Prevent went virtual. The global COVID-19 pandemic mobilized Prevent to become a fully virtual coalition. Trainings, meetings and ceremonies were held online, reaching more volunteers and engaging audiences in new ways.

Campaigns took new life. The Back to School Vaping Toolkit went digital, the Secure Your Cannabis campaign participated in a statewide evaluation, and the Find Your Good campaign became a community-connector with new partners. Prevent developed record-breaking media buys for tobacco cessation and opioid prevention. The Locks Save Lives campaign partnered with housing builders to install locking cabinets in homes.

Rural communities mobilized. Prevent hired new staff after received a Department of Health grant to develop a statewide coalition, the Rural Network. The team implemented a public health assessment of rural communities and began developing an online toolkit for rural professionals.

Innovation saved the day. Prevent created an online map of coalitions across the state, discovered tools for recognizing volunteers through video greetings, testified at the legislature through Zoom, and participated in national training academies online.

Communities connected. ESD 112 became the fiscal agent for West Van for Youth and the Unite! Washougal coalitions. With new grants awarded to coalitions across the region, seven new Coalition Coordinators were hired and the Southwest Region connected them as a virtual network of practitioners.