Tools to Talk with Your Young Person, Communities Talk, and Share

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Families Can Use 'Tools to Talk' to Discuss Substance Misuse

Do you want to have a conversation about substance use with a young person you care about? Do you want to avoid eyerolls and just being told what you want to hear?

DEA has developed Tools to Talk with Your Young Person about Anything (including substance use).  This online presentation consists of eight short videos that explore ways to communicate effectively about substance use, or any other rough issue.

• Caregivers can watch (or re-watch) the videos online, to understand and prepare to practice the concepts.
• Community facilitators can organize events where participants to watch the videos ahead of time and then gather to discuss the key ideas and how they can be used in “real life.”
• Organizers can present some or all of the videos and use the breaks between the clips to discuss the ideas.

This presentation is adapted from training developed by CMC: Foundation for Change and the Partnership to End Addiction to prepare peer parent coaches.

A “Tools to Talk” worksheet can be downloaded or shared with participants at events. It contains key ideas from the presentation. This flyer can be used to promote Tools to Talk in your community.

Watch the first video today and build your communication toolbox.

Communities Talk to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse

Communities can move mountains when they talk, share, and take action to prevent alcohol and other drug misuse. Each year, community-based organizations of all kinds—including local chapters of national organizations, community and youth-led coalitions, colleges, and universities nationwide—hold creative events and activities that mobilize their communities to both learn about substance use and put prevention strategies in place.

Since 2006, thousands of these activities have been held across the country, supported by SAMHSA planning stipends that can go a long way in making the activities more strategic, collaborative, well-attended, and action oriented. Youth-led events are among the most impactful of these activities and are encouraged.

In addition to the planning stipends, SAMHSA provides tools and resources to help organizers design, promote, conduct, and evaluate their activities.

SAMHSA has launched the 2026 Communities Talk cycle.

• If you participated in 2025, you’ve automatically been invited to participate this year.
• If you haven’t received your invitation (or are a new organization wanting to participate), please email info@communities-talk.com.

Planning stipends are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Act quickly to join this national effort to prevent substance use in your community.

To learn more about this program, join the webinar, Communities Talk 2026 Cycle, on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 2pm to 3pm ET. Participants will learn about new Communities Talk prevention resources and activities to reach audiences. The webinar will feature a moderated discussion with past Communities Talk event organizers who will share the value prevention activities have had in their community.  

Mark your calendars for February 25^th and register to attend. 

Share Together for Families

Do you have a newsletter?  Are you on social media?  Encourage your network to join Together for Families!

Sign up for updates DEA’s Together for Families.  Together for Families gathers resources for families from non-profit organizations and public agencies from across the United States. If you work for an organization that serves families, you can join by emailing togetherforfamilies@dea.gov.

If you would rather share a PDF about Together for Families, that document can be downloaded here.

You can also share any item in Together for Families’ twice-monthly bulletins that would be helpful to the audiences you serve.

Thank you for raising awareness of Together for Families!