A Little About Us

Vision & Mission

Core Values

Our People

Racial Equity

Vision: PreventEd will be the preeminent agency working toward a community free of alcohol and other drug addiction, misuse, and related problems.

Mission: PreventEd works to reduce or prevent the harms of alcohol and other drug use through education, intervention and advocacy.

Dedicated: We are committed to the power of prevention. We are devoted to the power of our team.

Collaborative: We partner with compassion and understanding. We respect the experiences of others.

Resourceful: We integrate research, evidence, and ingenuity to develop solutions.

We describe ourselves as a little quirky with a lot of energy, but when it comes down to it, that’s because we’re passionate about Prevention Education and we know how to make it fun and accessible for every age and every life stage.

View Our People

We realize that becoming an anti-racist organization is a lofty goal. But our staff are scrappy and determined. We set ridiculously high goals and then we move mountains to achieve them. This isn’t a trend, and it’s not a knee-jerk reaction to satisfy funders or some disgruntled staff. This work is the right thing to do and it’s long overdue.

View Racial Equity

2023

2021

2020

2019

2014

1980

1965

Recovery-Friendly Workplace

In May 2023, PreventEd was designated as a Recovery-Friendly Workplace by the state of Missouri. This designation recognizes PreventEd as a workplace that promotes employee safety, health, and well-being through strategies that provide support for managers and employees, including reducing stigma and providing recovery resources related to the challenges surrounding substance use disorders.

Peer Support Program Created

In 2021, PreventEd introduced a Certified Peer Specialist program serving Franklin County residents through a HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Grant. This program has been expanded to serve Lincoln County, with plans to grow into other Eastern Missouri Counties.

NCADA Becomes PreventEd

With over 50 years experience, formerly under the name NCADA, PreventEd is committed to guiding all people through tough conversations around alcohol and other drugs. This work is rooted in experience, knowledge of best practices and evidence-informed programs.

Sans Bar St. Louis

In 2019, the Sans Bar nationwide tour teamed up with PreventEd to bring an alcohol-free event to St. Louis. Over 300 people attended, making it the largest Sans Bar pop-up to date! PreventEd then licensed with Sans Bar to become the owner of Sans Bar St. Louis, and regularly hosts alcohol-free pop-ups all over the area. Learn more at www.sansbarstl.com.

Development of the GuidEd Program

Formerly known as the Transitional Counseling Program, GuidEd was created as an early intervention program for teens who don’t need treatment, but are beginning to develop the early signs of substance misuse.

The Beginning of Prevention Education

PreventEd’s central focus in programming is K-12, in-school prevention education. These programs were started in 1980 with the hiring of “The Princess of Prevention,” Harriet Kopolow. They have since been a cornerstone in the organization’s mission to prevent substance misuse and substance use disorder in Eastern Missouri.

The First Teen Institute

In conjunction with in-school prevention education is PreventEd’s youth leadership programming. Teen Institute empowers local teens to provide peer-to-peer prevention education and emerge as leaders in their friend groups, schools, and communities.

PreventEd Begins as NCA

Founded in 1965, PreventEd was originally a regional chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism. The mission was to change the stigma surrounding alcohol use disorder and help those struggling to find recovery. This idea remains central in PreventEd’s Assessment and Referral program, community strategy, advocacy efforts, and public health campaigns.

Partners

Awards

Funders

Fresh Start

The Fresh Start Community Coalition is a St. Louis-based organization that works to empower families and find fresh ways to impact those affected by poverty, crime, and drugs. Their programs focus on prevention and providing resources and education to help people in their neighborhoods rise above poverty and become productive citizens.

Williams & Associates

W&A provides public health education, prevention, and treatment interventions to address health disparities while promoting health equity for Black and other marginalized people.