PreventionWorKS
Light lunch provided starting at 12:30 PM.
Kick off Advocacy Day with an energizing, hands-on workshop designed to sharpen your advocacy skills. You’ll learn how to craft powerful elevator speeches, share your prevention story effectively, present data that resonates with legislators, and network with prevention leaders across Kansas.
Kansas Prevention Advocacy Day
Put your skills into action! Start the morning at KHI with prep activities, then head to the Capitol for scheduled appointments with your legislators. This is your chance to share your voice, advocate for prevention, and help shape the future of Kansas policy.
Learn More
Teen Dating Violence Month
It is important for young adults to know the difference between a healthy, respectful relationship and one that is pushing boundaries.
Visit LoveIsRespect.org for resources on dating, personal safety, and supporting youth!
Light lunch provided starting at 12:30 PM.
Kick off Advocacy Day with an energizing, hands-on workshop designed to sharpen your advocacy skills. You’ll learn how to craft powerful elevator speeches, share your prevention story effectively, present data that resonates with legislators, and network with prevention leaders across Kansas.
Put your skills into action! Start the morning at KHI with prep activities, then head to the Capitol for scheduled appointments with your legislators. This is your chance to share your voice, advocate for prevention, and help shape the future of Kansas policy.
Learn More
It is important for young adults to know the difference between a healthy, respectful relationship and one that is pushing boundaries.
Visit LoveIsRespect.org for resources on dating, personal safety, and supporting youth!
The New Year is a great time to take a step back and examine your relationship with alcohol. Identify why you choose to drink, pay attention to how you feel, and prepare a plan for when the month is over.
If you feel dread, despair, or cynicism in the new year, it’s time to reframe your thoughts. Why not choose hope? Hope is the belief that things can improve, not blind optimism or ignoring problems.
How can mentoring change lives? Youth with a mentor are more likely to have better mental health, a strong sense of belonging, and hold a leadership position. This January is the perfect time to seek out a mentoring relationship.
Having a plan that includes a designated driver, a taxi or ride share, or an overnight stay at a friend’s home might save a life. Just a single drink can cause a decline in visual function, mental judgment and motor skills, resulting in driver impairment.
Everyone needs social connections to survive and thrive. Being alone may leave people more vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation, which can affect their health and well-being.
For many, the Holiday Season is exciting. But for others, it may cause anxiety, stress, or depression. There are ways to thrive during this season despite the challenges one may face.
November is Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month. Youth HOPE Month, formerly known as National Runaway Prevention Month, is a powerful opportunity to shine a light on youth homelessness, spark conversations, and take meaningful action to support youth in crisis.
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is an event in which survivors of suicide loss come together to find connection, understanding, and hope through their shared experience. This year, International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is Saturday, November 22, 2025.
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time. And a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one. Let the Great American Smokeout event on the third Thursday in November be your day to start your journey toward a smoke-free life!
October is National Substance Use Prevention Month, first recognized in 2011 to highlight the importance of prevention and the people who make it possible. It’s a time to honor lives lost to substance use, support those in recovery and their loved ones, and raise awareness about the risks of early substance use. Whether you’re a prevention professional, advocate, or someone with a story to share, your voice matters in building healthier communities.
This year’s theme, “Voices of Prevention: Sharing Stories; Creating Impact,” comes to life through the powerful stories of leaders working to create change in their communities.
“Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free.™” This inspiring theme highlights how every choice we make fits into the bigger picture—just like a puzzle coming together. It serves as a reminder that a drug-free lifestyle helps build a stronger, brighter future, one piece at a time.
“Voices of Prevention” amplifies the diverse stories, strengths, and solutions that drive suicide prevention forward. Throughout September, we honor lived experiences, promote healing, and empower communities to take action. By listening to voices of hope, strength, change, dignity, and purpose, we build a culture where mental health is prioritized, stigma is reduced, and lives are saved.
National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), which started in 1989, is observed every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery possible.
988 Day is September8th and is for showing up — and caring out loud.
Mental health matters. And 988 provides judgment-free support 24/7. On 9/8, help spread the word that help is just three numbers away.
Post. Share. Text. Check in. However you show up, it counts.
Need ideas? The 988 Day toolkit is live — packed with sample posts, graphics, and ways to get involved.
Compassionate Help. Anytime. Anywhere.
SPF Application for Prevention Success Training
August 26 – August 29, 2025
The KPC’s next SPF Application for Prevention Success Training (SAPST), an adapted version of SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training, will be taking place in Wichita in August! This upcoming training will be offered as a single event, split into multiple days, and we ask that all who register do so with the intent to attend all four training days.
This free training is a 4-day, 26-hour, in-person training and will be hosted at WSU Digital Research and Transformation Hub (4701 E 18th St N, Wichita, KS 67208).
August 26 – 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
August 27 – 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
August 28 – 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
August 29 – 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.
Register now and join us for an exciting week of prevention education: https://forms.office.com/r/yCZgxDba9v
Prior to the 4-day in-person training, participants will need to take a self-paced, online prerequisite course. This course may take between 1 and 4 hours. More information on this course will be sent to you after registration. Travel and lodging are the responsibility of the participant.
A certificate of participation will be provided for your completed hours of continuing prevention education (as many as 26!). Prevention hours for this training have been accepted by other professions in the past.
