The Washington State DBHR Prevention System

The Washington State DBHR Prevention System has been recently recognized nationwide by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), for its uniquely effective approach to community and school-based behavioral health promotion and prevention services.

The NASEM published the Blueprint for a National Prevention Infrastructure for Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders highlighting Washington State’s multi-level and collaborative prevention system, considering it as a model for other states to follow (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2025). In partnership with state universities specializing in prevention science, the programs integrate valuable research insights and provide workforce development through training opportunities and a community-based fellowship program. A comprehensive data collection system allows for thorough and credible evaluations by university partners, clearly demonstrating the programs’ effectiveness in local communities and schools.

Local prevention programming is provided in communities and schools through contracts with community coalitions, educational service districts, and community-based organizations. The initiative also supports universal media campaigns to promote wellness and reduce stigma and deliver clear, accessible data to local communities through the Healthy Youth Survey and Young Adult Health Survey. In doing so, Washington empowers communities to tailor effective solutions to their needs and sets a national benchmark for prevention excellence.  This provides a proven framework that can be expanded upon to address the full continuum of behavioral health promotion and prevention needs across the state.