Other LanguagesYakima - Hundreds of prevention and treatment professionals, educators, youth, and volunteers from around the state will gather at the Washington State Prevention Summit, Oct. 14-16, in Yakima to learn the latest information about substance abuse and other destructive behaviors and how to prevent these problems in their schools and communities.
Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna will serve as Master of Ceremonies and welcoming speaker at the Opening Celebration from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night.
McKenna will discuss prevention work in Washington and encourage the audience to participate in the “Let’s Draw the Line” campaign aimed reducing underage drinking by publicizing Washington’s new rules to reduce youth exposure to outdoor alcohol advertising, and the legal penalties for adults who provide alcohol to minors.
The Opening Celebration will feature a welcome dance by Many Feathers Performers and an opening keynote by Julie Marie Carrier, an award-winning national speaker on youth development, author of Be you tiful - Success Principles for Teens and teen success coach for MTV’s MADE -- positive goal setting show for teens.
The Summit’s theme is iPrevention: Imagining the Possibilities. Participants will learn how to create long-term, healthy changes in their families and communities by understanding the effects of unhealthy behaviors and learning how to provide culturally appropriate programs.
McKenna has been involved in the Washington Prevention Summit since 2008 when his office provided a $100,000 grant from a prescription drug settlement to underwrite a youth track for and scholarships to the summit. Since then his office has granted $100,000 each year for the 2009 and 2010 summits as well as $100,000 each spring since 2009 to fund the Spring Youth Forum where youth prevention teams convene to share their school- and community-based prevention projects with one another.
McKenna says he sees results. “Year after year, the kids involved prove that the Prevention Summit is an excellent investment into our schools and our communities,” he said.
What: Washington State Prevention Summit
When: Oct. 14 – 16
Where: Yakima, Wash.
Additional information from the Dept. of Social and Health Services:
Fran Harding, director of the federal Center for Mental Health Services, will give the adult keynote on Friday, Oct. 15, describing how the National Health Care Policy will impact the prevention field and how we can prepare our state for the future.
Lt. Governor Brad Owen will present Exemplary Prevention Awards at noon on Friday, honoring the following people and programs:
• Prevention Youth Project: Washington Drug Free Youth Project, Spokane
• Prevention Collaboration: Carol Hawk, Sedro Woolley
• Prevention Youth Leadership: Kent Police Youth Board, Kent
• Prevention Volunteer: S. Mitchell, Spokane Valley
• Prevention Youth Volunteer: White Swan Dream Makers, White Swan
• Lifetime Achievement: Gene Uno, Tacoma
• Lifetime Achievement: Julie Grevstad, Tacoma
Youth attending the Summit may participate in workshops on leadership skills, how to advocate for prevention, and project management. They will also participate in several community service projects in Yakima neighborhoods—and take part in the “Let’s Draw the Line” publicity event outside the Convention Center to raise awareness of Washington’s new rules to reduce youth exposure to outdoor alcohol advertising, and the legal penalties for adults who provide alcohol to minors.
The conference ends Saturday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. The summit is open to the public. To register and get additional information, visit www.preventionsummit.org. Attendees may also register at the event.
The prevention community in Washington state has been convening annually since the 1980s. The Prevention Summit is the only time the statewide prevention community comes together to share successes, learn new strategies, and network with a variety of people–including parents, children, teachers, law enforcement officials, prevention professionals, treatment providers, policy makers, college faculty, students and dedicated volunteers who are all interested in preventing substance abuse, violence and other destructive behaviors.
For more information about Washington’s new outdoor alcohol advertising rules, visit www.LetsDrawTheLine.org.
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Contact:
Janelle Guthrie, Communications Director, (360) 586-0725 or (360) 584-3046 (cell)