This August 31, we move beyond awareness. We organize, we show up, and we take action. Because no one should carry this grief alone. Every story shared, every voice raised, and every step we take brings us closer to a future free from overdose.
Together, we are making communities safer, more caring places to live. A national community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships.
MHA’s Supporting Young Minds Guides have been created to empower parents, caregivers, teachers, and others to provide support by fostering nonjudgmental environments where young people feel safe expressing themselves.
Kansas Prevention Ethics Virtual Training
Whether you need to keep current on your prevention professional certification or you’d like to learn more about the role and application of ethics in prevention work, this is the opportunity for YOU.
The Kansas Prevention Collaborative has adapted the previously 6.5-hour, in-person Ethics in Prevention (EIP) training event developed by SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) into an online training event based primarily on that same content.
“Kansas Prevention Ethics – Virtual” provides participants with an opportunity to explore the role and application of ethics in prevention work. Participants will explore practical information and guidance, engage in group discussions of key concepts, and practice using an action plan to facilitate future application in their prevention work. Participants will engage in interactive discussions about the six principles of SAMHSA’s Prevention Code of Ethics, and practice applying an ethical decision-making model to assess, address, and evaluate a range of ethical issues.
While this online version is NOT the same as the SAMHSA EIP training, it is based on this course that has been endorsed by the International Credentialing and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Certificates of Completion will be provided. We can offer no guarantees that Kansas Prevention Ethics – Virtual will meet various governing boards’ criteria for certification of ethics hours.
July 29 and 30, 2025
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (both days)
Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/V1un7CS0dy
PLEASE NOTE: Only register to attend if you can attend BOTH days’ 4-hour sessions. We are asking everyone planning to attend to respond by end of day on July 23, 2025.
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
MHA’s 2025 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit was designed to help individuals and organizations in communities of color turn awareness into action.
Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month is a time to recognize the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of people with disabilities. It affirms that disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity, not a deficit or condition to be fixed.
Self-Care Day
Self-care actions are habits, practices, and lifestyle choices – things that we can do to help look after ourselves and lead a healthier life. This symbolic day was chosen because self-care can be practiced “24 hours a day/7 days a week”.
We are excited to bring together prevention coalitions from across Kansas to share their experiences, insights, and impact. Join us June 11th by registering today!
Join us on June 25th at 11:30am for a virtual celebration of a decade of the Kansas Prevention Collaborative!
There are currently about 12 million people in the United States with PTSD.
Even though PTSD treatments work, most people who have PTSD don’t get the help they need. Help us spread the word that effective PTSD treatments are available.
Mental health is essential for overall well-being at every stage of life. Regardless of age, background, or experience, prioritizing mental health strengthens individuals, families, and communities.
Each year, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day (May 7) seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and show that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development.
National Prevention Week is a public education platform showcasing the work of communities and organizations nationwide that are preventing substance use and promoting positive mental health. This year, National Prevention Week will take place from May 11 to 17, 2025!
Reducing alcohol intake can boost energy, mental clarity, and well-being. “Taking Control; Thriving More” empowers individuals to make mindful choices and embrace a healthier life. Explore expert insights, resources, and strategies for cutting back or choosing sobriety—small changes can lead to big rewards. Start your journey today!
An alcohol screening tool helps you assess your drinking habits, identify potential risks, and gain insight into how alcohol impacts your life. It’s a private, non-judgmental way to increase awareness, motivate positive change, and connect with helpful resources if needed.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) is an annual event focused on the science of drug use and addiction that educates and empowers youth to make informed decisions about substance use and their health.
March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM), with the theme “Seeking Understanding,” highlighting problem gambling as a serious but misunderstood mental health condition while promoting player health in Kansas.
While the global day is Sunday, March 2nd, it is observed in schools on Monday, March 3rd, 2025. This day highlights the mental health challenges teens face, raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting access to support.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) is an annual event focused on the science of drug use and addiction that educates and empowers youth to make informed decisions about substance use and their health.
February 18, 2025
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Zoom
Discover key advocacy essentials and insider tips from passionate individuals, including Callie Dyer, Executive Director of Finney County Community Health Coalition/LiveWell Finney County, Carey Bush, Program Evaluator II, Learning Tree Institute, Greenbush, and DJ Gering, Public Health Analyst, CDC Foundation.
Join us in Topeka for a dynamic multi-day event where youth and adults come together to build a healthier Kansas through advocacy and connection. Let’s unite our efforts to normalize support-seeking by promoting healing, hope, and prevention strategies, inspiring everyone to overcome challenges related to mental health and substance misuse.
February 26, 2025
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Kansas Health Institute and Kansas State Capitol, 212 SW 8th Ave #300, Topeka, KS 66603
– Lunch will be provided
– Scheduled meetings with Elected Officials
Hear from legislators, a youth panel, and meet with your representatives. This event is designed to foster dialogue, build connections, and empower you to be an advocate for meaningful change in your community.
The New Year is a great time to reflect on your life and any changes you might want to make. It’s also an important time to check in on your friends and family, strengthening those connections and supporting each other. Building strong relationships can provide the encouragement and accountability you need to stick to your resolutions. Here’s how you can make them last.
Each January, National Mentoring Month is an opportunity to grow and celebrate mentoring relationships.
As the holidays end, millions of Americans give up alcohol during the month of January. Doing so can mean better sleep, more energy, and weight loss.
