Announcements

Please consider becoming a WASAVP member this month

The annual drive for renewal of existing memberships and recruitment of existing memberships for the Washington Association for Substance misuse And Violence Prevention (WASAVP) is underway and our goal is to attract 50 new members before the end of June 2025. We would like for you and/or your coalition or prevention organization to become members if you are not already, or to renew your membership if you are currently members.

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… read more

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… read more

Healing of the Canoe (HOC) is a community-derived, culturally-grounded, and flexible curriculum for native youth that builds a connection to culture and community and teaches skills that increase participants’ feelings of hope, optimism, and self-efficacy.

The recently published paper, Healing of the Canoe: Preliminary Suicide Prevention Outcomes Among Participating and Non-Participating Youth, examines self-reported survey outcomes after the addition of suicide prevention and… read more

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… read more

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 Youth Advisory Council (YAC)!

If you're over age 22, you can help by spreading the word about this opportunity by sharing the YAC one-pager or recruitment flyers. 

Members meet one to two times a month to share… read more

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… read more

Mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) disorders, including mental illness and substance use disorders, are at the heart of several ongoing national crises and affect every U.S. population group, community, and neighborhood. Existing infrastructure responds to these crises predominantly with treatment and recovery, or addressing MEB disorders once they already exist, rather than working to prevent them. Available prevention services are insufficiently funded, fragmented, and better… read more

As the only training designed specifically for prevention coalitions, the National Coalition Academy (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… read more

National Alcohol Awareness Month is observed annually in April to increase public awareness about alcohol use disorder and the adverse impacts of alcohol misuse on individuals, families, and communities.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 178,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use. This includes alcohol-related deaths from chronic conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, and liver disease, as well as alcohol-related deaths from… read more