Celebrating and Commemorating
Black History Month
Every February in the United States, we acknowledge Black Americans’ countless sacrifices and struggles. While no one month can capture all that should be recognized about Black and African American people, there is a reason Black History Month is celebrated in February. According to archives of the NAACP, Carter G. Woodson was devoted to “showcasing the contributions of Black Americans and launched Negro History Week in the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.” The weeklong effort was intended to encourage coordinated teaching of Black history among public school systems. Woodson’s concept was expanded when, in 1969, the Black United Students at Kent State University in Ohio proposed expanding the celebration to a month. With support from President Gerald Ford, the federal government officially recognized Black History Month in 1976.
Check out the resources Prevention First’s Reimagine Youth Development team identified below.
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Save the Date! “Connections in Prevention” Conference
Prevention First is excited to announce that we will host the Connections In Prevention Conference!
Join Prevention First September 25-27, 2024, at the Chicago Marriott Naperville for the Connections in Prevention Conference. The agenda will include a pre-conference program, keynotes, workshops, a youth track, and networking opportunities for anyone working across the continuum of care. Programming and registration information will be available soon. Sign up to receive conference updates. We hope to see you there!
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Alcohol Misuse as a Risk Factor for Gun Violence Webinar
The Alcohol Misuse as a Risk Factor for Gun Violence webinar will take place on Tuesday, February 20th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Central). This webinar will be facilitated by Joshua Horwitz and Silvia Villarreal from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Consortium for Risk-Based Firearm Policy. Alcohol use and gun violence are leading causes of preventable injury and death in the United States. These issues are most deadly when they intersect with one another. This webinar will discuss research and policy recommendations from the report "Alcohol Misuse and Gun Violence: An Evidence-Based Approach" pointing to alcohol misuse as a risk factor for all forms of gun violence, including homicides and suicides, confirming the urgent need to adopt evidence-based policies that address this troubling link.
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The Alcohol Policy Resource Center can assist with how to analyze your data, scan your community, and match policy/strategy to assessment findings. If you have any questions or need more information, please reach out to Jody Heavilin. | | |
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The Illinois Youth Survey Administration is Underway!
Over 600 schools have already registered to participate in the 2024 Illinois Youth Survey. Is your school one of them? Check the school participation page of the Illinois Youth Survey website. If your school still needs to register, there is still time!
Online Training Spotlight: Do you still have questions about the IYS or how to recruit your schools? The online self-paced Promoting the Illinois Youth Survey to Schools training can help. This training will build participants’ knowledge and skills to promote the administration of the Illinois Youth Survey (IYS) to schools in their service area. Participants will learn strategies to promote the IYS to schools and obtain schools’ commitment to administer the survey, as well as strategies for building relationships and overcoming barriers to participation.
New resource for teens. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has recently launched Facts About Teen Drinking – a web resource for teens that features research-based information on underage drinking. It includes information on how alcohol adversely affects the body, how binge drinking can lead to injuries and other negative consequences, how to identify signs of an alcohol-related problem, and where to get help when needed.
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New Resources Available Online!
The YPRC has been hard at work creating and uploading new resources onto our webpage. We invest significant resources to be responsive to the needs of our youth and support healthy decision-making, supporting both those who work with youth and the youth themselves.
New resources are found in our webpage’s Youth Leadership Development, Mental Health and Wellness, and Substance Misuse categories. Explore our page and download any resources that may be useful to you for free today!
As always, we can help you and your coalitions with training and technical assistance. The YPRC is committed to providing training opportunities reflecting best practices on strategies proven to reduce risk factors associated with underage substance misuse. We create in-house training and collaborate with subject matter experts to deliver dynamic and impactful presentations that meet the needs of our audiences.
The YPRC partners with youth leadership groups across Illinois to create and provide personalized training to enhance their programming. We also offer training to increase protective factors for youth, such as Mental Health First Aid for Youth and Adults. To discuss your group’s training needs or to get assistance creating a personalized training presentation, email Bryant Laiche, YPRC Administrator.
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Black History Month 2024
Each year, The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) puts into the national spotlight the richness of the past and present with an eye toward what the future will bring by deciding on the theme for Black History Month. ASALH dedicates its 98th Annual Black History Theme to African Americans and the arts. For centuries, Western intellectuals denied or minimized the contributions of people of African descent to the arts and history.
Celebrate with the Reimagine Youth Development Training and Technical Assistance Team by learning about and sharing the contributions of Black Americans. For more information about the Reimagine Youth Development Team at Prevention First, please email us at rydteam@prevention.org.
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For Children
For Adults
For Parents and Teachers
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Places to Visit
Things to Do
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Register Now for the Alternatives to Suspension for Cannabis Vaping webinar!
On February 6 from 10 am to 11 am, the CPRC will host Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher from the Stanford REACH Lab for the “Alternatives to Suspension for Cannabis Vaping” webinar.
Vaping has become a significant public health concern, and youth using on-campus challenges schools and communities to create effective policies and response strategies. When intervention is warranted, alternatives to suspension programs have been shown to have a more significant effect than removing students from school. This webinar will describe the frameworks of alternatives to suspension programs, demonstrate their effectiveness, and display Stanford REACH’s cannabis vaping alternatives to suspension program, Healthy Futures. Register here!
CEUs will be offered, and the webinar will be recorded and posted if you cannot attend live.
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Register now for the Free Recovery Empowered Language Webinar Series Sessions Two and Three!
The Prevention First Leadership Center is hosting a free three-part series facilitated by Patti Heffernan. Patti is a person with lived experience in the foster system and juvenile justice system. This experience brings a unique perspective to finding sustainable systemic solutions. Through powerful storytelling coupled with state and federal data on the current systems in place, Patti illuminates how these systems are counter-productive to the goal we all want to achieve.
Participants will learn how the language commonly used in treatment and recovery has negatively shaped public perception and alternative terminology that the field could employ. This series offers strategies within programs and the community to encourage a more person-centered mindset about addiction and recovery.
Attendance isn’t required at all three webinars, so if you couldn’t attend session one, you can still register for sessions 2 and 3! You must register for all sessions separately to obtain CEUs for all sessions. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us! Register now! CEUs Available.
Session Two: February 14th, 2024, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Topic: Recovery-empowered language within organizations and professional workplaces
Session Three: February 28th, 2024, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Topic: Recovery-empowered language in the public and media
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How Parents Can Support Their Children’s Mental Health
While it is essential for parents to mind their mental health, they must also prioritize their children’s mental health. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, the rates of depression and anxiety among youth aged 3-17 dramatically increased over the past decade. Data from the survey suggests a 27% increase in anxiety and a 24% increase in depression between 2016 and 2019. It is worth noting that these increases occurred before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite these increases, 60% of youth diagnosed with major depression do not receive mental health treatment, according to Mental Health America’s The State of Mental Health in America 2023 report.
Parents can feel empowered to support their children’s mental health. First, parents need to be able to identify signs of mental health challenges. Some common signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in children include:
- Persistent sadness
- Withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions
- Avoiding school or changes in academic performance
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Drastic changes in mood, behavior, or personality
- Frequent headaches or stomachaches

