September 2026 Newsletter

September 2026

Announcements

City of Alexandria Hosts 13th Annual Youth Leadership Conference

This past August, 65 youth attended the 13th annual Alexandria Youth Leadership Conference, a free event that empowers emerging young leaders by providing training opportunities and connecting them to resources in the Alexandria community. This year's conference theme was "Ignite the Spark: One Spark Can Start a Movement." Throughout the event, students participated in interactive workshops spanning a range of topics, including communication, problem-solving, confidence-building, mindfulness and mental health, financial literacy, public speaking, and networking.

City of Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins kicked off the event by sharing her leadership journey and answering students’ questions. Students were also recognized with certificates by SAPCA Chair Allen Lomax, Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP) Chair Helen Morris, and Chief of Youth Development Noraine Buttar.

To facilitate youth-adult partnerships, the conference culminated with an afternoon networking session with more than 40 community leaders -- including City Council and School Board representatives, the City Manager, City Board and Commission leaders, non-profit executives, and City staff -- and an ice cream social featuring frozen treats from Goodie’s Frozen Custard.

Youth that participated in the conference will receive updates throughout the year about internships, volunteer and leadership opportunities, and other ways to get involved in the Alexandria community. If your organization has opportunities for youth that you'd like SAPCA to promote, contact emma.beall@alexandriava.gov

The three-day event was hosted by SAPCA, ACAP, the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center, and the Alexandria Library.

Community Connections: Promoting Prevention Resources

Last month, SAPCA collaborated with our school and community partners by promoting prevention resources with youth and parents at several events.

On August 4, SAPCA Chair Allen Lomax, SAPCA Coordinator Emma Beall, SAPCA Grant Coordinator Jamie Ciesla, Youth Safety and Resilience CoordinatorJasmine Coombs, and Alexandria Youth Ambassadors Kendall Spottswood, Mahasin Madha, Shabnam Yaqoobi, and Travis Lipscomb visited neighborhoods throughout the City to promote the Alexandria Youth Leadership Conference and the Teen Text Line during National Night Out. This fun annual event features block parties and barbeques throughout the City, with the goal of preventing crime by building a sense of community.

On August 15, Allen, Emma, and Alexandria Youth Ambassadors Lela Gormley and Madeline Barrientos attended a Back to School Bash hosted by Mount Vernon Community School and Casa Chirilagua to share prevention resources with families, including:

Parent handbooks, a resource guide created by Operation Parent that raises awareness about the latest trends, warning signs, and tips for effective parent/child communication; and
Information about the Developmental Assets - the building blocks for positive youth development.

We appreciate these opportunities to connect with our community and look forward to continuing to raise awareness about events and resources for Alexandria’s children, youth, and families.

The Alexandria Youth Ambassadors are a group of high school students that support community engagement efforts focused on anti-violence, trauma healing, and social emotional learning. Contact Jasmine Coombs to learn more.

Five Things You Should Know: Back-To-School Edition

The start of a new school year is a great time to talk to your student about substance use and misuse. Check out these five ideas to start the conversation:

Make your values clear about substance use, particularly underage substance use, with your children and teens.

Discuss expectations and consequences. Clear rules, consistent consequences, and encouragement will help your child succeed. As the school year gets started, discuss a realistic curfew with your family. Should curfew be different on weekends? What are some of the potential consequences of arriving home past curfew? How might these consequences change if communication takes place to explain a delay?

Ask open ended questions to engage your child in a conversation. Be prepared for questions they may ask you. Do not assume youth are engaging in risky behaviors based on what questions they ask. They may simply want to start a dialogue with you.

Discuss healthy coping mechanisms. The start of a new school year can be a stressful time. Some simple coping strategies include exercising, socializing with friends or family, listening to music, and journaling. Model healthy coping mechanisms. Children and teens pay attention to the example adults set. If adults model that substances are needed to relieve stress, or are used as a coping mechanism, it can send the wrong message to youth.

Know the legal consequences related to underage use of substances.

It is illegal for anyone under 21 to use, purchase, or possess alcohol, marijuana, or tobacco products.
It is illegal for anyone 21 or older to provide alcohol, marijuana, or tobacco products to anyone under 21.

Find more tips to keep the conversation going here.

Volunteer Opportunities Spotlight: SAPCA Committees

Want to make a difference in your community? SAPCA is looking for youth and adults to join one or more of our committees:

Join the Fundraising Committee to help set fundraising goals and brainstorm fundraising strategies.

Join the Policy and Advocacy Committee to learn how policies are made, share ideas, monitor Virginia legislation, and build advocacy skills.

Join the Video Development and Production Committee to choose topics for new videos and help film, edit, and produce video

Interested in learning more? Complete our volunteer interest form, visit SAPCA's table at the JustServe Community Volunteer Fair on Saturday, September 19, or contact Emma Beall at emma.beall@alexandriava.gov.

Resource Spotlight: Alexandria's Teen Wellness Center

Have you heard about the Teen Wellness Center? Located at the Alexandria City High School King Street and Minnie Howard Campuses, this clinic provides a range of free health services to anyone between the ages of 12-19 residing in the City of Alexandria.

Some services are non-confidential, which means individuals under age 18 need a parent or guardian's permission. These include:

Physical examinations required for schools, participation in sports, employment, and the Special Olympics;
Immunizations for HPV, Influenza (flu), TDAP, COVID-19, and more;
Tuberculosis testing; and
Treatment of colds, acne, and other minor illnesses

Other services are confidential and do not require a parent or guardian's consent, including:

Mental health and substance use screening and referrals;
Health education on nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction techniques;
Pregnancy testing and prevention;
Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections; and
Reproductive health services

Learn more about the Teen Wellness Center, including hours and answers to common questions, at alexandriava.gov/TeenWellnessCenter.

September is National Recovery Month

National Recovery Month is a long-standing observance of the benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery from substance use disorders. This year's theme, Recovery Happens Together, highlights that connection and community support are what make long-term recovery possible. The goal of Recovery Month is to spread the positive message that behavioral health is vital to overall health, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.

This September, the Department of Community and Human Services is hosting a Recovery Month Celebration on Tuesday, September 23 from 3-6 p.m. at Ben Brenman Park to honor Alexandrians thriving in recovery along with their families and loved ones. We hope you will join us for food, fun, and festivities as we recognize the strength of individuals and families, reduce stigma, and highlight the many pathways that make recovery possible.

Supporting Our Community During National Suicide Prevention Month

Each September, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness during National Suicide Prevention Month.

Nationally, one in five Americans live with a mental health condition. Nearly one in five youth will experience a mental health challenge such as depression or anxiety at some point during their life and suicide is a leading cause of death. We can all help prevent suicide this month and year-round.

What can you do?

Explore ways to handle overwhelming feelings, such as creating a "coping toolbox."
Recognize the warning signs of mental health conditions.
Know what you can do to help someone in crisis.
Attend a Youth Mental Health First Aid training or Question, Persuade, and Refer suicide prevention training. Contact temi.aregbesola@alexandriava.gov to learn about upcoming trainings.
Help spread the word: Share resources tailored for parents, youth-serving providers, and youth.
Keep our community safe by locking up guns and medication.
Dispose of unused or expired medication safely. Limiting access to these lethal means is one way you can help prevent suicide in Alexandria. Learn more about safe medication disposal.
Attend the free webinar "Suicide Prevention: Recognize, Respond, Connect" on September 23 from 6-7 p.m. Learn more and register here.
Get involved with the Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia.