Department of Health, Department of Health Facilities, and Department of Human Services

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Bureau for Behavioral Health (BBH) joins the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to celebrate National Prevention Week (NPW) May 8-14, 2022.  NPW is a national public education platform for communities and organizations to raise awareness on the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health. 

“Prevention is an integral part of the behavioral health continuum of care,” said Christina Mullins, Commissioner of DHHR’s Bureau for Behavioral Health. “Throughout the state, certified prevention specialists work with community partners to strengthen communities and reduce risks related to substance misuse and substance use disorder.  This work is critical to build resilience and help break the cycle of substance use.” 

West Virginia’s commemoration of NPW includes a proclamation from Governor Jim Justice, resource sharing on effective substance use prevention and mental health promotion, and special events:

• May 10, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. —“Listening to WV Youth” webinar, with highlights from focus groups of youth ages 15-20, funded through BBH’s SAMHSA Partnerships for Success grant. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtualprevention-learning-series-tickets-115528800753

• May 12-13 – Science of Prevention Conference at the Resort at Glade Springs, featuring keynote speaker Tahnee Bryant, BBH Program Manager and the state’s National Prevention Network representative. https://muprevention.org/2022-spring-prevention-conference/

BBH funds the state’s substance use prevention infrastructure through the SAMHSA Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) and discretionary grants. BBH-led prevention publications, including the state’s Prevention Strategic Plan and Prevention Guide, are available at https://helpandhopewv.org/media.html.