Is it possible to create a culture of prevention in Vancouver?

That’s the question a broad-based, diverse group of organizations will try to answer on March 25 when they hold their initial, day-long event focusing on the prevention of harm from substance use.

The event, which was initiated by the City’s Drug Policy Program, along with Vancouver Coastal Health and Watari Research Association, will provide a platform to profile current prevention work in the community, facilitate discussion on current critical issues in prevention and offer a forum for dissemination of recent research and findings.

“As we outlined in our prevention report, ‘Preventing Harm from Psychoactive Substance Use,’ prevention is not simply the deterrence of drug or alcohol use but also focuses on and develops community and individual assets.” Donald MacPherson.

“The aim is to start a process that builds public awareness and support for prevention of problematic substance use in Vancouver,” Drug Policy Program Coordinator Donald MacPherson said. Organizers also hope to establish and improve links between the various organizations that offer prevention services in Vancouver. “As we outlined in our prevention report, ‘Preventing Harm from Psychoactive Substance Use,’ prevention is not simply the deterrence of drug or alcohol use but also focuses on and develops community and individual assets,” MacPherson said.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson will open the March 25 event, followed by presentations from various leaders in the field of prevention. Confirmed presenters include:

• Dr. Anthony Hutchinson, CEO of the Brampton Neighbourhood Resource Centre in Ontario
• Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia
• Chris Kelly, Superintendent, Vancouver Board of Education
• Chelsea, a youth presenter
• Dr. Gabor Maté, staff physician at the Portland Hotel in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

The event will be held at the Segal Centre in downtown Vancouver. Current partners in this initiative include the Centre for Addictions Research BC, the City of Vancouver’s Social Policy department and Drug Policy Program, the School Aged Children and Youth Substance Use Prevention Program (SACY), the University of British Columbia, the Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA), Vancouver Coastal Health, the Vancouver Police Department, the Vancouver Board of Education and Watari Research Association.

For more information on this prevention event, please visit the Drug Policy Program’s home page throughout February and March. For further information, please contact Zarina Mulla, Drug Policy Program, 604-871-6481, e-mail zarina.mulla@vancouver.ca.