Getting Candid: Project Impact Report

To learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on youth substance use and to develop tangible strategies for prevention, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), led the Getting Candid: Framing the Conversation Around Youth Substance Use Prevention initiative.

From February 2021 to October 2022, the project team conducted national online assessments, virtual discussion groups and key informant interviews and convened an expert advisory group of youth and youth serving providers. The findings from these activities resulted in the 2022 creation and subsequent dissemination of the Getting Candid Message Guide and Toolkit to equip youth-serving providers and other adults with resources to engage youth in prevention conversations, intervene early and provide youth-centered resources for support.

This report summarizes the work conducted by the Getting Candid team and illustrates the value of the Message Guide and Toolkit for youth-serving providers and youth. It also includes links to a comprehensive set of resources and shares recommendations on next steps for youth-serving providers.