Strategic Planning
Data-driven. Community-informed. Action-focused.
How We Plan
CVARR assesses community needs through data collection, stakeholder engagement, and community surveys to understand the local substance use landscape.
What This Leads To
We identify critical gaps and prioritize areas requiring immediate attention.
The Outcome
Each year, this process informs a strategic plan that guides our goals, actions, and impact.
Strategic Goals
Our Focus Through 2028
CVARR’s strategic goals are guided by local data and community input. Each goal is designed to address critical needs across prevention, maternal and child health, and overdose response in Central Virginia.
Youth Substance Use Prevention
Key Data
- 47% of 12th graders reported lifetime use of electronic vapor products
- 35.6% reported purchasing from a retail store
- 50% perceived great risk of use
Goal
By 2028, reduce youth use of electronic vapor products and emerging retail substances in Lynchburg by:
- Decreasing retail and social access by 15%
- Decreasing lifetime use by 15%
- Increasing perceived risk of use by 15%
CVARR is working to reduce youth access, decrease use, and increase perceived risk—each by 15% by 2028.
By addressing these factors together, we create the conditions for sustained reductions in youth substance use.
Maternal & Infant Health
Key Data
- 70 infants tested positive for cannabis exposure during hospitalization in 2024
- Increasing availability of retail THC products in the region
- Growing normalization of cannabis use during pregnancy
Goal
By 2028, reduce the number of infants testing positive for cannabis exposure during hospitalization in Central Virginia by 10%.
As THC products become more widely available and normalized, prenatal exposure is increasing.
CVARR is working to increase awareness of emerging cannabis products—especially those marketed as safe or natural—while correcting misinformation and supporting informed decision-making.
These efforts help reduce prenatal exposure and support healthier outcomes for both mothers and infants.
Overdose Prevention & Response
Goal 1
By 2028, reduce overdose deaths in Central Virginia by 10% (from 32 to 29 deaths).
Goal 2
Assess and strengthen post-overdose follow-up and support systems across key access points in Central Virginia.