ODP UPDATES

With deep gratitude, the Office of Drug Policy (ODP) announces the retirement of our esteemed Director, Marianne King, on June 30, 2025. Her retirement caps off an extraordinary 12 years of dedicated public service at ODP and over two decades of impactful work in substance misuse prevention. Marianne joined ODP in 2013 as the Substance Use Prevention Block Grant Director before being appointed as the agency Director by the Office of the Governor in 2021. 

Marianne has been an integral part of the ODP team and her contributions and leadership have been crucial to our agency’s work and accomplishments. During her tenure at ODP, Marianne built the framework for the Substance Use Prevention Block Grant and managed an estimated $17 million in federal funding from the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant, the COVID-19 Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations, the American Rescue Plan Act, and the State Directed Opioid Settlement Funds. Through her leadership, she utilized these funds to administer an estimated 500 grant awards to schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across Idaho. The grant-funded programs and activities she oversaw delivered direct services to an estimated 250,000 youth, parents, and families, while the broader environmental strategies and public education efforts reached millions of Idahoans over the last decade.

Before ODP, Marianne served as the Executive Director of DrugFree Idaho and held roles supporting youth in the juvenile justice system. Throughout her career she has been a driving force in advancing state and local primary prevention efforts, passionately advocating for upstream initiatives that provide education and support to youth, families, and communities to prevent substance misuse and substance use disorders. 

Marianne King has been an unwavering champion of primary prevention, deeply committed to the well-being of every Idahoan. Her tireless efforts over the past two decades have profoundly impacted Idaho’s youth, parents, and communities. Words cannot fully express our appreciation, but we extend our heartfelt gratitude: Thank you, Marianne – your impact and legacy of positive change will continue to resonate across Idaho for years to come.

The Idaho College Health Coalition (ICHC) recently hosted its annual summit, bringing together prevention professionals and campus leaders from across the state to address substance misuse and mental health challenges among Idaho’s college students.

Rooted in its mission to prevent harm and promote health, safety, and well-being, ICHC continues to support campuses through collaboration, shared resources, and the implementation of evidence-based prevention strategies. The summit advanced the coalition’s mission by fostering collaboration in strategic planning for future prevention and health-promotion initiatives across ICHC member institutions.

If you are interested in learning more about the Idaho Health Coalition or becoming a member, please visit their webpage here.

TRAINING & EVENTS

Northwest Alcohol Conference

The Northwest Alcohol Conference is coming up this July (14th-15th) in Boise and is designed for professionals working in prevention, law enforcement, education, and public health. The conference offers hands-on strategies to reduce underage drinking and substance misuse, with workshops on community engagement, policy change, and enforcement tactics. Learn More

The Northwest Alcohol Conference Youth Track is offering student participants the opportunity to apply for $400 stipends to support drug- and alcohol-free prom or graduation events in 2025. Stipends are reimbursable and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Youth registration is free. Each group must include one adult mentor (per 10 youth), plus a separate adult registered for the main conference. For more details or to apply, contact Billie-Jo Nickens at nowacyouth@yahoo.com.

Join more than 150 Idaho School Resource Officers (SROs) at the Idaho Association of School Resource Officers (IDASRO) Annual Conference July 16–18, 2025! Topics include ICAC updates, legal trends, digital investigations, outreach strategies.

Earn up to 24 hours of POST CE credits for attendance. Full hotel reimbursement offered – contact Stu Hobson at shobson@edu.idaho.gov.

Register and learn more here.

OBSERVANCES

Social Wellness Month is a time to reflect on how our connections with others impact our health and well-being. Strong social ties can reduce stress, improve emotional resilience, and even lower the risk of chronic illness. Whether through friendships, family, or community involvement, healthy relationships are a key part of a balanced life.

Not sure where to start? The NIH Social Wellness Toolkit offers practical tips on building and maintaining supportive relationships, communicating effectively, and setting healthy boundaries. Learn More.

Take time this month to check in with others, reconnect with old friends, or simply show up for your community—because wellness is social, too.

UPCOMING EVENTS

National Prevention Network (NPN) Conference 2025 will take place August 11–13, 2025 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, DC. The NPN Conference highlights the latest research in the substance use prevention field. It provides a forum for prevention professionals, coalition leaders, researchers, and federal partners to share research, best practices and promising evaluation results for the purpose of integrating research into prevention practice. Learn More.

International Overdose Awareness Day takes place each year on August 31 and is the world’s largest campaign to end overdose, reduce stigma, and honor the lives lost to drug-related deaths. The observance brings attention to the overdose crisis while offering support to the families, friends, and communities impacted.

This global event encourages education, remembrance, and action through community events, public awareness campaigns, and increased access to prevention tools like naloxone. It also serves as a powerful reminder that every life lost to overdose mattered—and that many of these deaths are preventable.

To learn more or find resources and ways to get involved, visit: International Overdose Awareness Day: 31 August

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Send an email to Hannah Timmons at hannah.timmons@odp.idaho.gov