Advocacy Week

Supporting Prevention Virtually

What is Advocacy?

To advocate is to publicly support a cause. (To see the difference between advocacy and lobbying, click here.)

In substance abuse prevention advocacy, we keep track of substance-related legislation and raise awareness regarding areas of concern. Advocacy Week provides an avenue for prevention professionals and Coalition members to talk with our Senators and State Representatives about the issues that are important to us.

All around the U.S., youth interested in law, healthcare, or politics often get involved in advocacy. They participate in Advocacy Week, provide testimony to decision-makers, perform research, co-lead youth Coalition meetings, and promote public health messages in media.

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How will it look this year?

We’re used to seeing Advocacy Day roll around annually, but this year it’s expanding to Advocacy Week. Due to Covid-19, instead of traveling to Columbus, we will be meeting with our legislators virtually.

This year, we will share our city and county data from the Youth Asset and Substance Use Survey (YASUS) to discuss the ways our Coalition is positively impacting the community, as well as areas of needed growth.

For example, by the time they are 17 years old, 25% of Wayne County youth have drunk alcoholic beverages and 18% have vaped. Additionally, 24% reported that it is easy or very easy to get alcohol as a youth, and 22% said the same about vapes (Wayne County YASUS 2019).

The good news is that communities with prevention Coalitions see a decrease in youth substance use (see the report here). It’s important that our legislators know the positive effect we have city and countywide.

Advocacy Day 2020: Coalition members with Ohio Senator Kristina Roegner

Main Issue Discussed: Adding a line item in the state budget specifically for prevention

Covid and Substance Use News:

January 11, 2021: Ohio’s Overdose Rate spiked in 2020

Read more>>>

Ohio Opioid Overdose Deaths

Chart from Ohio Attorney General

In Wayne County, we saw a similar spike. Our 2020 overdose death rate was 10.48 per 100,000 people:

Data provided by Heat Map

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or substance misuse, get help now:

• OneEighty
• Mental Health and Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties (MHRB)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Wayne and Holmes Counties
• United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties

Thank you for being a vital part of our community!

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Our mailing address is:
CIRCLE Coalition
c/o 104 Spink St.
Wooster, OH 44691

coalitionscommunication@gmail.com