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About Us

Formed in 2013, the Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition (HPW Coalition) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that works to prevent substance use among youth and adults, enhance wellness, and improve the overall quality of life for everyone in the community.


By working closely with partner agencies such as the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the University of Florida, HPW aims to prevent substance use by educating youth and families, reducing access to substances, offering alternative activities, and providing youth with important skills such as healthy coping mechanisms. Funded through local and federal grants, all of HPW’s programs and services are free to residents of Alachua County, FL. HPW welcomes community members to join the coalition, volunteer at events, or donate to support our mission.

Health Promotion & WEllnessCoalition

Health Promotion

&  Wellness Coalition

Formed in 2013, the Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition is a 501©(3) non-profit organization that works to prevent substance use among youth and adults, enhance wellness, and provide health education to improve the overall quality of life for everyone in the community.

Our Mission is to prevent substance abuse, enhance wellness and educate the community by raising awareness through partnerships and health promotional activities.

Our Vision is to build a safe, healthy and drug-free community for residents of Alachua County.

Team Members

LaShay Johnson

Program Director

LaShay Johnson, is the Project Director for The Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition. She has served in the field of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Community Education, for over 10 years. Previously, LaShay served on the HPW Board of Directors in the capacity of Secretary for 3 years. LaShay brings a wealth of community relationships, innovative ideas and passion beyond measure.

Amy Patrick

Program Coordinator

Amy Patrick first became involved with the Coalition as an intern during her years as a student at the University of Florida and was later brought on as a staff member in 2018. Amy currently serves in the position of Program Coordinator and enjoys interacting with community members and volunteers, hosting local events such as the annual 5K Color Run, and developing new programs or activities to address substance use.

Lakeyra Johnson

Community Event Coordinator

Lakeyra Johnson is the Community Event Coordinator for HPW Coalition. She is a Gainesville native and proud Gator grad who has strong ties to the community. Over the last four years, Lakeyra has served as a volunteer and mentor to youth in her area. She is excited to continue impacting the community. Please contact Lakeyra at events@hpwcoalition.org to partner on events, receive a custom presentation, and more!

Board Members

Gregory Pelham

Chairman 

Joyce Wilson

Treasurer




Ret. Chief Tony Jones

Member

Dr. Veita Jackson-Carter

Member

Gwen Love

Member

Ret. CPL. Dontonya Smith

Member

Michelle Sherfield

Member

Rachel Waters, LMHC

Member

Annual Report– 2023

HPW compiles an annual report that covers its largest events, programs offered, successes throughout the year, and the Coalition’s goals for next year. The report also recognizes the vital assistance of the Board of Directors, interns, volunteers, and community partners. Read the Annual Report learn more about HPW’s work in the community!

View Report

HPW Coalition

Drug Free Community (DFC) Partners

As a Drug-Free Coalition, HPW works closely with the twelve sectors for Drug Free Communities. Partners include parents from the Alachua County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (ACCPTA), law enforcement at Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, students from the University of Florida, members of the Youth Coalition, and other substance use agencies such as the Hanley Foundation.

CDS

CDS Family and Behavioral Health Services, Inc. is the main sponsor for the HPW Coalition. CDS is a vital partner in the mission to prevent substance use and improve overall wellness for residents in Alachua County. As a sponsor, CDS has provided extensive resources and collaborated on many local programs and events. 

Screenshot 2022-11-16 143301

University of

Florida

As one of HPW’s largest partnerships, the University of Florida hosts internships each semester with students from educational programs such as the Health Disparities in Society Minor and the Bachelor of Public Health. Interns are vital to HPW’s mission to develop new projects, participate in events such as Friday Night Done Right, and provide new ideas to reach youth.

Youth

Coalition

At HPW, students are vital to the mission to prevent substance use in the community. Members of the youth coalition provide input and suggestions for programs, volunteer at events, and help educate their peers about substance use. 

“We need to be able to be at the table when decisions are being made, I love being able to voice my opinion in the youth coalition” – Kacie S. 

12

Law

Enforcement

HPW has strong partnerships with local law enforcement such as the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Gainesville Police Department. These relationships are vital to implementing programs such DEA Drug Take Back Days and Compliance Checks. For Know the Law, School Resource Officers (SRO) teach the course to students at local middle and high schools.

To build a safe, healthy and drug-free community for residents of Alachua County.

