5 Tips & Tools For National Prevention Week 2023

National Prevention Week (NPW) is a national public education platform started by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The week showcases the work that many communities and organizations across the country do to raise awareness about substance use prevention and positive mental health.

This year, National Prevention Week runs from May 7–13, 2023, highlighting “A Celebration of Possibility.”

While SAMHSA has many events to take part in, there are also things you can do to help celebrate National Prevention Week and provide information and tools to your community. Here are five.

1. Share On Social Media

One of the easiest ways to participate in National Prevention Week 2023 is to share quality and accurate information about substance misuse, addiction, and substance use disorders on social media.

Check out SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week for accurate facts and information. You can then share them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, or whatever social media you use. Just sharing a post can significantly help promote public awareness.

You can also get involved by sharing your #MyPreventionStory on social media. If you’re running an event, you can share information about that too. Just make sure to use #NationalPreventionWeek23 on all your posts so they are easy to find.

2. Run An Event

If you’re really looking to get involved, you can also run an event that helps bring awareness about drug use prevention and the promotion of positive mental health options.

Start with a brainstorming session with your team to come up with activities, panels, speakers, and information sessions you want. You’ll also want to set up a realistic budget. Make sure to get as many volunteers as you can to help run the event.

Beyond that, SAMHSA provides lots of information and checklists you can use to ensure your event is a success and sticks to the mission.

Once your event is planned, make sure to promote it in your community and on social media, and tell SAMHSA about your event. They might spotlight and help you promote it.

3. Attend An Event

If running an event isn’t your thing, search for National Prevention Week 2023 events in your area. SAMHSA’s website has a list of them or you can keep an ear open for local events around you on your local news or in other groups you’re a part of.

There are also lots of webinars, campaigns, and activities on the organization’s website you can attend if there are no events near you or you can’t make it to an event.

4. Implement Prevention Strategies In Your Community

Besides promoting the week or running an event, you can also implement evidence-based prevention strategies, initiatives, or programs in your community.

This could mean you start up a harm reduction program for opioid addiction, an underage drinking prevention program, a program to help with suicide prevention or a local helpline for those in need.

Whatever way you’re implementing prevention strategies in your community, it’s a great way to ensure your community is promoting prevention year-round.

Try to get together partnerships with people in your community, federal agencies, and national public health organizations if you can. You’ll get more help, more promotion, and more accurate information and appropriate methods to help run your substance abuse prevention campaign.

5. Use The SAMHSA Prevention Week Toolkit

No matter if you’re running an event, putting prevention strategies in place in your community, or sharing information on social media, you’re definitely going to want to check out the SAMHSA Prevention Week Toolkit.

It includes prevention resources, fact sheets, helpful checklists if you’re running an event, videos, ways to get media attention and deal with the media appropriately, and tips on how to keep momentum after the week.

It includes everything you could possibly need for National Prevention Week 2023.

To learn how you can get involved in the activities in the Boston area, or to learn about our treatment options, please contact Bedrock Recovery Center today.

  1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — About National Prevention Week https://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week/about
  2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — National Prevention Week Event Ideas https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/npw-event-ideas-508.pdf
  3. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — Toolkit for Planning Your Event https://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week/toolkit

Written by Bedrock Recovery Center Editorial Team

Published on: May 9, 2023

© 2024 Bedrock Recovery Center | All Rights Reserved

* This page does not provide medical advice.

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