Our Mission:
To prevent and reduce youth substance abuse in Washakie County by working together with parents, youth, educators, law enforcement, health and mental health professionals, youth serving organizations, local businesses, and many others who believe in the goal of a drug free community.
What we do:
Every month, community members from all over Washakie County gather together to learn about and find solutions to our growing youth substance abuse problems. Our community-focused approach brings together parents, youth, educators, law enforcement, health and mental health professionals, youth serving organizations, and many others to identify ways we can work together to impact these issues. All are welcome to join these efforts! To get involved, contact us HERE.
The mission of the Washakie Prevention Coalition (WPC) is to utilize community-wide collaboration to develop and implement effective strategies for preventing and reducing youth substance abuse in Washakie County.
The WPC invites participation, feedback and support from all community members as we work to benefit the youth in our community. The WPC includes:
Parents, Youth, School District, Law Enforcement, County Attorney’s Office, Department of Family Services, Youth Alternatives, Public Health, Counseling Services, Local Businesses, Youth Serving Organizations, and Civic/Volunteer Organizations.
Our Work:
In addition, smaller work groups meet when needed to address specific issues or strategies:
Parent Engagement Workgroup: focuses on strategies to engage and support parents in preventing adn reducing youth substance abuse.
Contact: Sheri Gunderson – wcya1@washakiecounty.net
Faith Community Engagement Workgroup: Focuses on strategies to engage and support the faith community in preventing and reducing substance Abuse.
Contact: Sarah Garcia – sgarcia@washakiecounty.net
Drug Free Community Walk/Run Workgroup: focuses on planning and implementing the community walk/run held in the Spring to help raise awareness and funds for the coalition.
Contact: Lila Jolley – wcprevention@washakiecounty.net
Data Workgroup: focuses on collecting and using data the the coalition can use to help choose the right strategies for our county’s youth.
Contact: Sheri Gunderson – wcya1@washakiecounty.net
PCF Workgroup: for attendees of June’s Positive Culture Framework training who are interested in helping ensure effective implementation of that process.
Contact: Sheri Gunderson – wyca1@washakiecounty.net
To get involved in these or other specific issues or strategies relating to youth substance abuse in Washakie County, contact us HERE.
Youth Coalition:
Washakie County’s youth coalition members (such as Ten Sleep youth leaders, Worland High School’s W-Club and Worland Middle School’s Brave Club members) are an essential part of the Washakie Prevention Coalition. Through the youth coalition, youth members use role modeling, substance-free events and other strategies to lead their peers in creating a drug-free community. The youth coalition primarily meets separately from the larger coalition, but WPC meetings also benefit from youth attendance and feedback to ensure the work of the wider coalition is relevant and effective.
Strategies identified by the Washakie Prevention Coalition are supported by a Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant from the President’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and by a County Prevention grant from the Wyoming Department of Health, Public Health Division (WDH-PHD).
The DFC grant has two major goals:
1.) Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private nonprofit agencies, and Federal, State, local and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
2.) Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.
The County Prevention grant addresses five of Wyoming’s top priorities (underage alcohol and youth marijuana use, adult overconsumption of alcohol, tobacco use, opioid/prescription drug misuse/abuse and other drugs, and suicide) and provides opportunities and additional resources to Counties to implement data-driven and evidence-based substance abuse and suicide prevention plans that positively impact substance use and mental health.
Download our printable brochure
Download our Winter ’24 Newsletter
Download our Summer ’23 Newsletter
Download our Winter ’23 Newsletter
Download our Fall ’22 Newsletter
Download our Summer ’22 Newsletter
Download our Spring ’22 Newsletter
Download our Winter ’21-’22 Newsletter
Download our Fall ’21 Newsletter
Download our Summer 2021 Newsletter
