About VOSAP
The mission of the Virginia Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (VOSAP) is to support positive youth development by providing strategic statewide leadership, fostering collaboration and the sharing of resources at all levels, and providing tools and training to practice evidence-based prevention to reduce the incidence and prevalence of substance abuse and its consequences.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF VOSAP
VOSAP recently transitioned from the GOSAP Collaborative. GOSAP was authorized under Section 2.2-118 of the Code of Virginia, enacted by the 2000 Virginia General Assembly in order to "to assist in the coordination of the substance abuse prevention activities of the Commonwealth, review substance abuse prevention program expenditures by agencies of the Commonwealth, and determine the direction and appropriateness of such expenditures."
In 2002, GOSAP brought together key representatives from 12 state agencies and organizations to form the GOSAP Collaborative. Relying on members' collective knowledge and experience in prevention programming, the collaborative has developed and provided numerous resources and tools that have proven instrumental in addressing substance abuse in our schools and communities.
In November 2006, as recognition of significant and growing accomplishments, the GOSAP Collaborative was formally established in Executive Directive 4 by Gov. Tim Kaine.
GOVERNOR MANDATE
In Executive Directive 4 (2006), the GOSAP Collaborative was charged with responsibilities in three areas:
1. Fostering collaboration among stakeholders to enhance capacity, improve efficiency and produce results;
2. Enhancing infrastructure to sustain and integrate prevention practice; and
3. Collecting data to efficiently allocate resources and monitor results.