National Prevention Week Happens May 7-13, 2023

Statewide Student (K-12) Art Campaign and  May 13 Event with Connecticut Leaders Among Elements of Celebration

Connecticut’s National Prevention Week Planning Committee, including state and local organizations, and communities, are marking this observance (May 7 – 13, 2023) with a K-12 student art campaign and a statewide event on May 13, among other activities, reflecting the theme, “A Celebration of Possibility.”

National Prevention Week is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental health and/or substance use disorders.

The Statewide Event
The National Prevention Week statewide event will take place at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford on May 13, 2023, from 11 am to 3 pm and will happen jointly with the Science Center’s “Make it Grow” program. Prevention professionals and state and local leaders  are scheduled to attend, including Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services Commissioner, Nancy Navarretta, MA, LPC, NCC; Connecticut Department of Children and Families Commissioner, Vannessa Dorantes, LMSW; and Connecticut Department of Public Health Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Jody Terranova, among others.

About the Contest
Featuring the theme, “Be Creative and Spell Out #PreventionHappensHereCT,” the campaign is open to Connecticut youth groups (grades K-12). Students are encouraged to express the “#PreventionHappensHereCT” phrase using different media, including fence art, 3-D letters, drawing, sculpture, vegetables, and more.

Submissions will be posted on the NPW webpage and social media platforms.

Details about the contest can be found here.

More About National Prevention Week
National Prevention Week (NPW) is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental health and/or substance use disorders. Communities make prevention happen every day – not just during NPW – and NPW is the perfect time to promote and celebrate prevention activities and resources in our communities.

The three primary goals of National Prevention Week are to involve communities in raising awareness of substance use and mental health issues and in implementing prevention strategies, and showcasing effectiveness of evidence-based prevention programs; foster partnerships and collaborations with federal agencies and national organizations dedicated to improving public health; and promote and disseminate quality substance use prevention and mental health promotion resources and publications.

NPW in Connecticut is coordinated by a Planning Committee that is led by Wheeler’s Connecticut Clearinghouse and includes: Connecticut Clearinghouse, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), The Governor’s Prevention Partnership (GPP), the Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Service Center (TTASC), Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs), and Local Prevention Councils and other coalitions serving Connecticut communities.

Learn more about this observance here

Visit the Connecticut Prevention Week Facebook page by clicking here.

#PreventionHappensHereCT #CTPreventionWeek #NPW2023

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve. While the Department's prevention services serve all Connecticut citizens, its mandate is to serve adults (over 18 years of age) with psychiatric or substance use disorders, or both, who lack the financial means to obtain such services on their own. 

Connecticut Clearinghouse
Connecticut Clearinghouse is a statewide library and resource center for information on substance use and mental health disorders, prevention and health promotion, treatment and recovery, wellness, and other related topics. Materials from its specialized library and resource center are available to Connecticut families, teachers, students, professionals, communities, and children. A program of Wheeler’s Connecticut Center for Prevention, Wellness and Recovery, Connecticut Clearinghouse is funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. 

Change the Script Mobile Resource Van
The Change the Script mobile resource van is an element of the statewide opioid prevention campaign managed by Wheeler's Connecticut Clearinghouse and funded by DMHAS. The van includes materials on opioid and other drug prevention, treatment, and recovery resources, as well as a broad range of other mental health and wellness resources.

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