United Way of Broward County’s Commission on Behavioral Health & Drug Prevention (UWBCCBH) is a broad-based coalition focused on the prevention of substance misuse prevention and the promotion of mental health promotion coalition — dedicated to reducing negative consequences on individuals, families, and communities. The Commission fosters collaboration and partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies to develop and advance integrated behavioral health efforts throughout Broward County as well as executes innovative, effective strategies for addressing the issue of substance misuse. Behavioral Health and drug prevention is a vital component of United Way of Broward County’s three impact areas (Health, Education, and Financial Prosperity), and it has long-term success in closing gaps in services and creating a better life for all. Download our brochure here.
Click the link below to view the Commission on Behavioral Health & Drug Prevention’s Prevention Resource Center, which includes toolkits, action plans & guides, briefings, drug trends, indicator reports, and webinar recordings.
MEET OUR BOARD OF GOVERNORS
JOIN OUR ACTION TEAMS
United Way of Broward County’s Commission on Behavioral Health & Drug Prevention works to unite key community stakeholders in Broward County through its action teams to develop prevention strategies and action plans to reduce substance abuse and advance mental health. Our teams are open to the community.
SURVEILLANCE COMMITTEE
Shares and provides emerging drug and mental health trend data and actionable information to our community.
Chairs: Dr. Teri Stockham and Dr. Wendy Blair Stephan
COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM (CRT)
Works to address the opiate epidemic and other emerging drug trends in our community.
Chairs: Dave Scharf and Alina Shaw
BE HEALTHY BROWARD/MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION ACTION TEAM (BHB MHPAT)
Works to promote mental health by working with the treatment and wellness community to integrate systems of care for addressing mental health risk factors and increase prevention services.
Chair: Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren
YOUTH ACTION TEAM (YAT)
Works to reduce marijuana, alcohol, and other drug use by youth
Chairs: Cynthia Tapia-Rodriguez and Pauline Jacobson
LATINO INITIATIVE (LI)
Works to reduce alcohol and other drug use among children and youth by providing prevention information and parenting trainings to the Latino community.
Chairs: Carol Beitler and Ana Valladares
WESTON ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH (WAY)
Prevents substance use and promotes mental health for the youth in the City of Weston.
Chairs: Beth Tache and Jackie Rosen
BROWARD YOUTH COALITION (BYC)
Works to educate and empower youth to become change agents of influence among their peers and within their communities as it relates to drug prevention and mental health promotion.
This closed group of middle and high school students meets on the third Wednesday of every month from 5 pm to 7 pm.
FAITH BASED/COMMUNITY-BASED ADVISORY COMMITTEE
A collaboration among interfaith-based and community organizations to provide resources and strengthen families in the area of behavioral/mental health struggles and illness in our community.
Chair: Kurt Schmidt
COMMISSION ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & DRUG PREVENTION
difference
70,000
clients reached through substance abuse prevention programs
50 MILLION
impressions resulted from several media campaigns promoting the dangers of substance use
12,500
students reached through 75 community engagement activities
UPCOMING EVENTS
- November 12, 2024
- 1:00 PM
- to 3:00 PM
PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHY & DRUG FREE BROWARD PROGRAMS
FUNDED VIA BROWARD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COALITION 2019-2020
Archways, Inc./Archways Substance Abuse Prevention Program provides universal substance abuse prevention programming for a minimum of 800 children from ages 6 to 12 and youth from ages 13 to 17.
Broward Partnership for the Homeless/Targeted Outreach for Persons Experiencing Homelessness – The Broward Partnership and the Task Force for Ending Homelessness (TCO) project will provide Brief Case Management services to help improve access to care, health education, behavioral health support, and benefit-eligibility assistance. The target population for the TCO project is persons experiencing chronic homelessness in Broward County.
Firewall Centers, Inc. T.H.I.N.K Leadership Middle School Program – Firewall Centers provides prevention services, high-need students in 6th to 8th grades. The goals of T.H.I.N.K. Leadership are to address the academic, social-emotional, and developmental needs of students, and the program’s daily, school-based services.
First Call for Help of Broward, Inc. d/b/a 211-Broward/2-1-1 Broward Helpline – 2-1-1 Broward Helpline is a 24-hour, comprehensive helpline that provides confidential crisis and suicide counseling, empathetic listening, and information and referrals for social services, including mental health and substance abuse.
Hanley Center Foundation, Inc./Comprehensive Approach to Prevention Services – The Hanley Center Foundation program provides universal substance abuse prevention programming for youth ages 5-18. Services are provided at Elementary, Middle and High Schools throughout Broward County.
Hanley Center Foundation, Inc. (PPG)/Provider Prevention Partnership Grant – ICFH provides substance abuse prevention programming for Elementary and Middle school students in the City of Pembroke Pines.
Institute for Child and Family Health, Inc./Institute for Child and Family Health Substance Abuse Prevention Program provides universal substance abuse prevention programming for a elementary and middle school students in the City of Pembroke Pines using LifeSkills Training.
South Broward Hospital District – Memorial Healthcare System/Community Access to Resources, Education and Support (CARES) provides universal substance abuse prevention programming to children and parents/caregivers throughout Broward County at convenient locations including public elementary and middle schools and charter schools serving lower socioeconomic students and their families; faith-based and community venues; and the City of Hollywood Parks and Recreations Department.
SunServe/Interactive Journaling Program provides adult behavioral health indicated prevention services to increase the skills necessary to navigate identity issues, increase protective factors, mitigate feelings of isolation and rejection, prevent substance abuse, and victimization for under-served Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) populations.