Every day, prevention staff across Virginia are proving that proactive steps can change lives. New data from the 2024–2025 Substance Use Prevention Block Grant Annual Report shows that prevention is not only effective, it is helping communities grow stronger, healthier, and more informed.
CSBs across the Commonwealth reached thousands of residents this past year through coalition building, mental health and suicide prevention trainings, youth engagement, merchant education, and targeted messaging around emerging issues like cannabis and problem gambling. These efforts are making a measurable difference in the lives of community members. Youth access to substances is declining, community partners are more engaged, and more Virginians than ever are equipped with the skills to recognize and respond to behavioral health concerns.
- 42,195 Lock and Talk safety devices distributed across VA to reduce access to lethal means.
- 9,296 people trained in Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, QPR, and safeTALK this year.
- Suicide prevention trainings contributed to a rise in young adults who know how to access mental health resources, from 77 percent in 2022 to 83 percent in 2024.
Prevention also works because it adapts. Whether expanding Lock and Talk outreach, translating materials for diverse communities, or training young people to support their peers, CSBs are reshaping prevention to meet needs in real time.
This year’s report shows one thing clearly. Prevention is not just an investment in programs. It is an investment in people, families, and communities. When we commit to prevention, we create safer, more connected, and more resilient places to live.