By Rhys Baker

The Kansas Prevention Conference will hold its Collaboration Conference on October 3rd and 4th in Wichita. The Kansas Prevention Conference provides educational opportunities to increase awareness of emerging trends, build skills and knowledge to prevent suicide, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug misuse, and advocate for best practices. Clay Counts members plan to attend to learn more about these best practices; Community Mobilizer Lori Martin says, “Certainly it’s great to learn from other coalitions and organizations across the state, relative to what programs they are offering, maybe some new and unique ways to address common challenges, or even take on a different perspective. The last one that I attended, I had the chance to listen to a physician who really talked about his mindset as someone who helped with the addiction process, and it was very eye-opening to me.

In addition to learning about suicide prevention, alcohol, tobacco and drug misuse, members of the Clay Counts coalition will be teaching others as well. A Clay Center Community High School Senior will give this year’s keynote address. Martin added, “When you think about an 18-year-old young woman speaking as the keynote speaker at a state-level conference in front of hundreds of professionals from across Kansas, think about the confidence and competence it takes. We are so proud of Isabelle Blackwood for taking on that challenge and being somebody that the Kansas Prevention Coalition would reach out to as their keynote speaker.”

In addition to coalitions across the state, the KPC Collaboration Conference hosts state and local professionals from the various facets of the substance misuse prevention field and related disciplines.