2024 Washington State Prevention Awards of Excellence

Submissions now closed

Nominations are due by noon on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Goals

The goals of the Washington State Prevention Awards of Excellence are to:

  • Identify superior substance use disorder prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, violence prevention and mental health promotion programs with exceptional outcomes that can be adopted or adapted by others,
  • Recognize outstanding community partners, including youth engaged in prevention efforts as well as honoring Tribal and Urban Indian work in prevention and,
  • Focus statewide attention on exceptional prevention work.

Selection Process

A review committee, with representatives from state agencies, state-wide organizations, as well as non-profit organizations, reviews, evaluate and select the nominations based on the stated criteria and information provided within the nomination document.  Every attempt will be made to ensure that awardees represent a range of demographic, ethnic, cultural, and geographic areas.

2024 Awards Timeline

Date

Timeline event

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Announcement and nomination packet distributed

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Deadline for nomination submission

Tuesday, September 3, 2034

Notification to awardees

October/November 2024

Day and location of Prevention Summit to be shared as it becomes available

Prevention Awards of Excellence categories and criteria 

Tribal and Urban Indian prevention efforts

Purpose: To recognize Tribal and urban Indian program leaders, groups, organizations, businesses, or agencies that deliver prevention services within their communities. 

  • Nominees must be a strong prevention leader, group, organization, business, or agency from a Tribal or urban Indian community. Nominators should demonstrate the nominee’s leadership, successful program implementation or support, involvement in prevention efforts, and commitment to substance use disorder prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, violence prevention, or mental health promotion.
  • Nominees can be a Tribal or urban Indian leader, group, youth council, or Tribal prevention organization (task force, coalition, workgroup)
Youth leader

Purpose: To recognize school age youth in grades 6 – 12th.

  • To be considered for this award, nominators should demonstrate that nominees have regularly participated in community and/or school prevention activities for a minimum of one year and have demonstrated peer leadership, teamwork, and volunteerism.
  • Nominees can be an individual, group, or club.
Young adult leader

Purpose: To recognize young adults working in substance use disorder prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, or mental health promotion.

  • To be considered for this award, nominators should demonstrate that nominees have regularly participated in community and/or school prevention activities for a minimum of one year and have demonstrated peer leadership, teamwork, and volunteerism.
  • Nominees can be an individual, group, or club.
Prevention professional, and/or community prevention supporter

Purpose: To recognize individuals providing excellent prevention programs to a community.

  • To be considered for this award, nominators should demonstrate the nominee’s leadership in the community or Tribe and extent of partnerships, effective service delivery, impact on the community or Tribe, and their ongoing commitment to prevention.
  • Nominees can be affiliated with a CBO, CPWI, DFC or other group not affiliated with DBHR
Lifetime achievement award 

Purpose: To recognize individuals associated with an organization, business, or agency, or individuals demonstrating active support of prevention activities or programs.

  • To be considered for this award, nominees must be strong prevention leaders or supporters in their community.  Nominators should demonstrate the nominee’s leadership, effective service delivery, community involvement in prevention efforts, and their commitment to substance use disorder prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, violence prevention, or mental health promotion.
  • The Lifetime Achievement nominees must have contributed to Prevention for at least 10 years and are planning to leave Prevention to engage in retirement or other career pursuits.
  • This category is specifically for an individual 
Community coalition and/or community prevention group

Purpose: To recognize groups providing excellent prevention programs to a community.

  • To be considered for this award, nominators should demonstrate the nominee’s leadership in the community or Tribe and extent of partnerships, effective service delivery, impact on the community or Tribe, and their ongoing commitment to prevention.
  • Nominees can be a CBO, CPWI, DFC, or another group not affiliated with DBHR.
Contributions to prevention by an organization, business, or agency

Purpose: To recognize entities in the community that assist or support coalition or group prevention activities.

  • To be considered for this award, nominators should demonstrate the nominee’s leadership, partnership, community involvement and any major and sustainable contribution to prevention.

Examples: library regularly donating space, business regularly providing media support

Early-Career Prevention Professional

Purpose: To recognize an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate, or post-doctoral prevention professional in substance use disorder prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, violence prevention, or mental health promotion who have made intellectual contributions to the generation or dissemination of scientific evidence regarding effective prevention programs and practices.

  • To be considered for this award, nominators should demonstrate that nominees have regularly participated in scholarly prevention activities and professional development (such as program evaluation, evidence dissemination, or scholarly outreach) for a minimum of one year and have demonstrated leadership in translating their scholarly contributions into real-world practice.
  • This category is specifically for an individual.

Benefits of the Washington State Prevention Awards of Excellence

Awardees will be honored in October/November 2024 at the 2024 Washington State Prevention Summit.  Day and location of the Summit will be shared as more information becomes available.  The awards will recognize the efforts of dedicated individuals, successful programs, and supportive organizations; celebrate their successes; and share their strategies, programs, and accomplishments with others in the field.  Additional benefits may include local recognition and a greater ability to market programs, recruit volunteers, and/or leverage other resources to support their work. All awarded individuals, groups, organizations, and programs suited to the rigorous national standards are encouraged to apply for the national awards (https://nasadad.org/exemplary-awards/).

Past Washington State Prevention Awardees 2019 – 2023

Note:  Previous Prevention Awards of Excellence winners may be nominated again after four (4) years if they are able to demonstrate new efforts in prevention, a significant program expansion, enhancement, or improvement.  Previous years’ award recipients are listed at https://www.theathenaforum.org/awards.

Questions about the Preventions Awards?

Contact Martha Williams, Prevention System Manager at: