SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week (NPW) is a public education platform that promotes prevention year-round through providing ideas, capacity-building, tools, and resources to help individuals and communities make substance use prevention happen every day.
NPW culminates in May by recognizing the important work that communities have done throughout the year to inspire action and prevent substance use and mental disorders.
Each day this week, SAMHSA will focus on a specific health theme related to prevention. SAMHSA provides free publications, tip sheets, and resource centers for each of the 2020 daily themes to educate and discuss in your community:
- Monday, May 11: Preventing Prescription Drug and Opioid Misuse
- Tuesday, May 12: Preventing Underage Drinking and Alcohol Misuse
- Download: They Hear You.® mobile application
- Wednesday, May 13: Preventing Illicit Drug Use and Youth Marijuana Use
- Thursday, May 14: Preventing Youth Tobacco Use (E-cigarettes and Vaping)
- Friday, May 15: Preventing Suicide
Prevention Challenge
Take your best selfie and tell us where prevention happens for you! This year’s Prevention Challenge shows us that substance misuse prevention happens in a lot of places, spaces, and communities. Follow #PreventionHappensHere on social media.
Planning Toolkit
By hosting a prevention-related event or activity during NPW, or at any time of year, you can help raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health. Check out the Planning Toolkit (available in English and Spanish) for templates, tools, and support for organizing your own prevention events and activities.