Take the Pledge – The National Prevention Week Pledge

Take the National Prevention Week Pledge

National Prevention Week is a new annual health observance supported by SAMHSA that celebrates the work that community organizations and individuals do year-round to prevent substance abuse and promote mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being.

National Prevention Week starts today, May 20, and continues through May 26, 2012, and this year’s theme is We are the ones. How are you taking action? Here’s the week’s celebrations at a glance:

Everyone can play a role in prevention.

Small actions can make a big difference! You can help prevent substance abuse and promote mental health in your own life and the lives of those in your community by participating in the “Prevention Pledge” and taking one or more of the following actions:

• Talk to others about the prevention of substance use and the promotion of mental, emotional and behavioral well-being.
• Attend a National Prevention Week 2012 event.
• Host a drug- and alcohol-free party or event.
• Learn about and support suicide prevention programs such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK [8255]) and the Trevor Project .
• Encourage your children, friends and/or family members to improve their mental, emotional, and behavioral health by promoting rest, a healthy diet, physical exercise, and time outdoors.
• Point loved ones in the direction of resources that can help them improve their mental, emotional and behavioral well-being.
• Talk with a friend or loved one who has been having a difficult time and discuss things that are bothering him/her.
• Be a role model in your community by abstaining from alcohol abuse and illicit drug use.
• Volunteer with a community program or organization that provides support for at-risk populations such as youth, Tribal communities, and military families.
• Encourage your local school district to implement an alcohol and substance use prevention program and provide programs to promote students’ mental health.
• Spread the prevention message online by posting about and linking to National Prevention Week 2012 on your Facebook and Twitter pages, and on your blog or Web site.
• Encourage friends, family, neighbors, and loved ones to sign the Prevention Pledge!

Visit SAMHSA’s Facebook page to take the “Prevention Pledge,” and make a difference in your community!

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Lisa Frederiksen

Lisa Frederiksen is the author of nine books and a national keynote speaker with over 25 years public speaking experience. She has been consulting, researching, writing and speaking on alcohol abuse, drug addiction, secondhand drinking, treatment, mental illness, underage drinking, and help for the family since 2003. Her 40+ years experience with family and friends’ alcohol abuse and alcoholism, her own therapy and recovery work around those experiences, and her research for her blog posts and books, including her most recent - "Crossing The Line From Alcohol Use to Abuse to Dependence," "Loved One In Treatment? Now What!" and "If You Loved Me, You’d Stop!" - frame her work with medical school students, families, individuals, students and administrators, businesses, public agencies, social workers, family law attorneys, treatment providers and the like.

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