It's that time of the year again. The time when students start to get restless, teachers begin to get frantic and SAMHSA asks the nation's stakeholders to gather everyone together one last time before summer break. Why? Because it's National Prevention Week. And the messaging might just save someone's life.
Make that many someone's lives. SAMHSA's been calling all stakeholders together since 2012. Yet each year overdose and addiction rates continue to rise. It isn't SAMHSA's fault of course. It's not the stakeholders' fault either. It's simply an ugly confluence of poor oversight, cheap narcotics and increasingly powerful drug cartels. COVID didn't help. Neither did a monstrosity called the War on Drugs.
Talk about a mistake. What would you do if you suffered record casualties in the 51st year of the war you were waging? Call a halt, right? One would hope so. After all, if you're losing more now than ever before then something's going terribly wrong. Especially if you've had 50 years to get it right.
That's where we are with the War on Drugs, which was started in 1971 under President Richard M. Nixon. Well, this year that war left us with over 100,000 deaths. Again, that's over 100,000 dead after 51 years of fighting. Surely this war needs to stop.
Well, perhaps more data will help. That seems to be the bright idea behind WalletHub's providing state-by-state drug use stats during National Prevention Week, so we'll help them along. In fact, we'll help broadcast the entire effort!
Buckle up!
National Prevention Week: Collaborating Organizations
National Prevention Week (NPW) is a national public education platform bringing together communities and organizations to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health. As we said, the great good folks at SAMHSA host the festivities. And the organization has been at it since 2012.
The list of collaborating organizations is as extensive as it gets. In fact, if it were any more extensive we'd have to surrender. As it is, we barely have room enough to weigh in with all the top notch stakeholders. Then again, when SAMHSA calls, people listen. People also apparently respond!
ACT Missouri
ACT Missouri was established in 1991 to prevent substance use, and it serves as the statewide prevention catalyst, empowering individuals and fostering partnerships to promote safe, healthy, and drug-free communities.
American College Health Association
The American College Health Association (ACHA) serves as the principal leadership organization for advancing the health and wellness of college students and campus communities through advocacy, education, and research. We're talking more than 1,100 institutions of higher education, representing the collective health and wellness needs of 19 million college students. No foolin.'
American Counseling Association
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is a not-for-profit, professional, and educational organization that has been dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession since 1952.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a 50 state, 50 chapter effort dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide.
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) isn't just the oldest medical association in the country; it's also the largest psychiatric association in the world. Then again, when you're founded in 1844 and boast 38,500 physician members, you'll probably top a few worthy categories.
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association (APA) includes nearly 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students, making it the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States.
American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association (APHA) brings together members of all fields to champion the health of all people and all communities. It's been doing just that since 1872. Really.
American School Counselor Association
The American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) 36,000+ members have been helping students become engaged and productive members of society for the past 70 years.
American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) represents more than 6,000 physicians, clinicians, and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine.
The Asian Health Coalition
The Asian Health Coalition's (AHC) mission is to improve the health and wellness of Asian, African, and other immigrant communities through advocacy, technical assistance, community-based education, and research.
Association for Middle Level Education
The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) has more than 55,000 principals, teachers, counselors, and others who are dedicated to enhancing the middle school student experience.
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is the national nonprofit organization representing public health agencies in the United States, the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has been helping young people become productive, caring, responsible citizens for more than 100 years. Currently there are 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serving nearly 4 million children and teens,
Carroll County Health Department Bureau of Prevention, Wellness, and Recovery
The Carroll County Bureau of Prevention, Wellness, and Recovery is a division of Maryland’s Carroll County Health Department that specializes in behavioral health services.
Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA is the national office for 167 Catholic Charities USA member agencies throughout the United States and its territories.
Community Connections, Inc.
Community Connections, Inc. (CCI) is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in the heart of southern Appalachia.
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) mission is threefold: enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States; bring to the U.S. criminal and civil justice systems those involved in the illegal growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances; and recommend and support programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on domestic and international markets.
Drug Free America Foundation, Inc.
Drug Free America Foundation, Inc., is a drug prevention and policy organization committed to developing strategies that prevent drug use and promote sustained recovery.
Fathers Who Care
Fathers Who Care is a community-based organization that is committed to social change and community organizing through promoting a safe, healthy, and drug-free community.
Find Your Anchor
Find Your Anchor (FYA) is a grassroots movement aimed at suicide prevention, awareness, and education.
George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
The Milken Institute School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nation’s capital.
Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' primary agency for improving health care for people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable.
Herren Project
The Herren Project is a national nonprofit organization that former pro basketball player Chris Herren founded to provide free resources and support for the treatment, recovery, and prevention of substance abuse disorders.
International Association of Fire Fighters
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) represents more than 320,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics and is the driving force behind nearly every advance in the fire and emergency services in the 21st century.
The JED Foundation
The JED Foundation (JED) is a nonprofit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults.
Mary’s Center
Mary’s Center is a community health center that provides a model of care, including health care, education, and social services, to nearly 60,000 individuals from more than 50 countries through eight locations in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) is the public-private partnership working to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and make suicide prevention a national priority.
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
The National Alliance for Hispanic Health (NAHH) is the premier science-based and community-driven organization that focuses on the best health for all.
National Association for Children of Addiction
The National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA) is the national membership and affiliate organization working on behalf of children adversely impacted by parental addiction.
National Association of School Nurses
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is a 17,000-strong nonprofit specialty nursing organization, organized in 1968, incorporated in 1977, and representing school nurses exclusively.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a member-led organization dedicated to the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being. It is also the largest funder of alcohol research in the world.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a federal scientific research institute and the largest supporter of the world’s research on drug use and addiction.
National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) provides capacity building and support services to State Offices of Rural Health (SORH), as well as their stakeholders.
President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition
The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition engages, educates, and empowers all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Rockville Centre Coalition for Youth
The Rockville Centre Coalition for Youth’s (RCC) mission is to reduce youth substance misuse in Rockville, New York.
Saving Others for Archie
Saving Others for Archie (SOFA) is a grassroots organization founded in 2014 by a mother whose son Archie died of an accidental overdose.
Students Against Destructive Decisions
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is the nation’s premier youth health and safety organization.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is the nation’s only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders
Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL) supports and empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, ages 6 to 24, in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region.
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) young people.
USAGov
USAGov is a federal program managed by the U.S. General Services Administration whose mission is to guide the public to tips and tools in English and Spanish from hundreds of government agencies, departments, and programs.
Recovery Boot Camp Applauds SAMHSA
Recovery Boot Camp wholeheartedly applauds SAMHSA's National Prevention Week. We also applaud the scores of stakeholders, large and small, who are backing SAMHSA's play. It's imperative we reach kids while we still can. Assembling en masse on the eve of summer break is a great way to do just that.
Of course National Prevention Week is nothing if it doesn't actually prevent drug and alcohol use. And the messages these organizations are spreading are as vital as the week itself. Heck, even the activities err on the side of helpful. Here's how our friends over at Healing Properties covered the National Prevention Week that was back in 2019. We're sure the only difference is now things are even bigger and brighter.
How about you? Have you been able to prevent drugs and alcohol from coming into your life? How about your loved ones? Everything a-okay there as well? There's no shame if it isn't. None whatsoever. In fact, the only shame would be in not seeking help. Because there are scores of folks just ready, willing and eager to lend you a hand, no matter where or how far along you are. Give us a ring. Please. We'll get you sorted.
Really.