More than 150 prevention professionals, community leaders, educators, and advocates from across Washington state and beyond gathered in January for the first-ever Virtual Rural Prevention Summit, hosted by Prevent Coalition’s Rural Network. Held on January 20 and 22, the two-day event provided a space for rural communities to connect, learn from one another, and strengthen prevention efforts grounded in lived experience.

The summit, themed “Connection in Chaos,” was organized to meet a growing need expressed by rural communities: to provide more accessible opportunities for collaboration, strategy sharing, and relationship building despite ongoing capacity and funding challenges.

“This summit was about meeting people where they are and removing barriers that often prevent rural voices from coming together,” said Abigail Wells, Community Prevention Program Coordinator at ESD 112. “We didn’t want to go another year without creating space for rural communities to connect and recharge.”

Over two days of virtual programming, attendees learned directly from rural community members and trainers implementing effective, evidence-based prevention strategies tailored to rural life. Sessions highlighted connection as a powerful prevention tool for individuals, systems, and the workforce.

Centering Connection as a Prevention Strategy

The summit began with a keynote address by Joe Neigel, Director of Prevention Services for the Monroe School District, whose presentation, “Connection in Chaos: The Heart of Prevention in Rural Communities,” set the tone for the event. Neigel explored how connection, care, and integration support both individuals and systems, especially in rural areas where professionals often juggle multiple roles and work with limited resources.

For many attendees, the message resonated deeply.

One attendee mentioned that Neigel’s keynote reminded them that even small steps and behind-the-scenes work truly matter.

Additional sessions highlighted the long-term growth of rural coalitions, youth engagement models, and community-based prevention strategies that build protective factors even when resources are limited. Speakers shared candid lessons learned, reinforcing that progress in rural prevention is often incremental, relational, and deeply meaningful.

From Brain Science to Youth Voice

Day Two shifted its focus toward skill-building and future-oriented strategies, beginning with keynote speaker Dr. Crystal Collier, a therapist, educator, and author of Know Your Neuro. Her session, “Brain-based Prevention for Each Stage of Development,” offered attendees practical, neuroscience-informed tools to support youth at every developmental stage, from early childhood through adolescence.

Participants highlighted Dr. Collier’s presentation as especially helpful for turning complex brain science into practical prevention strategies they could quickly apply in schools, coalitions, and community settings.

The summit also featured sessions on youth suicide prevention education, mentoring in rural communities, and an interactive youth panel with young leaders from rural areas sharing their experiences with prevention, connection, and trusted adult relationships. Their voices served as a powerful reminder that youth engagement is not only helpful but also vital to effective prevention efforts. Hearing directly from young people left a lasting impression.

“Hearing the teens tell their stories and share their vision for better adult/kid relationships was impactful,” one attendee noted. “They were brave and impressive.”

Participants consistently praised the summit’s relevance, organization, and capacity to foster genuine connections in a virtual setting. Many shared that they felt validated, energized, and reminded that prevention work, especially in rural areas, relies on collaboration rather than perfection.

What Comes Next

The Virtual Rural Prevention Summit builds on the Rural Network’s history of hosting in-person Rural Prevention Conferences, offering an accessible option during years when in-person events are not feasible. Organizers plan to continue hosting the virtual summit every other year, alternating with the in-person conference.

The next opportunity to connect will be at the Rural Prevention Conference, scheduled for September 30–October 1, 2026, in Wenatchee, Washington. Attendees are encouraged to join the Rural Network, participate in monthly meetings or committees, and consider presenting at future events.

Funded by the Southwest Washington Accountable Community of Health (SWACH) and the Washington State Department of Health, the Virtual Rural Prevention Summit marked a significant step forward in expanding equitable access to prevention learning and connection for rural communities statewide.

For recordings, presentation slides, and more information, visit the Prevent website.

About Prevent Coalition

The Prevent Coalition is a community coalition formed in 2003 to increase collaboration and awareness and reduce youth substance use in Southwest Washington, including Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania counties. Prevent also implements initiatives for rural communities across Washington State through the Rural Network to create a culture that promotes healthy choices. Through support from ESD 112, as well as invaluable community volunteers and organizations across the state, Prevent advocates for policies and regulations that protect, empower, and nurture youth. Prevent is funded by the Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Program from the Washington Department of Health,  and other state and federal grants. For more information, visit www.preventcoalition.org.