The mission of the Crawford County Substance Use Prevention Coalition is to help youth build healthy lifestyles free of addictive substance use. All work of the coalition will be centered on preventing first-time substance use by area youth.

Crawford County Substance Use Prevention Coalition

Youth know how to post quickly, but they do not always understand how long digital content can last. A post can be screenshotted, forwarded, downloaded, reposted, or resurfaced later, even if it was meant for a small audience.

Teaching children about permanent online posts helps them pause before sharing, protect their privacy, and make choices they will feel good about later. #techtuesday #internet #teenagers #parenting ... See MoreSee Less

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Crawford County Substance Use Prevention Coalition

1 day ago

Recognizing the signs of suicide risk in young people can save lives.
Learn the warning signs and if you notice any in yourself or others, it's important to take them seriously.

Text, call, or chat 988 988lifeline.org/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Crawford County Substance Use Prevention Coalition

7 days ago

Learn the warning signs of suicide for the people in your life, and for yourself. Changes in mood, sleep, or behavior; withdrawing from others; talking about having no reason to live:

samhsa.gov/mental-health/suicidal-behavior/warning-signs
#SPM2026 #SuicidePrevention #SupportMatters ... See MoreSee Less

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The Prevention Coalition has been meeting since February of 2025 and includes approximately 30 community representatives from law enforcement, schools, media, parents, local agencies, local foundations, business, churches, public officials, health services, counseling, faith-based recovery, and youth programs. The coalition is focused on delivering prevention education for parents and youth in Crawford County. CCSUPC is a Missouri registered coalition with the Missouri Department of Mental Health which includes membership with the Missouri Prevention Network. All work of the coalition is centered on preventing first-time substance use by area youth. Stopping first-time drug use—especially vapes, alcohol, and smoking (both marijuana and tobacco)—is a key step in preventing students and adults from moving on to use other more serious drugs, including opioids.

Meetings are held at noon on the second Monday of each month at the Life House Youth Center in Cuba, which is located at 316 E. Washington (Route 66). All are welcome to participate.

Local Prevention

Youth Trading Cards

The creation of local youth trading cards will use the protective factor of positive peer influence. Local high school student athletes from each school district will share the reasons they choose to be alcohol, vape, and other drug free (their “Why”) with younger peers through the creation of trading cards. The two-sided, professionally produced trading cards will include the student athlete’s picture, general information about the student athlete, and their “Why.” The student athletes will interact with middle school and younger students in their district during lunch periods and distribute the trading cards with these students while they interact with them. This strategy will reach 863 middle school students.

Prevention Blitz

Posters and banners will be created with the support of a prevention media professional from the Prevention Resource Center. The banners and posters will be used to do three “prevention blitz” campaigns in each middle and high school in the county. Banners and posters will have matching social norming prevention messaging. The “blitzing” will be done by placing banner and poster in key school building locations overnight, so students are confronted with the messaging that has been strategically placed when they come back to school. Each blitz period will last approximately four weeks and then posters and banners are taken down until the next messaging blitz with new banners and posters. This strategy will reach 1,759 high school and middle school students.

Sign Holding Events

The Coalition held its first anti-substance-use messaging sign-holding event at the Cuba schools in December to send students into Christmas break with some positive messages about staying away from substances, including tobacco, vapes, drinking, and drugs. Other events are planned at the Bourbon and Steelville schools in the spring.