Vision: A united and engaged community that supports prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery of substance use disorder.
The Fayette Prevention Coalition is an opportunity for individuals and organizations to come together to work on the issues created in Fayette County surrounding the drug epidemic.
03/24/2026
✨️Thankful for the wonderful opportunity to present at WV Professional Development Day with WV Prevention Solutions.
🌟We’re closing out the day with something powerful!🌟
The Fayette County Prevention Coalition is taking the stage to share how they built and strengthened their community coalition across the full continuum of care—from prevention to treatment and recovery.
They're providing real-world insight, practical strategies, and an inspiring look at what it takes to create lasting impact in a community.
03/24/2026
👉Our March coalition meeting is next Tuesday! See you then. Lunch will be provided and all are welcome.
03/20/2026
✨ FREE Field Day for All Ages! ✨
Looking for something fun to do? We’ve got you covered! 🎉
📅 March 28
⏰ 2–5 PM
📍 Midland Trail Community Center
Join the for an afternoon full of games, activities, and good times for ALL ages 💛
Bring your friends, your family, and your energy — let’s make it a day full of fun, connection, and healthy activities you can feel good about!
Come out and play… we’ll see you there! 🌟
03/20/2026
***This graphic originates outside the organization
Talking about va**ng with teens doesn’t have to be a big, uncomfortable lecture. In fact, the best conversations often happen in small, everyday moments.
Kids are usually more open when things feel natural and connected. Try starting a conversation when you:
- Notice va**ng in a TV show, movie, or social media clip
- Pass a v**e shop, gas station, or convenience store display
- Hear about va**ng at school, sports practice, or from friends
- See va**ng mentioned in the news or online
- Spend time together walking the dog, driving, or doing something side by side
Simple moments like these can open the door to honest conversations that help teens think ahead and make healthier choices.
You don’t need the perfect speech. Curiosity, listening, and a willingness to talk can go a long way.
Learn more about the risks of va**ng and how to start the conversation at link in comments.
03/17/2026
Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🍀! As you plan your parties 🎉, make sure to plan for those who may not be drinking, including underaged youth.
Check out 📲 this helpful guide from The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for tips on hosting parties with nondrinkers.
Learn more about how to talk with your kids about the dangers of underage drinking and other drug use with SAMHSA ’s 💬 campaign.
03/13/2026
Next week is Brain Awareness Week, a perfect opportunity to help kids understand how their developing brain works and why protecting it matters. Check out our newest blog for ways to incorporate some brain awareness into your lesson plans! https://bit.ly/46XMFk7
03/13/2026
03/11/2026
Tonight at the Board of Education meeting, we recognized some of the wonderful Read Aloud Coordinators for their dedication to promoting literacy in our schools. 📚
Their time, enthusiasm, and commitment help foster a love of reading in our schools. Thank you for the meaningful difference you make for our students and school community!
03/10/2026
Help support your child's mental health with these 10 questions from NAMI 👉
03/09/2026
🧠 THC & the Teenage Brain 🌱
Your brain is still under construction until your mid-20s. During the teen years, it’s building and strengthening important connections that control memory, decision-making, emotions, focus, and motivation.
THC (the main psychoactive chemical in ma*****na products) can interfere with that development. Here’s how:
🧠 Memory & Learning – THC can affect the hippocampus, making it harder to form new memories and retain information.
🎯 Attention & Focus – Regular use can make concentrating in class or during activities more difficult.
📉 Motivation – Some teens report lower drive or interest in goals and hobbies.
😟 Mental Health – THC use during adolescence has been linked to increased risk of anxiety, depression, and in some individuals, psychosis — especially with frequent or high-potency products.
🔌 Brain Wiring – The teen brain naturally “prunes” and strengthens important neural connections. THC can disrupt this process, affecting how efficiently the brain communicates.
The good news? Most teens choose not to use THC — and that choice protects their brain, their goals, and the things they love. 💛
Your brain is powerful and still growing. Protect it.
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West Virginia is leading the county in overdose deaths, Hepatitis B & C, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and grandfamilies (children being raised by their grandparents). If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. We have many great things going on here in Fayette County, however, those things are working independently. It is our hope to coordinate those initiatives so that the programs can collaborate to bring about community level change. Instead of saving a child or a person suffering from substance use disorder, change the system so that children, families and people suffering from addiction can get the support they need to reach their full potential.
In an effort to do that, we have created a substance use disorder coalition to fight the problems caused by drugs in our area called the Fayette County Substance Use Disorder Task Force. We have been meeting since May of 2018.
We are currently following the Strategic Prevention Framework that is recommended by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to be effective in the prevention of substance abuse issues. The strategic prevention framework includes a 5-step process: Assessment, Capacity Building, Planning, Intervention and Evaluation. It includes multiple sectors of society including: Youth, Parents, Business Community, Media, Schools, Youth-serving organizations, Law enforcement agencies, Religious or fraternal organizations, Civic and volunteer groups, Healthcare professionals, government and other organizations involved in reducing substance abuse and its effects. This process can sometimes take a decade to go all the way through. We don’t have a decade. We have people ready to move now.
We have administered a short survey, as an assessment of the situation and are currently trying to build capacity by inviting individuals to serve on subcommittees that address the continuum of care, which are Prevention, Intervention, Treatment and Recovery. The next step is to create a comprehensive plan that incorporates the 7 strategies to affect community level change, which include: Provide information, Enhance Skills, Provide Support, Enhance Access/Reduce Barriers, Change Consequences, Change Physical Design and Modify/Change Policies.
Before we can create that comprehensive plan, we need to have an accurate account of what is already going on and available in Fayette County.
Our meetings are held at the NRHA Robinson Annex at 61 Sutphin Lane, Scarbro, West Virginia.
Please let me know if you would like to know more or would like to get involved in this initiative. Carri.Strunk@nrhawv.org or 304-619-2126
If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, please click, call or text
