Montage Health’s Ohana program hosts Youth Substance Use Symposium
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONTEREY, Calif. — Montage Health’s Ohana program, in partnership with Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) and the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant coalition, will host a Youth Substance Use Symposium on Tuesday, May 12, from 5 to 7 p.m., bringing together local students, community leaders, and public health experts to highlight efforts aimed at preventing substance use among Monterey County youth.
The event will be held in a hybrid format, with limited in-person attendance and a virtual option available to the wider community. The symposium will feature presentations from local high school students involved in campus drug prevention clubs, who will showcase their peer-led projects. Past initiatives have included student-produced awareness videos, the creation and placement of naloxone distribution bins in high-risk areas, and campaigns centered on mental health, self-care, and substance use prevention.
In addition to student presentations, the symposium will include a live demonstration on how to administer naloxone, a lifesaving medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses.
“Youth substance use prevention is most effective when young people are leading the conversation,” says Krista Reuther, assistant director of community health and prevention at Ohana. “This symposium highlights the insight, compassion, and problem-solving skills students bring to prevention efforts, and it shows how powerful change can be when communities listen to and invest in youth leadership.”
Funded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities program, the coalition works to build collaboration among local partners and reduce youth substance use through locally tailored strategies. More than 700 coalitions nationwide are supported through this grant program.
Montage Health Foundation administers the DFC grant on behalf of Ohana, which leads the local coalition alongside Montage Health’s Community Health and Wellness program and MPUSD. Learn more.
ABOUT MONTAGE HEALTH
Montage Health is a nonprofit healthcare organization with deep roots in Monterey County dating back more than 91 years. Independent and locally owned, Montage Health was created by Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula to deliver exceptional care to more people. Centered at the hospital, Montage Health’s network includes MoGo Urgent Care, Montage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, Montage Wellness Center, Montage Medical Group for primary and specialty care, Aspire Health Plan, and Ohana, a family-focused youth mental health program. Montage Health is continually investing in healthcare innovations to make the highest standard of care accessible to everyone in Monterey County.
ABOUT OHANA
Ohana is Montage Health’s child, adolescent, and family mental health program. Created in 2018 though generous community support through Montage Health Foundation, Ohana’s vision is to create a community in which every child can flourish because they and their families have the knowledge, skills, and support they need to grow into healthy and resilient adults. Ohana, a Hawaiian word meaning family, is a family-centered program that provides access to high-quality diagnostic and evidence-based treatments for youth who are experiencing mental illness and focuses on helping youth and families develop mental health to prevent illnesses before they start.
