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Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to a potential accidental poisoning, misuse, or overdose. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.

Visit the DEA website for a Take Back Day Partnership Toolbox with downloadable promotional materials that may be useful to our Local Prevention Councils and law enforcement partners.

Its important to consider and address feelings of grief and loss among students and staff as a result of COVID-19. Some students and teachers may be grieving the death of a family member, friend or loved one. Others will be grappling with the loss of missed experiences, loss of a sense of connection due to isolation, or the loss or change of relationships with friends, teachers and staff during the course of the pandemic. Schools can recognize all this and in some cases help students and staff move through grief and loss.

According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), (2015), grief may show up in children as:

NASP has developed guidelines for teachers and administrators to address grief in the school building. Providing space and time for students and staff to grieve in whatever ways they need can contribute to feelings of safety and well-being and can result in collective growth.

Connecticut nurses, doctors, home health aides, personal care assistants, therapists, and family members who provide care for their loved ones are carrying so much right now. It can be hard to find time to care for yourself when you are caring for others, but it's important to check in with yourself and how you are feeling.

If the stress you are feeling is affecting your life, there are people and organizations that can help. Click here for a list of resources or call 211 and ask about COACH to receive support for your well-being and self-care, at a time that works for you.

COACH (COVID-19 Assistance for Community Health) provides FREE community support and outreach services in Connecticut in response to the unprecedented public health crisis, COVID-19. This program is made possible through grant funding provided by FEMA.

Are you a Veteran in crisis, or concerned about one? The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that’s available to anyone, even if you’re not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. The caring, qualified responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances.

In 2019, VA’s National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report estimated that 6,139 U.S. Veterans died by suicide in 2017, an average of 16.8 per day. In that year, the suicide rate for Veterans was 1.5 times the rate for non-Veteran adults.

Veterans can be at risk for suicide for a variety of reasons:

Click here for additional resources from the U.S Departement of Veterans Affairs including:

Let's #MentionPrevention is a grassroots substance use prevention, education and awareness campaign with the mission of strengthening Connecticut communities through the power of communication.This campaign was created by local coalitions to address the timely substance use-related issues that their communities face. Presently, the focus of the campaign is to address the health risks associated with alcohol use, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit www.drugfreect.org to order materials and access the digital toolkit. Resources include billboard designs, customizable flyers in English and Spanish, pamphlets, social media graphics, and more!

Continue to visit the ccpg.org homepage for a statewide gambling awareness events calendar.