At the Prevention Day closing plenary, NPW Coordinator
David Wilson took the stage to share his personal Dear
Future Me letter and officially introduce NPW 2018’s Dear
Future Me Prevention Challenge. During this livestreamed
event, Wilson shared ways for everyone to get involved
in NPW, including a video montage of Dear Future Me
letters from NPW partner Carroll County (MD) Health
Department. SAMHSA’s Assistant Secretary for Mental
Health and Substance Use Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz
provided her perspective on the opioid crisis, among
other issues facing the nation.
Prevention Day attendees received the 2018 National
Prevention Week Planning Guide and Resource Calendar
to start planning their NPW activities and events.
“All of us have a role in prevention. All of us
can make a difference. All of us can take
action today for a healthier tomorrow.”
– David Wilson
National Prevention Week Coordinator
SAMHSA National
Prevention Week Town
Hall Meeting in Austin, TX
SAMHSA worked with NPW partner the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and
the Texas Museum of Science and Technology, which housed the DEA-SAMHSA’s
“Drugs: Costs and Consequences” traveling exhibit, to produce a town hall meeting
in Austin, TX, in collaboration with the University of Texas during NPW 2018
addressing opioid use prevention.
The University of Texas at Austin sponsored the “Youth Substance Misuse &
Addiction Pop-Up Institute” from April 16 through May 15, which included several
events during NPW itself, such as the SAMHSA National Prevention Week Town
Hall Meeting on May 14. The meeting featured panelists from the DEA San Antonio
District, the UT School of Social Work, and the Grayken Center for Addiction
Medicine at Boston Medical Center, among others, as well as a community
paramedic and a young adult in long-term recovery. The town hall ended with a
candlelight vigil to remember those lost to opioids.
SAMHSA coordinated a livestream of the town hall meeting on SAMHSA’s webpage
at samhsa.gov/prevention-week and promoted the event through SAMHSA’s social
media channels. More than 200 viewers tuned in.
2018 OUTCOMES REPORT
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