving the community
- Boost utilization of preventive care services
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2. Housing Stability
Housing stability was identified as the most needed improvement area on the Community Health Assessment (CHA) survey. This CHIP aims to improve the affordability, quality, safety, and local availability of housing.
Recognizing continued housing needs in the region, CHIP strategies for housing stability focus on:
- Preventing homelessness
- Expanding access to affordable and sustainable housing options
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3. Mental Health & Substance Use
Community members identified mental health and substance use as areas of high importance in both the CHA survey and community listening sessions. These two issues are often related, and this CHIP addresses both prevention and treatment. In response to the increased need for mental health services and the rise in substance use, the CHIP includes goals to:
- Improve overall mental health and emotional well-being
- Increase the community's sense of belonging
- Reduce substance use
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Progress will be tracked over time, objectives will be refined as needs evolve, and the CHIP will remain responsive. Updates will be shared throughout the five-year cycle.
The Collaborative invites you to learn more, share the plan within your networks, and stay informed as this work progresses by signing up for our quarterly newsletter. You can read the full CHIP and sign up for the newsletter at marionpolkcommunityhealth.org.
Title: 2026 Oregon Short Legislative Session
The 2026 Oregon Short Legislative Session is currently underway and is scheduled to adjourn on March 8. During this limited 35-day session, lawmakers consider priority policy proposals and budget adjustments.
We would like to highlight several bills related to substance use, prevention, and public health that are being considered this session. These proposals address topics such as tobacco and nicotine regulation, smokefree housing policies, cannabis regulation, and other prevention-focused efforts.
We will provide an update in our next newsletter on the outcome of these bills following the close of the legislative session.
Tobacco
SB 1571 A- Nicotine Definition Update
- Proposes amending state law to define “nicotine” and expand the definition of “tobacco products” and inhalant delivery systems to include nicotine derived from any source, including synthetic nicotine. This bill would apply existing tobacco product regulations to products containing nicotine from any source.
HB 4120 A- Smokefree Multi-Family Housing
- Allows residential landlords of multifamily housing with 20 or more units to convert premises to nonsmoking, including prohibiting smoking within dwelling units and interior common areas, with 180 days’ written notice to existing tenants. This bill applies to new and existing rental agreements and is intended to promote tenant convenience, safety, and welfare and to preserve the landlord’s property from abusive use.
Cannabis (Marijuana)
HB 4139 A- Cannabis (Marijuana) Definition
- Increases funding for illegal marijuana enforcement, expands the definition of “debilitating medical condition” for medical marijuana use, updates cannabis and hemp product definitions, strengthens OLCC and ODA oversight and inspection authority.
HB 4142 A- Medical Use of Cannabis (Marijuana)
- Requires organizations and residential facilities to allow patients or residents to engage in the medical use of marijuana on the premises and to develop and maintain a written policy outlining marijuana use and products.
SB 1548 A- Cannabis (Marijuana) Prevention
Requires adult-use cannabinoid edibles to be individually packaged and limits each edible to no more than 10 milligrams of cannabinoid per serving. The measure is intended to standardize potency and packaging requirements for consumers.
By Marie Little, Youth Coordinator
Marion County's Youth Voice group has been active since August of last year and currently includes six students representing four schools across Marion County.
Members have received training in substance use prevention, public health systems, and mental health promotion. A major focus of their work has been increasing awareness of 988 as a resource for anyone, not just those in crisis. Youth created flyers and stickers with messages such as “Not Just for Crisis,” “You’re Not Alone,” and “There’s Hope” to encourage peers to seek support early, before challenges escalate.
The group is now working with their schools to host lunchtime tabling events to share resources directly with students. South Salem High School has scheduled a resource event, and outreach is underway with McNary High School and Woodburn High School. The group also plans to expand efforts into middle schools to ensure younger students understand 988 and how to access help for themselves or a friend.
Youth Voice aims to be a positive influence by raising awareness about substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and vaping, the risks of problem gambling, and the importance of supporting mental health through healthy behaviors.
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 Our HIV/STI Statewide Services (HSSS) are built on a set of proven activities designed to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. This work goes beyond testing. Our team partners with each client to understand their needs, connect them to care, and link them to additional resources, regardless of test results.
A major component of HSSS is the Health Van, which began operating in 2018. The Health Van travels throughout Marion County to community events and trusted local sites to provide safe, confidential HIV and syphilis testing at no cost. If a rapid test result is positive, staff perform an on-site blood draw and send the specimen to a laboratory for confirmation.
The van is staffed by two Public Health Workers and one Health Educator. Together, they provide testing, client support, clerical coordination, and outreach planning, while also preparing educational materials and connecting individuals to prevention resources.
In 2025 alone, the Health Van attended 68 outreach events and conducted 540 tests, including 289 syphilis tests and 251 HIV tests. Monthly outreach events are posted on our website at mchealthy.net.
Regular host locations include the ARCHES Navigation Center, Chemeketa Community College, Marion County Addiction Treatment Services, and AWARE Food Bank, among others.
In addition to testing, the HSSS team provides outreach services and community education to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and strengthen prevention efforts across Marion County.
By Michael Keuler
Spring is a season of growth, warming weather, and outdoor activities beginning again. Each year, it also means the track and field season is here for me. I am the hurdle coach for the West Salem High School Track and Field program.
I work with high school student-athletes to work hard, challenge themselves to improve each day, and build the skills needed to accomplish their goals. I enjoy seeing the excitement in students’ eyes as they prepare to challenge themselves and have fun. My job is to teach students the skills of hurdling technique, rhythm, concentration, and speed. More importantly, from JV to state-bound varsity athletes, self-improvement and personal growth are key to success. We have fun along the way with challenging activities, camaraderie, season-best pins, and a hurdlers relay at the end of the season, complete with a homemade trophy.
Hurdling is an activity filled with many life lessons. It is not easy. Athletes clear 8-10 hurdles during a race. They must concentrate, focus on their race, and learn to lean forward and sprint over each hurdle with ease to improve. Inevitably, when we fall, how we respond shows our character. If we fail to meet our goals, we support each other and hold our heads high, knowing we did our best and had fun along the way. My coaching philosophy reflects supporting students physically, emotionally, and mentally.
I competed as a hurdler at West Salem High School, and it positively shaped my life. I enjoy coaching alongside fantastic and inspiring staff. I look forward to working with students and coaches this season. Rain, shine, or wind, we will be out there!
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Marion County Health Promotion & Prevention will highlight a variety of programs and health topics in our upcoming newsletter to keep you informed about key health promotion issues.
The next edition will be released during the first week of May 2026. If there's a topic you'd like us to cover, please let us know by emailing:
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