RD446 - Virginia Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (VOSAP) 2015 Annual Report


Executive Summary:
The Virginia Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (VOSAP), in collaboration with the VOSAP Collaborative, is pleased to report on the ongoing prevention efforts in the Commonwealth of Virginia. VOSAP representation spans four Secretariats including: Education, Health and Human Resources, Public Safety and Homeland Security, and Transportation. External to state government, VOSAP partners with community coalitions and numerous other organizations to reduce risk factors related to substance abuse, increase protective factors, and promote healthy choices and wellness.

The VOSAP Office, as well as the VOSAP Collaborative, will continue to promote data-driven prevention planning, evidence-based prevention programming and formal data-driven evaluation. Increasingly, VOSAP discussions have broadened to include mental health impacts and root causes of substance abuse. During meetings of the VOSAP Collaborative, agency representatives reported on individual and joint projects related to prevention, and identified ways to further support their shared mission to promote health and safety in the Commonwealth. In 2015 particular attention was paid to: drug trends (including the increased use of alternative tobacco products, marijuana, and opioids/heroin), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework, workforce development initiatives, and providing support for a Virginia Epidemiology Workgroup.

The VOSAP Office and VOSAP Collaborative approach 2016 acutely aware of the need to further coordinate efforts to efficiently identify and address substance abuse prevention issues.