National Rx Take Back Day is October 28.
Learn more:
https://www.dea.gov/takebackday
Medication Disposal Drop Off Locations
https://www.venturacountyresponds.org/medication-safety/safe-medication-disposal
Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15 – October 15
Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from September 15 to October 15. This year’s theme, “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” encourages us to ensure that all voices are represented and welcomed to help build stronger communities and a stronger nation. During Hispanic Heritage Month, OMH will partner with other federal offices and stakeholders to disseminate and amplify bilingual educational messages about disease prevention and health promotion.
Learn more:
September is National Suicide Prevention Month
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.
Learn more:
Preventing Suicide: Connections & Community
Suicide touches us all. Find connections and support through personal stories, creative expression, wellness activities and local resources.
Join us in-person or virtually for the Preventing Suicide: Connections & Community Forum.
Free events on September 21 and 29.
Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 18th!
Join the Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 18th!
The Juneteenth Celebration, presented by the Juneteenth Committee of Ventura County (JCVC), is taking place on Saturday, June 18 at Plaza Park in Oxnard. This holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, slaves were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.
Learn more:
Empower Up! Mental Wellness Event for Teens & Young Adults
Join us for arts and stories in the courtyard – performance, inspiration and community connections.
In person or livestream!
Saturday, June 4th, 2022
11:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Oxnard Performing Arts Center
Register now at www.vcbh.org/empower
National Prevention Week
National Prevention Week (NPW) is a national public education platform bringing together communities and organizations to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health.
Through National Prevention Week, people become more aware and able to recognize the signs of mental health and substance use disorders. Community members learn how they can help build community, strengthen resilience, and create hope to keep those around them healthy and safe.
Learn more:
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day - April 30, 2022 – 10AM To 2PM
The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
In Ventura County, more than 200 people die each year from opioid overdoses. Prescription painkiller abuse, rising heroin use, fentanyl and accidental opioid overdoses are part of a nationwide crisis.
Ventura County is actively engaged and committed to preventing prescription drug misuse and abuse. One of the ways the County works to address the issue locally is by reducing access, especially to teens. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office (VCSO), in collaboration with Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH), established a countywide Rx disposal program that allows residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired Rx medication via secure, confidential disposal bins. Learn the signs of overdose and how to take action. Find Disposal Bin locations near you.
Learn more:
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23 - 10 AM TO 2 PM
Saving Lives
Ventura County is committed to preventing prescription drug misuse and abuse. One of the ways the county works to address the issue locally is by reducing access, especially to teens. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office in collaboration with Ventura County Behavioral Health established a countywide Rx disposal program that allows residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired Rx medication via secure, confidential disposal bins. Over the last several years, this has expanded to other jurisdictions and retail pharmacies.
The DEA’s Take Back Day provides an opportunity to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. It encourages people to dispose of prescription drugs while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.
What You Can Do
- Commit to safely disposing of your prescription drugs
- Get the facts on Rx & OTC drug abuse
- Dispel the myth that Rx drugs are safe to abuse
- Know the signs and symptoms of drug use
- Monitor and secure all medications
Learn more:
BRITE World Health Expo for Ventura County Youth and Families
BRITE World is a super fun and exciting virtual environment giving users the chance to interact authentically vs. traditional distance learning platforms. BRITE World is another option to provide prevention education, youth development programs and events to students. Participants-as-avatars are immersed in vibrant game-like landscapes and interact and learn just like in-person. Organized and hosted in collaboration with schools and youth-serving community organizations, the Health Expo provides diverse worlds and activities to explore. Using fantastical scenes as backdrops, the Health Expo is full of fun and engaging learning and prevention education activities.
The virtual Reality Party experience, adapted to BRITE World in lieu of the in-person live event, features multiple scenes depicting unsafe and risky behaviors that can happen in a house party situation. There are interactive items and characters with information on drinking games, party drugs, vaping, impaired driving, and recognizing the signs of drug use. You can find tips on keeping teens safe and ways to engage in meaningful conversations.
