How We Do It

WASAVP develops an annual legislative platform and contracts with a legislative analyst to assist in advocating for the platform with the Washington State Legislature.

WASAVP continually builds cooperative partnerships in support of prevention strategies, state agencies, nonprofit organizations, associations, schools, and communities.

WASAVP provides workshops on advocacy and program sustainability.

Our Policy Pillars

Vision: Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP) is recognized as the lead voice for state and national advocacy and essential stakeholder in matters of substance abuse and violence prevention in Washington State.   

Advocacy Pillar:

Environmental

• WASAVP should be among the first stakeholders to be approached by individuals and organizations engaging in conversations, meetings and/or programs that address substance abuse and violence prevention.

• WASAVP will achieve this stature by seeking and being sought to establish partnerships with other individuals and organizations that have policy oversight and/or administrative authority in areas of substance abuse and violence prevention.

• In so doing, WASAVP should articulate “idealized” policy positions, advocating for the development and implementation of a comprehensive prevention strategy as well as a fully realized prevention “infrastructure” in every county and community.

 Funding

• In order to preserve and increase substance abuse and violence prevention funding, WASAVP must advance a comprehensive approach by tracking and advocating for federal, state and local funding potentials.  Local funding includes county, city and school district funding streams.  A goal in analyzing these funding environments is to add prevention as a line item or a program item in local budgets, initiatives, and funding streams.

Capacity Pillar:

• From this position within the community of prevention professionals and policy makers, WASAVP should endeavor to empower and encourage colleagues to become proactive in articulating and advocating for substance abuse and violence prevention.  This can be achieved by providing technical assistance to partner and constituent organizations and supporting political activism among colleagues.

• To increase WASAVP’s capacity building abilities, partnerships and collaborations with diverse groups of organizations and individuals with similar missions will be sought after.

• In addition to establishing itself within the community of prevention professionals and policy makers, WASAVP should establish a public, statewide and national profile utilizing various media to express and promulgate advances in substance abuse and violence prevention policies and programs.

Foundation: WASAVP members, community, school, families, children, colleagues, policy makers.

WASAVP: Uniting Prevention Advocates in Washington State