Recognizing youth in lieu of the Spring Youth Forum
This year, the Health Care Authority's (HCA) Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) Prevention Section and leadership had to make the unfortunate decision to not hold an in-person Spring Youth Forum (typically held in May at the Great Wolf Lodge) given a variety of factors, including negotiating with a new logistics vendor and navigating budget needs. This annual event provides an opportunity for youth across the state to present on youth prevention projects they have implemented in their communities.
Conference chair Tony Edwards-Lenton has shared some amazing ideas to continue to celebrate youth locally! Watch for updates on the Spring Youth Forum website and The Athena Forum to see youth teams recognized!
Register to attend the Moment of Youth Prevention Summit!
Lopez Youth Health Advocates (YHA) are excited to invite Washington youth, grades 8–12, to attend the Moment of Youth Prevention Summit, on Saturday, May 31, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on Lopez Island.
This bilingual, regional conference is a unique opportunity to meet new people and make connections while learning leadership skills, healthy lifestyle habits, navigating your first year away from home after high school, and more! A Western-themed dance party will follow the daytime event.
View the event flyer in English or Spanish to register and learn more.
National Coalition Academy (NCA): Registration for cohort two is open!
As the only training designed specifically for prevention coalitions, the NCA is the go-to program for equipping new and seasoned coalitions with the tools needed to drive change. The NCA teaches you how to strengthen your coalition and implement effective, comprehensive prevention strategies in your community. This immersive, hands-on training is designed for coalition leaders or staff, volunteer community leaders, and prevention professionals seeking to strengthen their coalition’s impact and sustainability
Through three weeks of virtual classroom instruction, online learning, and ongoing technical assistance support, you’ll develop the critical coalition tools (community assessment, logic model, strategic and action plan, an evaluation and sustainability plan and so much more!) that will build and sustain your coalition for meaningful community change. This training is ideal for Drug-Free Communities (DFC) year one and six coalitions, as well as those thinking of applying for DFC funding in the future. Learn more about the NCA.
Registration for the second cohort is now open, and one registration provides your coalition with two training slots. Please note that attendance for all three weeks is required.
Virtual NCA training schedule
- Week one: May 5–8
- Week two: June 23–26
- Week three: July 28–31
Unable to attend? Consider joining the third cohort. Training will take place this August–October, and registration is expected to open in summer.
Don't miss early bird registration for the National Prevention Network (NPN) Conference
The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors will host the 38th annual NPN Conference on August 11–13, in Washington, D.C., to highlight the latest research in the substance use prevention field. This year's theme is "Substance use prevention across the lifespan: Creating a monumental impact."
Each year, this event brings together 700–1,000 prevention providers, coalition leaders, school personnel, government agency representatives, policy makers, and others working to prevent substance misuse at the federal, state, and local levels. Attendees can expect to gain insight into the latest prevention research, best practices, and promising evaluation results for the purpose of integrating research into practice. Visit the conference website to learn more.
Early bird registration closes Friday, May 16. Register now to secure your spot at a reduced cost.
Calling WA youth: Apply to join the Youth Advisory Council (YAC)
Are you between the ages of 13 and 22 and living in Washington? Do you want to help improve public health programs for young people? The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is inviting young people like you to apply to join the YAC!
What does the YAC do?
Members meet one to two times a month to share feedback and ideas on important adolescent health topics, like youth mental health and medical care. They work closely with staff in the DOH Adolescent and Young Adult Health Unit to help share programs that support teen and young adult health.
Who can apply?
To be eligible to apply, young people must meet the following criteria at the time of their application:
- Aged 13–22 and living in Washington
- Have reliable internet access
- Can attend meetings by Zoom, and can use online communications tools like Basecamp and GroupME
- Have experience with or an interest in improving health care, public health, or other health-related topics
All young people who meet these requirements, especially those with diverse identities and lived experiences, are encouraged to apply.
How to apply?
Visit the YAC application page and submit an application by Saturday, May 31. View and share the YAC one-pager and recruitment flyers to learn more and help spread the word! For questions, please email the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Unit.
Applications for Communities Talk are now open!
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA) invites community-based organizations and institutions of higher education to apply for a Communities Talk stipend to help plan local events and activities to mobilize communities to learn about substance use and put prevention strategies in place.
Stipend recipients are encouraged to:
- Host youth-led activities;
- Customize the event to meet the needs of their community; and
- Plan and promote the event using resources on the Communities Talk website.
The Communities Talk cycle is now open! If you haven't received an invitation and are interested in participating, please email Communities Talk to request an invitation. Planning stipends are limited, so apply early.
Congratulations to the WA State Youth of the Year nominees and recipients!
Each year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington State hosts the WA State Youth of the Year program. This year’s three-day youth leadership event kicked off with a reception at the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia, where participating youth were officially introduced and presented the work they've done in their communities. The 16 finalists participated in leadership development activities, including an interview practice workshop hosted by the Washington State Employees Credit Union and a speech prep workshop at the Henry T. Schatz Boys & Girls Club in Lakewood. For fun, they went to a selfie museum and visited some of Seattle's best sites in a limousine.
