SAVVY

The Substance Abuse Awareness Vital for Virginia Youth (SAVVY) initiative is a collaborative effort among state agencies and community partners to promote successful substance abuse prevention efforts.

RAISING AWARENESS

"The damage done by substance abuse affects countless families and communities. Yet, communities across the Commonwealth are working together at all levels to promote the healthy development of our children and provide clear paths for addressing the negative effects of substance abuse." —Gov. Bob McDonnell

Momentum is building for SAVVY, the governor's new prevention initiative, designed to inform parents, educators, students and youth advocates about the dangers of substance abuse, especially the growing use of synthetic cannabinoids, hallucinogenic bath salts and misused prescription medicine.

SAVVY sponsors expos throughout Virginia to provide up-to-date prevention information to everyone concerned about Virginia's youth. SAVVY is a joint effort from the Secretaries of Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety.

PROMOTING SUCCESS

"I challenge school divisions to participate in the SAVVY Schools and Communities Recognition Program. I look forward to recognizing schools and their community partners that have implemented best practices for substance abuse prevention and promotion of the healthy development of our children." —Gov. Bob McDonnell

The SAVVY Schools and Communities Recognition Program seeks to acknowledge school divisions and community partners for their efforts to prevent substance abuse. Through this program, we will recognize the power of community-based substance abuse prevention efforts that are informed by science, driven by local partnerships and tuned to the specific needs of a community.