This year’s Rachel Hutzel Prevention Partner Award was presented to Pat VanOflen. This award is presented to an organization or individual from the tri-state region that has demonstrated notable progress, results and/or innovation in substance use prevention.  

Pat VanOflen is the Coordinator of Fairfield Prevention Coalition, a community-based organization that works to reduce youth substance use in Fairfield City and Fairfield Township, Butler County Ohio. The group focuses exclusively on the specific needs of Fairfield youth using research-based strategies to change policies, practices and perceptions that support use.                                                           

Pat began her work in Drug Prevention in 1985 when invited to attend the Whitehouse call to action by President Reagan while serving as School Nurse at Fairfield Middle School. She continued as Coordinator of Fairfield City Schools Drug-Free School Program until 1995when research began to indicate a need for Community-based prevention. Thanks to Senator Rob Portman who initiated the Drug-Free Communities Support grant the most effective grass-roots prevention effort was launched across the nation.

In 2004 after 2 cycles of Student Drug Use Survey data Fairfield City Schools launched its own “Call to Action”. Pat joined with 8 others in the community to initiate and develop the Coalition for Safe and Drug-Free Fairfield.

She continues working in this community passion for a healthy, safe, drug-free community for our youth.

Her accomplishments include:

• Parent Action Alliance award by First Lady Hope Taft. 1990
• Fairfield City Schools Middle School Prevention Program award. 1993
• Fairfield City Proclamations.  1996-2017
• Drug Free Communities Support Grant 2008, 2015
• Coalition of the Year from Cincinnati Coalition. 2008
• “Got Outcomes” National award for reducing underage drinking among youth by 10%. 2011
• ADAPAO Prevention Specialist of the year. 2014
• Friend of Education, Fairfield Classroom Teachers. 2016
• Fairfield Prevention Youth Coalition, over 200 ACTIVE members. 2018