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Surveys
Surveys include four versions: two youth surveys, one adult and parent survey, and an alcohol survey for those under the age of 21. These surveys are vital to help HPW understand the current trends and largest concerns facing youth and families. By completing these surveys, you can also qualify for community service hours. Please reach out to HPW at info@hpwcoalition.org to receive credit for community service hours.
Youth Qualitative:
Youth Quantitative:
Adult/Parent:
STOP/Alcohol:
Escape Room
As an educational tool, HPW developed multiple virtual Escape Room activities for youth, adults, and parents to learn more about the risks of substance use. These activities are centered around alcohol, marijuana, mental health, and prescription drug use with themes such as Marvel, Clue, and Harry Potter..
Marvel: (Alcohol)
Clue: (Prescription Drugs)
Harry Potter 1: (Marijuana)
Harry Potter 2: (Marijuana Pt.2)
Star Wars: (Mental Health)
TIPs Training
TIPs is an alcohol vendor training program that is completely free to residents of Alachua County. The purpose is to teach convenience store clerks, bartenders and other employees who sell alcohol, how to properly check IDs and other important skills. Please contact HPW at info@hpwcoalition.org to get access to this course for free. 
https://www.gettips.com/
Know the Law
An educational program for middle and high school students where students learn about the potential consequences of breaking the law as well as the health effects of using alcohol, marijuana, and other substances including vaping. Some topics covered include sexting, battery, grand theft and possession. Know the Law can be administered at schools as well as afterschool programs, please reach out to HPW to schedule your next event!
DEA Drug Take Back Day

DEA Drug Take Back Days provide a safe, convenient, and anonymous method of disposing of unwanted, expired or unused prescription drugs. These events are coordinated with law enforcement agencies such as the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office with a deputy present at each drop site. Take Back Days occur each April and October with multiple sites across Alachua County.

https://www.dea.gov/takebackday

Deterra
The HPW Coalition distributes Deterra drug disposal bags within Alachua County in partnership with local agencies to reduce access to prescription medication and raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse. Each biodegradable pouch can dispose of pills along with liquids and patches. Reach out to HPW to learn more about how you can get access to Deterra bags for free.
Compliance Checks
HPW partners with Florida Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco as well as local law enforcement to conduct periodic compliance checks with youth. During this process, youth try to purchase alcohol underage and determine if their IDs will be properly checked by bartenders or liquor store clerks. Businesses that fail compliance checks are given notices and encouraged to complete Responsible Vendor Trainings. HPW is always looking for youth volunteers to participate in this activity!
Sticker Shock

 Designed as an educational campaign, HPW places stickers with information that might not be well known or could be “shocking” to the community on beer cases and liquor. Posters and handouts with the same information are placed on locations such as liquor store windows to spread awareness. Topics can cover social hosting laws and statistics on underage drinking. Please contact HPW if you know of a liquor store that would want to get involved in this campaign!

Run for Your Life 5K
The Run for Your Life 5K is a family-friendly color run event designed to honor those affected by the opioid use crisis and raise awareness by educating community members in Alachua County. It also serves as a fundraiser for HPW’s mission in the community. This event takes place each September at Depot Park in Gainesville, FL.
Friday Night Done Right (FNDR)
FNDR is a program designed to teach youth that there are safe activities they can participate in, such as concerts and football games, instead of drinking alcohol or using drugs during the weekends to have fun. In the past, the Coalition has partnered with organizations such as Girls Place to host Friday Night Done Right, and is happy to partner with other community organizations to host more events!
Town Hall and Youth Summits
This is an opportunity for community members to raise their concerns and discuss the problems they see in their local areas, as well as learn from speakers and panelists about current drug trends. Previous town halls have occurred at Gainesville High School to raise awareness about drug use among youth. HPW has also partnered with local agencies to host Youth Summit trainings and provide educational in-person activities such as the mobile escape room challenge.
Prevention Trailer
The trailer is a mobile unit with educational resources and activities that can be used at local community events. It has plenty of resources for both parents and youth including Fatal Vision Goggles that allow you to see different levels of alcohol impairment. The trailer can be an asset at both indoor and outdoor events, please contact HPW to have it available at your next event.
Presentations
HPW can offer tailored presentations to your community organization or agency covering a wide range of topics: Substance use trends and rates, mental health, COVID’s impact on substance use, the health effects of substances and more. HPW can present at community meetings and other local events, please contact the Coalition to learn more.
Parent Toolkit
HPW offers a parent toolkit with resources and information such as the Operation Parent Handbook, alcohol tape, Treatment Resource Guide, meditation apps and more! Please reach out to HPW to find out how you can get your toolkit and other parent resources.
Media Campaigns
HPW is always seeking new ways to host media campaigns. In the past, the Coalition has placed media campaigns about alcohol use on the side of RTS buses to educate High School and College Students as it drives through campus. HPW has also installed a number of billboards across Alachua County and is currently planning to create PSAs with youth to educate their peers.