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Valley Youth Wellness Coalition's next meeting will be 05/18 from 9:00-10:00. We are pleased to welcome Tiffany Eustice from the Virginia Tobacco Control Program as our guest speaker. This is a great opportunity for parents, teachers, SROs, and those who work in health care to attend and learn about tobacco/nicotine/vaping trends, laws and regulations, and mitigation efforts on the state and local level. To register, please click on the button in the flyer in the "events" section.
We will be meeting at the Augusta Health Community Care building 64 Sports Medicine Dr. Fishersville, VA 22939. Park out front, go in through the automatic doors, and make a right to meeting room 3. |
Work2BWell Wellness Wednesdays | |
Work2BeWell’s Wellness Wednesdays are simple, flexible activities designed to help teens build healthy habits in real, everyday ways. From taking a mindful walk or listening to music, to practicing gratitude, journaling, or connecting with friends, these activities focus on small actions that support mental health, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. They’re easy to do, require little to no preparation, and can be adapted for individuals or groups.
This approach fits perfectly with May’s theme of Celebrating Wellness & Mental Health. Wellness Wednesdays shift the focus from just talking about mental health to actually living it by encouraging teens to notice what helps them feel good, stay present, and recharge. Instead of waiting for big changes, these small, intentional moments help build a lifestyle where wellness is part of everyday routines. For teens, Wellness Wednesdays offer a chance to reset midweek and try simple strategies that boost mood and energy.
| Virginia cannabis retail plan in limbo after lawmakers reject Spanberger changes * Virginia Mercury |
Five years after Virginia legalized simple adult possession of marijuana, lawmakers are at an impasse over how to finally stand up a legal retail market, after the General Assembly last week rejected more than 40 changes proposed by Gov. Spanberger. Now, she must now decide whether to sign or veto long-debated proposal as disputes over regulation, enforcement and timelines persist.
| | | Suicide rates have declined since the launch of 988 suicide hotline, study finds | Suicide rates among teens and young adults declined in the two years after the launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. States that had the highest 988 call volume (including VA), had an 18% decrease in suicide deaths among 15-34 year olds. Learn more by clicking the button below! | | | | May: Mental Health Awareness Month | |
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this is an observance that has been around since 1949. Numerous organizations have joined forces in promoting the importance of community connection, breaking stigma, reaching out when you are struggling, and sharing resources to help with recovery and resilience.
Educating the public is the first step in community resiliency and empowering connection. There are ways that you can get involved and help make a difference! Sharing graphics from websites like NAMI helps people see that you are a safe person to reach out to, and also helps break the stigma that admitting you are struggling is a weakness.
You can also find your local NAMI chapter and discover ways you can get involved with their events such as community awareness walks, learn what support groups are offered, and other ways you can volunteer to join their advocacy efforts. Learn more by clicking below!
| May 31: World No Tobacco Day | |
May 31 we celebrate World No Tobacco Day, which provides a great opportunity to raise awareness about the harmful effects tobacco exposure has on our children.
In addition to the well-documented risks of smoking including heart disease, cancer and lung disease, tobacco exposure is especially harmful for the developing adolescent brain. Vaping and electronic cigarettes have been increasingly targeted towards adolescents and marketed as a “safe” alternative to traditional cigarettes. As a result, teen tobacco use has been rapidly increasing.
Secondhand smoke exposure also poses a significant risk to the health of children. Children exposed to secondhand smoke have higher risks of not only common infections like ear infections and colds, but also potentially life-threatening conditions like asthma attacks or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Smoking during pregnancy can also cause a variety of health problems for the unborn infant including premature birth, low birth weight and certain birth defects. You can help protect your children by not allowing anyone to smoke in your home or car, or choose today to quit.
To learn how to quit smoking or vaping, or provide a resource to help someone, you can access the 24/7 free service Quit Now Virginia to start the journey. There are services for all ages, including teens and young adults.
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Virtual Training Opportunity: National Prevention Week
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National Prevention Week this year is May 10-16. NPW is a time of providing public education, bringing awareness of the work that communities and organizations across the country are doing to help prevent substance use, and furthering the work of promoting well-being.
This prevention week is sponsored by SAMHSA, and they have provided, free to the public, 3 webinars that educate and celebrate the possibilities that prevention work can do to strengthen communities that drive change.
Information to learn more about NPW and sign up for these webinars is provided in the button on the side!
| | For more information or registration, click below! | | | |
New Job Opportunities!
The Central Shenandoah Health District office of VDH is seeking a public health nurse! Just some of the job duties include independently providing professional nursing care to patients in clinics, mobile unit, and community-based setting, participating in public health emergencies, community health assessments, coordinating mobile unit operations, partnerships, and program administration. If this sounds like a great fit for you or someone you know, click the button below!
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The Boys and Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County is hiring for two job positions: summer program staff and a summer/seasonal cook!
Both the Staunton and Waynesboro locations are looking for summer program staff and seeks motivated program support staff to work directly with school-aged youth (elementary and teens) in our summer program from 6/1/2026 to 7/31/2026. You will receive up to 10 paid flexibly scheduled training hours and Summer Staff Orientation from Tue., 5/26-Thurs., 5/29/26 also required for all summer staff regardless of prior BGCWSA Summer Camp experience.
The Staunton location seeks a summer food program Cook to support our Staunton Site's Summer Camp nutrition services from 6/1/2026 to 7/31/2026. You will receive up to 10 paid flexibly scheduled training hours and Summer Staff Orientation from Tue., 5/26-Thurs., 5/29/26 also required for all summer staff regardless of prior BGCWSA Summer Camp experience.
If this sounds like a great opportunity for you or someone you know, check out the links below!
| | Valley Youth Wellness Coalition | valleyywc@vcsb.org | 540-430-9360 | valleyyouthwellnesscoalition.org |
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