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 action-oriented. Youth-led events are among the most impactful of these activities and are encouraged.

In addition to the planning stipends, SAMHSA provides planning and promotion tools to help organizers design, promote, conduct, and evaluate their activities.

SAMHSA has distributed all of the planning stipends for the 2025 Communities Talk cycle. You are encouraged to hold prevention activities in your community and use Communities Talk resources to support your efforts.

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