25 APR 2024 · Piedmont Community Services is launching a campaign to "Activate Your Wellness." I sat down with Samantha Turner to learn more. To visit their website, https://piedmontcsb.wixsite.com/piedmontcommunitysvc.   Contact her at:  Samantha Turner, MPH, RDN, CHES Health Initiative Coordinator - Piedmont Community Services mailto:sturner@piedmontcsb.org Learn more about Activate Your Wellness at https://www.virginiapreventionworks.org/activate/ As the host, I am on a mission to discover what people are doing in the field of prevention. I am not a trained prevention specialist, so I rely completely on my guests to bring their expertise to this conversation. If you are interested in being a guest, feel free to contact me at tim@mediapartners-inc.com.

11 APR 2024 · Gambling is everywhere, especially with the explosion of sports betting. But when does gambling become a problem, and how can you tell? I spoke with Don McCourtney and Anne Rogers of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services about how Virginia is supporting treatment and helping communities educate the public.

28 MAR 2024 · Adam Neal, Prevention and Wellness Specialist, and Director of the Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition (RAYSAC) spoke with me about the nationwide issue of Fentanyl and what his community is doing to limit access to medications and reduce the possibilities of misuse, especially among children and youth. National Drug Take Back Day is April 27th, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Citizens are encouraged to drop off left-over and used prescriptions to keep them out of circulation. "I don't know about you, Tim, but my grandma, you know, whenever I said I had a headache, she'd reach into her purse and, hand me a Tylenol or whatever she had ready to go," said Adam. "We don't need to normalize this behavior anymore." Adam shares what his community is doing to combat the problem and what people can do to help.

21 MAR 2024 · After working with prevention specialists for more than ten years, I created this podcast to explore the work of these community heroes. In the first episode, we explore the meaning of prevention and how it is applied to efforts to educate communities about substance use and other risky behaviors.  My guest is Shelia Lythgoe, a Prevention Specialist with Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare in Roanoke, Virginia. Visit one of their many prevention websites for more information. StartTheTalk.org Raysac.org PreventProblemGambling.org RoanokePreventionAlliance.org FWRoanoke.org

1 MAR 2024 · Every other Thursday, we'll talk to those on the frontlines of this constant battle to help people improve their mental health and avoid addiction. If you want to join in the prevention effort, launch an effort in your community, or just want to educate yourself, this is a great place to start. Join us every other Thursday for another "ounce of prevention."