The Washington State Institute for Public Policy was assigned by the state legislature to study wilderness therapy programs. These programs exist in many forms, but typically combine therapeutic practices with outdoor activities like camping and backpacking in order to support individuals with behavioral health, mental health, and substance use issues. Though few programs exist in Washington and there is no state funding, the intent of the assignment is exploratory and aims to understand… read more

Registration for the Tobacco-Free Kids’ sponsored “2022 Youth Advocacy Tour”, is now open. It will be held in Vancouver, WA on August 17 & 18.

Deadline to register: Friday, Aug 12.

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During this 2-day event, youth attendees participate in activities and discussions that will increase their skills with: community organizing, media engagement, activism tactics, writing and more. It’s free of charge, but space is limited and advance… read more

The Rural Network, a group of volunteers and leaders across Washington state who work towards building resiliency and preventing youth substance misuse in rural communities, are hosting their first annual Rural Prevention Conference September 22 – 23 at the Yakima Convention Center.

This conference will be an opportunity for those doing youth substance prevention work in rural areas to meet in person, and share ideas for helping to create healthy, thriving rural communities free of… read more

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is seeking new members for the School Safety and Student Well-Being Advisory Committee’s Youth Advisory Council (SS-SWAC-YAC) for the 2022/2023 school year.

OSPI is seeking to establish a geographically and culturally diverse membership including members of historically marginalized groups to participate in the SS-SWAC-YAC. Membership is open to youth between the ages of 13–19 who live in Washington state and are currently… read more

Are you planning on hosting a National Drug Take Back Day event on October 29, 2022? Updated promotional materials are now available for you to use! Please join our media partner, DH, on August 18 to review some updated - and possibly new - material(s) that we have for Drug Take back event planning and promotion! These materials include customizable posters, rack cards, post card mailers, print ads, social media content and graphics and more - along with a promotional timeline as a guide… read more

Check out the Start Talking Now toolkit for new Parent Guide infographics in 22 languages. The Start Talking Now website has also been expanded with Parent webpages in 37 languages! A new video in the Focus On toolkit - Find Your Moment - can be used on organic social or as a paid ad.

Dear Washington State Prevention Specialists,

As you know, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery intends to award multiple contracts to implement substance use disorder prevention services, focusing on opioid use disorder prevention in Washington State, using a culturally competent and health equity lens.

The Opioid Prevention Plus Wellness (PPW) program is an evidence-informed screening and brief prevention intervention… read more

Washington State Community Connectors (WSCC) and partners have developed a training to educate families about substance use disorder (SUD) and related treatment options across the state. This training is for parents, family members, and caregivers who are interested in learning how to support their loved ones with SUD. Participants will learn about up-to-date information around SUD, addiction and its effects on the adolescent brain, skills for families navigating their relationship with… read more

The Attorney General's Office is conducting outreach to youth to get their input in the design and development of the Youth Safety & Well-being Tipline. Will you share with your networks to help promote this across the state? Here’s some more context to share about the feedback survey: Washington State is working to create a youth safety and well-being helpline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to address a spectrum of youth safety & well-being concerns and connect youth… read more

Session Objectives: