By hosting an event during NPW, you can help raise awareness about the importance of positive mental health and substance use prevention. SAMHSA is here to help. Access and download our Planning Toolkit for templates, tools, and support for participating. If you have questions about how, or when, to get involved, e-mail SAMHSA’s NPW coordinator David Wilson at david.wilson@samhsa.hhs.gov.
Don’t forget to register your event on the Community Events page to share your NPW activities.
Learn More About National Prevention Week
These resources provide you with more detail about the observance.
Plan Your Event
There are endless ways to bring NPW to your community. Get ideas for hosting an event that’s right for your community.
- Tips for Planning your Event (PDF | 191 KB)
- Event Planning Checklist (PDF | 280 KB)
- Virtual Events (PDF | 284 KB)
Promote Your Event
There are many ways to promote your NPW event—from traditional media outreach to social media engagement and local word-of-mouth. Use our promotional tools, organized by topic, to reach the right people in your community.
Tap Your Community
Tap your “inner circle” first, then expand to broader groups, like your mayor’s office, with a request to issue a proclamation about NPW. These resources will help you get started.
- Tips for Getting the Word Out (PDF | 200 KB)
- Tips for Writing a Proclamation (PDF | 162 KB)
- Sample Proclamation (DOC | 95 KB)
Get in the News
News stories about your organization, event, or how your prevention efforts tie to NPW are great hooks for the media. Before you reach out to the media in your community, check out some tips and templates and use our sample radio scripts for further exposure.
- Tips for Working with Media (PDF | 222 KB)
- Tips for Writing an Op-Ed (PDF | 157 KB)
- Sample Media Alert (DOC | 92 KB)
- Sample Press Release (DOC | 93 KB)
- Sample Radio Scripts (DOC | 91 KB)
Go Digital
Consider distributing promotional messages or images through multiple social media outlets—especially if you hope to involve youth or young adults. Here are some tips to get you started.
Get Visual
Another great way to capture widespread attention is through a video public service announcement (PSA). Learn more about developing and disseminating successful video PSAs.