Substance use disorders are both preventable and treatable. Prevention is a critical component to reducing substance use at the national, state, and local levels because disorders can begin in adolescence.
The New Vista Regional Prevention Center offers educational programs, alcohol, tobacco, and substance use training, and resources to promote mental health and reduce youth substance use and suicide across 17 counties in the Bluegrass region. We work to identify strengths and gaps to identify new opportunities for collaboration between schools, businesses, and community organizations. Our purpose is to build healthier communities.
Click here for a summary of prevention programs that can be planned and implemented in your community. To request prevention consultation for your program or organization, email [email protected]. We are here to help.
Our Programs
Community Prevention Specialists
New Vista provides specialized prevention services to every community in our 17-county service area. Each county in our service area is assigned a prevention specialist. Their role is to assist with promotion and prevention work at the local level. They can assist in assessing needs, building community capacity, and planning and implementing effective substance use and suicide prevention programming. To contact the prevention specialist in your county email [email protected].
Dinner Table Project
The basic idea is families that eat together have better relationships. When youth have better relationships with their parents and siblings they are less likely to use alcohol or drugs. Then we found out when families share meals together, children have better academic performance, higher self-esteem, a greater sense of resilience, lower risk of teen pregnancy, lower risk of depression, lower rates of obesity. We encourage families to have one device-free meal together each week. To find out more and get your Dinner Table Project Box, email [email protected].
Kentucky Moms Maternal Assistance Toward Recovery (MATR)
The focus of Kentucky Moms MATR is to reduce maternal substance use by improving the health of mothers and their babies. This program provides prenatal education classes and case management services. Click here to learn more.
Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention
Question, Persuade, and Refer are three simple steps that can help save a life. New Vista has certified QPR trainers who can teach the QPR method to anyone in a position to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide. Visit prinstitute.com to learn more. If you are interested in having New Vista present a QPR training to your group email [email protected].
Too Good for Drugs
Skills development is at the core of Too Good for Drugs, a universal K-12 prevention education program designed to mitigate the risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Sources of Strength
A best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The goal of Sources of Strength is to prevent suicide by increasing help-seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults.
Code Red
Being prepared for a mental health crisis is something that all people should plan for. This workshop walks participants through creating a safety plan that they can have for their “very worst day.” The one-hour workshop can be adapted for both adults and youth and will ask participants to identify someone they can reach out to, and ways they can distract themselves until the crisis passes.
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.
Catch My Breath
CATCH My Breath’s peer-led teaching approach empowers students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about e-cigarettes and resist social pressures to vape. Informed by tobacco youth prevention researchers and practitioners, years of real world implementation, and a youth advisory board, it is the only school-based vaping prevention program proven to reduce the likelihood of vaping among youth. The New Vista Prevention center can train interested people to deliver this curriculum in their school settings.
Parents Against Vaping and Prime for Life-Zero Tolerance (PAVe)
The New Vista prevention center offers the PAVe Parent Training to parents, caretakers, teachers, and other adult stakeholders. It covers health harms, causes of the youth vaping crisis and reasons teens vape, signs and devices to recognize, as well as tips, resources, and support to help children avoid or quit using tobacco products. The youth vaping epidemic is urgent and evolving. PAVe is the parent voice on this issue. There is a huge information gap to bridge among parents, educators, and other adults to better prepare them to support kids to avoid or quit vaping.
Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC)
ROSC is a coalition of local agencies, nonprofits, physicians, and substance use treatment providers that works with substance-exposed infants, pregnant women and families to find the recovery system and supports they need within their local community. Click here to visit the ROSC website to find services and learn more.
Youth Empowerment
We coordinate activities and leadership opportunities for youth in our communities. Our Youth Empowerment Specialist collaborates with school Family Resource and Youth Service Center coordinators around the region to build youth groups and coalitions, along with creating youth summits region-wide.
Zero Tolerance Education Program
Education classes are held in Lexington for individuals under 21 who have been charged with underage drinking and driving. Participants are referred by the court system and complete a screening assessment to determine eligibility for the program. To request prevention consultation for your program or organization, email [email protected]. We are here to help.