Learn more:
"Marijuana: What You Need to Know" Presentation
CVUSD's BreakThrough Student Assistance Program and The Conejo Schools Foundation gave a workshop for parents and students on Tuesday, March 23 on "Marijuana: What You Need to Know." Presentations were given by professionals from Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Ventura County Behavioral Health and the Thousand Oaks Police Department followed by a Q&A. This workshop was for all CVUSD Parents/Guardians and students 12 years of age and older.
See the presentation at https://youtu.be/EXkoaikkkVQ
Learn more:
Marijuana FactCheck
March Parent/Guardian Workshop: "Marijuana: What You Need to Know"
Please join CVUSD's BreakThrough Student Assistance Program and The Conejo Schools Foundation for an online workshop on Tuesday, March 23 at 6:00 PM - "Marijuana: What You Need to Know."
Presentations will be given by professionals from Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Ventura County Behavioral Health and the Thousand Oaks Police Department followed by a Q&A.
This workshop is open to all CVUSD Parents/Guardians and students 12 years of age and older. A presentation will be given by Erika Fernandez, SUS Prevention Services, Community Services Coordinator.
Learn more:
2021 Teens Kick Ash Virtual Conference
Teens Kick Ash is intended to develop the next generation of tobacco-free advocates. Through hands-on training and team-building activities, middle and high school students from all over Ventura County learn about e-products and other tobacco-related health risks. They do this while networking with peers on how to effect positive change in their own behavior, in their schools, and within their communities. The conference teaches students about nicotine addiction and the e-product and tobacco industry’s marketing strategies to attract young people.
Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE)
February 23 & 25, 2021
For information: www.vcoe.org/health/tka
Rx Drop-off Day - December 5
Drop off your unused and expired Rx Medications at the Oxnard Police Department's Rx Drop-Off Day on Saturday, December 5!
REGISTER NOW! - 5th Annual Preventing Suicide: Help & Hope Conference
Register for the 5th Annual Preventing Suicide: Help & Hope Conference, which will be held online Thursday, December 10 at 9am.
Keynote Speaker Pablo Campos from Active Minds will share his insights about struggling with depression and addiction – and his road from attempting suicide to recovery.
Dental Prescribing Toolkit
Teens who are prescribed opioids after their wisdom teeth are removed have a 33% higher risk of opioid misuse later in life.
"Dentists play a pivotal role and have a professional responsibility to reduce the misuse and abuse of opioids..." – California Dental Association
The Ventura County Rx Abuse & Heroin Workgroup, in partnership with the Office of Traffic Safety, is committed to working with the local dental community to reduce opioid misuse and fatal overdoses. Prescribers across the county are experiencing new healthcare challenges and evolving standards for patient care. The Dental Prescribing Toolkit includes information and materials to assist with patient communications on opioids and possible risks.
Working together, we are making a measurable difference locally: to individuals, to families, and to our community.
Learn more:
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, October 24
Safe Medication Disposal
Ventura County is actively engaged and committed to preventing prescription drug misuse and abuse. One of the ways the county works to address the issue locally is by reducing access, especially to teens. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office in collaboration with Ventura County Behavioral Health established a countywide Rx disposal program that allows residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired Rx medication via secure, confidential disposal bins.
The DEA’s Take Back Day provides an opportunity to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Learn more:
PhotoVoice Oxnard
Exploring Racism as a Social Determinant of Health
BRITE (Building Resilience & Inclusion Through Engagement), a long-time contract provider with Substance Use Services – Prevention, is proud to share one of their projects, PhotoVoice Oxnard. Over the past year, BRITE has been working on this project which explores racism as a social determinant of health.
PhotoVoice is a visual research method that uses photography to capture issues of concern as a means for communication and stimulating social change. Through PhotoVoice, teens can become more engaged in their community and develop an ability to advocate for the changes that they want to see.
"Our experience living in our community allows us to provide evidence that shapes policy on gender, racial equity, behavioral health, and overall wellness. One powerful role we have as community members is sharing our stories on how our social environment affects our health and well-being."
Participants spoke to City Council members about their issues of concerns and their suggestions for change.
Learn more: