National Prevention Week is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of and action around mental health and/or substance use disorders. Each year, National Prevention Week includes daily themes to focus on major substance use and mental health topics. The 2021 daily themes are:
- Monday, May 10: Preventing Prescription Drug and Opioid Misuse
- Tuesday, May 11: Preventing Underage Drinking and Alcohol Misuse
- Wednesday, May 12: Preventing Illicit Drug Use and Youth Marijuana Use
- Thursday, May 13: Preventing Youth Tobacco Use (E-Cigarettes and Vaping)
- Friday, May 14: Preventing Suicide
The Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success (C-SPF-PFS) Initiative is a 5-year Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant through the Marshall University Research Corporation Center of Excellence for Recovery. The student leaders and campus champions for the project will promote National Prevention Week by posting facts, resources, prevention strategies and more on their social media pages.
The overall goal of the C-SPF-PFS project is to enhance prevention infrastructure and build capacity among higher education institutions in Southern WV to prevent the onset and reduce the progression of alcohol, tobacco and vaping, marijuana, and prescription drug misuse and its related problems among higher education students (18 and older).
“Raising awareness about prevention strategies and efforts is crucial for building capacity and assessing the needs of the community,” said Heather McDonnell-Stalnaker, project director at MURC Center of Excellence for Recovery. “I believe that prevention with intention will be the key to success for the C-SPF-PFS initiative.”
Katelyn Fowler is the lead epidemiologist for the project.
“The student leaders and campus champions will be introduced through social media this National Prevention Week and take part in releasing accurate messaging and effective resources regarding prevention,” Fowler said. “The student leaders have been receiving foundational training in prevention, and I am excited for them to take part in sharing what they have learned so far by participating in National Prevention Week.”
The C-SPF-PFS is funded through a SAMHSA PFS grant. To view the information provided by the student leaders for National Prevention Week please visit www.instagram.com/c.spf.pfs or https://www.facebook.com/c.spf.pfs. For more information about the C-SPF-PFS, please visit https://www.marshall.edu/coefr/c-spf-pfs/.