UK Prevent Community-Engaged Alliance

07/01/2026

Be seen. Be heard. Be the difference.

BetterWithout.It is looking for Youth Ambassadors ages 13–26 to share their voices and stories in a statewide video campaign. This opportunity is for young people who are choosing purpose, creativity, connection, and positive choices over substance use.

Whether it’s sports, music, art, gaming, leadership, community service, or something totally different, Better Without It wants to highlight what young people across Kentucky are building.

Know a young person who would be a great fit? Encourage them to apply here: https://www.betterwithout.it/

05/06/2026

When schools, families, and communities work together, good things happen!

A recent UKNow article highlighted our partnership with Picadome Elementary. This collaboration brought together school staff, students, caregivers, and across the school year to support well-being through shared learning, creativity, and connection.

We are proud of this partnership and are grateful to Picadome, Fayette County Public Schools, and all the caregivers who joined us this school year. We are also thankful for support from the UK College of Education and the UK HealthCare Healthy Kentucky Initiative.

Read the story here: https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/uk-college-education-picadome-elementary-partnership-supports-well-being-families

05/04/2026

If your co-worker was struggling with depression, would you know what to do?

Matt lost a coworker to su***de. He is sharing his story to remind us that conversations can save lives.

In less time than it takes to do a jobsite safety walk, you can learn how to recognize warning signs and refer people to help. Through UK HealthCare, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training is free to all Kentuckians. Learn more and take the training here: https://bit.ly/QPRCoworker26

If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The is available 24/7/365.

05/01/2026

05/01/2026

If your co-worker was struggling with depression, would you know what to do?

Matt lost a coworker to su***de. He is sharing his story to remind us that conversations can save lives.

In less time than it takes to do a jobsite safety walk, you can learn how to recognize warning signs and refer people to help. Through UK HealthCare, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training is free to all Kentuckians. Learn more and take the training here: https://bit.ly/QPRCoworker

If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The is available 24/7/365.

04/27/2026

We all have a “worst day.” Planning ahead can make a difference.

Join Fayette County Cooperative Extension and IChampionHealth for CODE RED, a FREE safety planning training for adults. You’ll learn how to create a simple, personalized plan and build skills to help yourself and others before a mental health crisis hits. No experience needed.

📅 May 7, 2026
🕕 6:00–7:30 PM
📍 Fayette County Extension Office (1140 Harry Sykes Way)

Register here: https://fayette.mgcafe.uky.edu/events/code-red-universal-safety-plan-0

04/27/2026

Don’t miss this upcoming FREE webinar from CAMS: Delivering Suicide-Focused Care in Rural Communities

Building Bridges co-investigator Dr. Paul Norrod will be presenting this session which will explore the unique challenges of providing su***de-focused care in rural settings—along with innovative, real-world solutions using the CAMS Framework®.

🗓 Friday, May 15
⏰ 1 PM EST
💻 Virtual | 1-hour session
🔗 Register here- https://cams-care.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tu0SsvyrRDO7lGZdgK5JrQ

A great opportunity to learn and strengthen approaches to rural mental health care—be sure to check it out!

04/07/2026

The Building Bridges team participated in CODE RED, a universal safety planning training, yesterday through the PREVENT Alliance.

Developed at the University of Kentucky by Dr. Julie Cerel, CODE RED is an evidence-based approach that encourages people to create a simple, customized plan they can access during a crisis. The training was hosted at the Fayette County Extension Office, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to continue strengthening su***de prevention skills across our team.

02/18/2026

Program: Building Bridges to Farmer Mental Health is a community-engaged initiative focused on strengthening mental health literacy, su***de prevention, and help-seeking pathways within agricultural and rural communities in Kentucky. The program emphasizes farm-community specific education, peer-led...

05/09/2025

Our PREVENT team has had so much to celebrate — and today, we’re spotlighting Dr. Abeni El-Amin, a program coordinator for the Empower KY project!

Dr. El-Amin was recently recognized with TWO awards for her dedication to advancing community health:
🏆 The 2025 Sarah Bennett Holmes Staff Award from the UK Women's Forum
🏆 The 2025 Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero Award from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department

Join us in celebrating Dr. El-Amin and the impact she continues to make across Kentucky and beyond!

You can learn more about the Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards here: https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/uk-women-s-forum-announces-31st-annual-sarah-bennett-holmes-award-winners

You can learn more about the 2025 Dr. Rice C. Leave Public Health Hero Awards here: https://www.lfchd.org/2025publichealthheroaward/