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 use and put prevention strategies in place.
Since 2006, thousands 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.
SAMHSA supports community-based organizations and institutes of higher education by providing prevention tools and planning stipends to help organizers plan, promote, conduct, and evaluate their activities. Youth-led activities and events are encouraged. The next Communities Talk cycle starts in January 2025!
Follow #CommunitiesTalk for the latest news, and if you’re interested in participating in 2025, email info@communities-talk.com.
Getting Started
Getting Started
The Planning Toolkit includes everything you need to know to begin organizing a prevention activity in your community. For more information about the Toolkit, email info@communities-talk.com.
Mini-Campaigns
Mini-Campaigns
Mini-campaigns provide prevention strategies for various audiences, including youth and young adults, parents/caregivers, and those who work with them such as prevention professionals, educators, and health care providers. Mini-campaigns are research-based and include tested messaging and tools.
Send questions and requests to SAMHSA’s Communities Talk coordinator Nelia Nadal at nelia.nadal@samhsa.hhs.gov or David Wilson at david.wilson@samhsa.hhs.gov.