Communities Talk to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse
Communities can move mountains when they talk, share, and take action to prevent alcohol and other drug misuse. Each year, community-based organizations of all kinds—including local chapters of national organizations, community and youth-led coalitions, colleges, and universities nationwide—hold creative events and activities that mobilize their communities to both learn about substance misuse and put prevention strategies in place.
Since 2006, more than 11,000 of these activities have been held across the country, supported by SAMHSA planning stipends that can go a long way in making the activities more strategic, collaborative, well-attended, and impactful.
Learn more at StopAlcoholAbuse.gov, follow #CommunitiesTalk for the latest news, and sign up for the email newsletter for updates.
Getting Started
Getting Started
The Quick Start Planning Guide includes everything community-based organizations and institutions of higher education need to know to begin organizing a results-oriented substance misuse prevention activity.
Mini-Campaigns
Mini-Campaigns
SAMHSA is focusing on prevention among young adults ages 18 to 25, also defined as transition-age youth, who are not attending a four-year college. This group is at high risk for substance use—particularly alcohol and marijuana use.
Tips and Resources
Tips and Resources
There are many tools, insights, and resources available to help activity hosts identify and meet their prevention goals through Communities Talk.
Success Stories
Success Stories
Success Stories demonstrate how Communities Talk activities are working across the country and how other communities are measuring their success.
Send questions and requests to SAMHSA’s Communities Talk coordinator Marion Pierce at marion.pierce@samhsa.hhs.gov or David Wilson at david.wilson@samhsa.hhs.gov.