The Connecticut Coalition for the Advancement of Prevention's Top 10 Ways to Put a Face on Prevention

1. Establish a good working relationship with the media in your area. Contact them with positive prevention stories and data that clearly illustrate the value of prevention.
2. Get to know your local and state policy makers. Invite them to prevention activities. Thank them for their support of prevention efforts. Make your organization known, and keep them informed of your events, efforts and successes.
3. Become proficient in collecting, analyzing and distributing prevention outcome data. Move beyond simply collecting numbers of events and attendees to true outcome data that indicate the real value of your efforts.
4. Take photos that illustrate the importance of prevention activities. Buy a digital camera. Create an agency scrapbook and send the photos to local media. The power of a photo image cannot be overstated.
5. Use all available technologies, including the Internet, to get your prevention message out to the public. Create a website, or update your current site, to provide key outcome data and prevention success stories.
6. Take a course in media advocacy and become a proficient prevention advocate and spokesperson. Search the web for media advocacy sites, and learn more about effective strategies for community education.
7. Collect success stories. Ask prevention program participants to write a story or poem, create a video, or use the arts to express their feelings about your programs.
8. Visit Connecticut Clearinghouse for additional information on effective prevention practices and evidence-based programs. Learn to use SAMHSA's Prevention Platform located at http://preventionplatform.samhsa.gov/ .
9. Plan to attend trainings or other initiative events. For additional information, visit the Calendar and Course Offerings sections of this website, or call the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services at 860. 418.6729.
10. Form alliances. Become involved with the Connecticut Coalition for the Advancement of Prevention (CCAP) and other collaborative efforts to effectively put a face on prevention. For additional information, call DMHAS at 860.418.6729 or Connecticut Clearinghouse at 800.232.4424.

Relevant Links

Connecticut Coalition for the Advancement of Prevention