HCA would like to congratulate the WA State Military Youth of the Year, Natalia S.R. from Hillside Youth Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the WA State Youth of the Year, Kurt C. Jr., from Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County. Both Natalia and Kurt will advance to the Pacific Region Youth of the Year competition which will take place on June 3–4 in Los Angeles, CA.
Congratulations to all 16 finalists and thank you to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington State for their dedication to prevention work across Washington.
Friends for Life launches updated website and new toolkit materials
The Friends for Life fentanyl and naloxone awareness campaign website has a new look with expanded information and tools to help partners prevent overdose in their communities.
Visit WAFriendsforLife.com for updated campaign visuals, interactive features, and new content, including treatment and recovery information and additional overdose prevention resources for young adults.
New resources have also been added to the partner toolkit:
- Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, or "MOUD," treatment and recovery rack card, poster, and wallet card
- Keep Your Circle Safe poster, peer-to-peer conversation guide (print-at-home version available), and a multi-page zine. These materials were developed to support older teens and young adults (ages 14–25) who are at higher risk of substance misuse.
- “We Carry Naloxone” window cling and campaign-branded zipper pouch
- Injectable naloxone wallet card
- Additional translated materials in Arabic, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese
For questions about ordering, printing, customizing, or implementing materials, email Devan.
Underage drinking prevention and mental health promotion campaign engagement opportunities
Focus On
Does your organization serve youth? Focus On is the statewide underage drinking prevention campaign that educates youth about the risks of underage drinking and provides strategies for healthy coping. Check out the Focus On partner toolkit (password: FocusOnYou) for new ready-to-post social content each month, campaign background materials, and more! The campaign’s Instagram and Facebook pages also post weekly, including mental health support resources and an ongoing #AsToldByTeens social series featuring prevention and mental health insights from last year’s Spring Youth Forum attendees. Like, comment, reshare, or give us a follow to stay in the loop!
Start Talking Now
If you are looking for information to share with parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults, Start Talking Now is the statewide campaign that encourages adults to connect and talk with the teens in their lives about the risks of underage use of alcohol, cannabis, and commercial tobacco. You can follow and share weekly posts with tips and resources in English and Spanish on Facebook and find more evergreen posts and other materials in over 20 languages on the Start Talking Now partner toolkit (password: StartTheConversation).
In case you missed it: Youth Leadership and Prevention Summit recap
This past March, more than 250 Cowlitz County sixth graders attended the Youth Leadership and Prevention Summit in Longview, WA. This annual conference helps students develop leadership skills, build confidence, and learn about the importance of healthy behaviors.
Student participants explored topics including drug education and prevention, mental health, and leadership through workshops centered on this year’s theme, “Find Your Good: Lifesaving Leadership.” Together, students, teachers, counselors, and student assistance professionals (SAPs) identified ways to create positive change at their schools.
The Youth Leadership and Prevention Summit was sponsored by three CPWI coalitions – Hilander HOPE (Kelso), EPIC (Longview), and CARE (Castle Rock). Read ESD 112's article, Cowlitz county youth learn leadership skills at annual prevention summit, to learn more about the event.
Prevention spotlight: Concrete Resource Coalition
In Concrete, WA, several families (pictured below)–a total of 26 people–graduated from the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) in March, after completing more than 17 hours of training over a seven-week period. SFP is an evidence-based family skills training program for parents, caregivers, and youth that teaches parenting, life, and refusal skills to increase family protective factors and reduce individual and family risk factors associated with later substance misuse, mental health problems, and delinquency. Facilitation was provided through a joint effort by SAPs from ESD 189 and coalition members.
The Concrete Resource Coalition (CRC) has successfully implemented Strengthening Families many times over the years, but participation has been down post-pandemic. The CRC went back to basics and worked hard to meet families where they are to learn about they needed. To build capacity, the CRC developed a unique blend of parent supports using a mix of printed pamphlets, social media, and in-person training events on various topics important to their community. This work led to the graduation of their largest cohort of SFP participants since 2019. The CRC is already planning on how to build on this success and reach more families in the future.
In addition to family support, Concrete is well known for their youth-led prevention activities. The Concrete Prevention Posse, based in the middle/high school, has completed and presented on several rounds of the Community Assessment of Neighborhood Stores (CANS), designed to improve retail environments by reducing advertising and product placement of alcohol and other substances.
The Helpful Turtles, based at Concrete Elementary, are using PAX principles to expand their Kindness Wall project by visiting classrooms to talk about how kindness can have a chain reaction and inviting peers to add to their paper chain of kind actions and ideas. All this is anchored in the annual and beloved Concrete Youth Activity Day, which draws 500 people every year, and has games, crafts, and connections to 30+ youth serving organizations. The popularity of this event leads to increased engagement with key leaders and “hard-to-reach” community members.
The CRC coordinator, Stephanie Morgareidge, is happy to share ideas or strategies. If you’d like to know more about their work or get in touch, visit the CRC's website.
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