Prevention First

This Sunday, September 20, marks National Addiction Professionals Day, honoring the people on the front lines of treatment, recovery, and prevention.

Prevention is often the quiet part of this work. It's the conversation before the crisis, the program that keeps a young person from ever needing treatment. That work deserves recognition too.

To everyone in this field, from counselors to prevention specialists to peer supporters: we see you, and we're grateful for what you do. ❤️‍🩹

For further information and resources, visit NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals at https://buff.ly/yVMDRux

Su***de often comes with warning signs, but they're not always easy to recognize.

This ***dePreventionMonth, we're breaking down what to look for: changes in what someone says, how they act, and how they're showing up in their own life.

Swipe through for the signs, how to respond if you notice them, and when a situation calls for immediate help.

Download the full resource: https://bit.ly/466t1BG

Why choose ? We asked last year's Connections in Prevention attendees about their biggest takeaways.

Their answers were pretty consistent: real connection with peers who understand the work, time to rest and recharge, and new data they could actually use back in their communities.

Swipe through to hear it in their own words, then join us for CIP2026 — October 29–30 in Springfield. ⭐️🗨️

Register today at bit.ly/CIP26Register

🚨 UPCOMING IN-PERSON TRAINING!

Join the Opioid Learning and Response Collaborative (OLRC) for Teen Intervene, a two-day, evidence-based SBIRT training for professionals in education, mental health, youth treatment, and juvenile justice.

📆 Wed, Sept 23 - Thurs, Sept 24
🕑️ 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
📍 Prevention First Chicago Branch Office

Learn to screen, intervene, and refer to treatment with a model built specifically for ages 12-19. Spots are open, register now!

🔗 https://bit.ly/3Vpkyaq

Su***de is preventable, and conversation is prevention. This World Su***de Prevention Day, Prevention First is calling on communities to change the narrative on su***de.

Myths and silence keep people from getting help. Openness and support save lives. Start the conversation today.

Resources available at prevention.org 🩵

Big changes are coming to Illinois h**p regulation.

Starting November 12, intoxicating h**p products like Delta-8 and THC-P (the kind you'll find at gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores) will be reclassified as cannabis. That means they'll move to licensed dispensaries and will only be sold to adults 21+.

Why it matters: right now, these products are easy for anyone to grab off a shelf, no ID required. Moving them into licensed dispensaries closes that gap and helps keep them out of the hands of youth.

Read the official announcement from Governor Pritzker's office: https://bit.ly/4h9TG6M

Questions? Feel free to leave a comment or email Prevention First's Cannabis Policy Resource Center (CPRC) at [email protected].

Recovery isn't just one path. For some people it's clinical treatment and medication. For others it's peer support, faith, family, or reconnecting with their culture. For a lot of people, it's several of these at once.

During , check out SATAC's Recovery Resource Guide, which covers the many pathways to recovery and how communities can support them.

Swipe through for a quick breakdown or visit https://bit.ly/4zVoIXy to dig a little deeper.

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🔟/🔟 habits that double as a sneak peek into our workshop sessions, for anyone in the business of helping communities thrive.

We're talking real strategies, not just theory, on building trust with youth and rethinking what prevention could look like.

It's all waiting for you at Connections in Prevention 2026. October 29-30 in Springfield. Save your spot at bit.ly/CIP26Register ⭐️

During ***dePreventionMonth, we'll be platforming the conversations that count: what puts people at risk, what protects them, and what you can actually do when someone you love is struggling.

All September long, we'll be sharing resources to help you show up for the people around you. Because su***de is preventable, and we all have a role to play. 🩵🎗️

Feeling the heat? Illinois is currently facing a heat advisory, with heat index values reaching up to 105 in parts of the state. Temperatures like this don't just wear on your body; they wear on your mind, too.

Swipe through for what to watch for and how to stay safe, physically and mentally, while this heat sticks around.

☀️ For further information & resources, visit: https://bit.ly/4xwZ8Gx