Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative

In 2011, the division of Behavorial Health and Recovery launched the Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI) to provide substance abuse prevention services and strategies through local coalitions in high-need communities. Communities have proven to be an effective organizing force for bringing evidence-based policies and programs to scale, improving public health.

Through partnerships with counties and school districts across Washington, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Educational Service Districts, CPWI is implemented statewide in:

  • 100 communities

  • all 39 counties

  • all 9 Educational Service Districts

Take a look at our 2024 Strategic Plan!

(Coming Soon)

Proof Prevention Works.

Over 60 prevention programs and policies have been shown through rigorous research to prevent substance use problems.

95% of programs implemented between July 2015 and June 2016 had positive results in delaying the first use of alcohol or other drugs, reducing use, decreasing risk factors and/or increasing protective factors. An evaluation by Washington State University shows that CPWI is meeting its goals: between 2008 and 2018, communities in Cohort 1 showed improvements in all family and community risk factors. Evaluation results also showed significant decreases in 10th grade substance use outcomes:

  • Alcohol use - down 32.9% to 20.3%

  • Binge drinking - down from 19.5% to 10.9%

  • Cigarette use - down from 14.5% to 5.6%

  • Marijuana use - down from 20.9% to 20%

On a statewide level, the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) monitors the health of students, evaluates the impact of our prevention efforts, and shows the links between substance use and education outcomes. Since 2006, past-month use of alcohol among 10th graders has dropped from 33 percent to 18.5 percent, and binge drinking has been reduced by half - from 20 percent to 9.6 percent.