Most importantly, parents know their children best and should follow their instincts. Parents are encouraged to check in with their children regularly and talk openly about mental health challenges. Without judgment, parents can share the observable changes in behavior and help educate their children on normal versus abnormal development. Consulting with a child’s school, other caregivers, and friends may help identify patterns of concern. Discuss any significant changes or concerns immediately with your child’s primary healthcare provider.

In addition to early detection, early intervention is vital in helping prevent long-term mental health challenges. Seeking help from a mental health professional and other supports like coaches, clergy, or youth leaders may help resolve a mental health challenge before it escalates into a more considerable concern.
Source: Reinert, M, Fritze, D. & Nguyen, T. (October 2022). “The State of Mental Health in America 2023” Mental Health America, Alexandria VA.
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Southern Illinois Drug Awareness Conference Registration Now Open!
Southern Illinois University will be hosting the Southern Illinois Drug Awareness Conference at the SIU Carbondale Student Center March 13-14, 2024. This two-day seminar provides an opportunity to bring local agencies together to discuss the intersectionality of substance misuse, mental health, and homelessness issues that southern Illinois is experiencing. Many community stakeholders will be presenting solutions that are being implemented. Participant, vendor, and sponsor registration forms are available online.
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FentAlert: Empowering Youth for Safer Choices - SAMHSA Fentanyl Awareness Youth Challenge

SAMHSA has issued a challenge to America’s youth: Help raise awareness about fentanyl and reduce teen overdose deaths. “FentAlert: Empowering Youth for Safer Choices” is a fentanyl awareness youth challenge to develop a community strategy to educate their peers about fentanyl and fake pills ― and prevent drug overdose deaths.
The top 6 ideas will be awarded a $5,000 prize each, and up to 25 youth will receive a $2,000 honorable mention prize. Submissions are due by February 26, 2024.
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