National Prevention Week (NPW), observed from May 10, 2026, to May 16, 2026, is a nationwide public health observance led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
NPW highlights the importance of preventing substance use, promoting mental health, and implementing community-based strategies that reduce risk, strengthen protective factors, and sustain long-term community wellness. This annual observance creates opportunities to unite providers, organizations, students, and local residents to promote prevention efforts rooted in culture, education, and collaboration.
This year’s theme, “Stronger Together: Prevention Through Connection,” emphasizes the critical role that relationships, social support, and community engagement play in preventing substance use and improving overall health outcomes. NPW activities in Los Angeles County Service Planning Area 4 (SPA 4), are being coordinated by Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC) and supported by prevention partners including United Coalition East Prevention Project (UCEPP).
At UCEPP, prevention strategies are implemented in the Skid Row community through ongoing outreach, education, and engagement, with a focus on meeting individuals where they are. UCEPP provides substance use education, culturally relevant alternative activities, and linkages to services while simultaneously creating opportunities for community members to create and advocate.
In Skid Row, where residents often face compounded challenges including extreme poverty, housing instability, social isolation, and limited access to resources and services, connection plays a key role in prevention and sustained wellness. UCEPP’s efforts prioritize creating safe, trusted, responsive spaces that increase access to resources and foster civic participation.
National Prevention Week serves as a reminder that prevention is most effective when it is accessible, collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in the lived experiences of the communities being served. UCEPP remains committed to advancing prevention strategies that increase capacity, address root causes, promote equity, and foster community health and wellbeing. As UCEPP approaches our 30th year of providing services in Skid Row, we continue to seek neighborhood partners, because strong communities are built together.
