Vision & More

Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support Logo featuring a circle of hands. Our vision

The Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support (RCPS) is a community-wide coalition focused on substance misuse prevention and mental health awareness within the broad context of a healthy community in which quality of life is a priority for all who live, go to school, and work in Reading, Massachusetts. Our vision is a safe, vibrant, and healthy Reading in which all members-young to old-engage in making healthy decisions and actively work together to ensure that today’s resources shape tomorrow’s strengths.


OUR MISSION

Our mission is to promote a healthy community environment so that everyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Reading can enjoy an optimum quality of life. To address our problem that a significant number of youth and adults in Reading, MA misuse alcohol, drugs, and nicotine. The coalition focuses on seven community change strategies to reduce substance misuse and promote mental health.


Our Primary prevention strategies

Provide Information 

Enhance Skills 

Provide Support 

Enhance Access to Healthy Opportunities

Change Consequences

Consider Healthy Physical Design

Modify & Change Policies  


Our Goals

The coalition as a vehicle for community change has proven to be an essential component in reducing substance misuse and promoting mental health in Reading through a variety of prevention efforts. The coalition focuses on shared accountability, community education, coalition trainings, leadership programs, special events and advocacy centered on three goals:

Improve community collaboration

Reduce substance misuse 

Promote mental health