National Learning to Strengthen Local Prevention

Feb 5, 2026

From February 2nd to 5th, our coalition coordinator attended the CADCA National Leadership Forum in Washington, DC, joining prevention leaders from across the country for several days of learning, collaboration, and inspiration.

At the forum, she explored the most recent trends in youth substance use and mental health, learned new strategies for addressing opioid use among Native youth, and gained deeper insight into how epigenetics can influence substance use risk and resilience. She was also exposed to innovative approaches for strengthening family and caregiver engagement and learned new ways artificial intelligence can be used to enhance prevention planning, messaging, and evaluation.

These takeaways will help strengthen and inform our coalition’s work as we continue supporting prevention efforts and positive community norms here in White Swan.