June 2026

Prevention 101: Building Your Knowledge and Resilience

Looking to strengthen your understanding of substance use prevention? The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a free YouTube playlist, Prevention 101, featuring two brief and informative videos that introduce key concepts in substance use prevention, substance misuse prevention, and resilience-building.

In less than five minutes per video, viewers will gain valuable insights into how prevention efforts help individuals, families, and communities thrive. Whether you are new to prevention work or looking for a quick refresher, these resources provide a great foundation for understanding the role prevention plays in promoting health and well-being.

Watch the Prevention 101 playlist: click here.

A Public Health Approach to Suicide Prevention

Suicide prevention is most effective when communities work together to address risk factors and strengthen protective factors before a crisis occurs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights this approach in its resource, A Public Health Approach to Suicide Prevention.

CDCís Suicide Prevention Resource for Action provides evidence-based strategies that communities, organizations, schools, and policymakers can use to prevent suicide, support individuals at risk, reduce harm, and promote connectedness. By implementing coordinated prevention efforts across multiple sectors, communities can create environments that foster hope, resilience, and overall well-being.

Learn more by reading the resource: click here.

2026 National Prevention Week

Hosted annually by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), NPW is a national public education platform that highlights the important work being done by communities and organizations to prevent substance misuse and promote mental well-being.

Each year, SAMHSA provides valuable prevention resources, including webinars, toolkits, publications, and social media campaigns designed to support prevention professionals and advocates nationwide. The 2026 theme, “Celebrating Possibility” encouraged communities to recognize prevention successes, embrace opportunities for continued progress, and strengthen partnerships that create healthier, more connected communities.

Voices for Prevention was inspired by the outstanding prevention efforts taking place across Georgia and would like to recognize several organizations and leaders who made a meaningful impact during National Prevention Week.

Georgia Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Initiative (GPDAPI)

John Bringuel and the Georgia Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Initiative demonstrated a strong commitment to prevention through multiple outreach and education efforts during National Prevention Week. Activities included:

Facilitating Drug Misuse Prevention for Community Professionals training in Coweta County in partnership with Coweta FORCE, reaching 20 prevention professionals.
Leading a multi-post social media campaign focused on Stop Rx Abuse awareness.
Promoting safe medication storage and proper disposal practices to reduce access to unused prescription drugs.
Advocating for universal primary prevention programs in schools through participation in the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership.

Gwinnett United In Drug Education (GUIDE)

GUIDE engaged community members throughout National Prevention Week by sharing practical prevention messages and strategies through its social media platforms in true “GUIDE Style.”

In addition, GUIDE successfully partnered with the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners to secure a National Prevention Week Proclamation, demonstrating the community’s commitment to prevention.

Two members of GUIDE’s Youth Advisory Board also participated in the proclamation activities, highlighting the important role youth play in advancing prevention efforts.

Three individuals, including Yang Chen, are standing in front of a podium with a document in hand, possibly in a formal or governmental setting.

These efforts helped raise awareness and strengthen community capacity to address prescription drug misuse across Georgia.

Voices for Prevention at the Georgia Teen Institute

On June 11, Voices for Prevention had the privilege of facilitating a Youth Advocacy Workshop at the 2026 Georgia Teen Institute (GTI). Hosted by GUIDE, Georgia Teen Institute is a leadership development program that brings together middle and high school Youth Action Teams from across the state to strengthen their leadership skills and commitment to creating positive change in their communities.

During the workshop, approximately 20 high school students explored the fundamentals of advocacy and learned practical strategies for turning their passion into action. Through interactive discussions, activities, and real-world examples, participants gained a deeper understanding of how youth voices can influence decisions and drive meaningful change within schools, communities, and beyond.

We are proud to support the next generation of prevention leaders and look forward to seeing the positive impact these young advocates will have in their communities.

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