Retired Hood River County Prevention Department Director Belinda Ballah addresses The Hood River Rotary Club in January 2024, one of around 30 organizations to receive Opioid Overdose Response Training
Prevention Department transition brings new opportunities
The Hood River County Prevention Department provides diverse support to community members, particularly youth and historically underserved people. It currently manages a dozen active local, state, and federal grants. These grants address a wide range of issues including tobacco prevention and cessation, problem gambling prevention, parenting support, suicide prevention, drug and opioid use prevention and education, re-engagement services, juvenile crime prevention, and job training services.
Belinda Ballah, former prevention director, retired on October 1 after 12 years with the department.
Long-time Prevention Director Belinda Ballah retired from the Hood River County Prevention Department on October 1 after 12 years of service. “Throughout her long career in the County, Belinda has consistently prioritized community well-being and evidence-based practices,” relayed County Administrator Allison Williams. “We are grateful for the strong foundation she has built in the prevention department and look forward to continuing this work.”
The County recently appointed Rachael Fuller as Interim Prevention Director for six months. Fuller brings 20 years of local government experience, including three years as city manager for Hood River.
Fuller will oversee current prevention programs and lead a project to evaluate the integration of the Hood River County Prevention Department with the Health Department. This evaluation will assess grant requirements and develop a staffing plan to meet those requirements. Importantly, no changes in current staff are planned. Fuller will also engage with community partners to better understand the community's needs.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to engage with the community and county staff during this interim period,” Fuller said. “I look forward to continuing to learn about the impact of prevention work on the community and the opportunities for collaboration moving forward.”
The Hood River County Prevention Department is known for being a creative and effective collaborator. The department currently facilitates or contracts for a range of programs directly impacting the County’s school-age youth.
Pictured are Daron Ryan from the Health Dept. and Belinda Ballah, former Prevention Director. The two departments partnered to offer naloxone training in the County.
The Prevention Department has partnered with the Hood River County Health Department in the past, most recently using Opioid Settlement funds for 1,000 Narcan kits in the community. The partners have facilitated hundreds of training sessions on administering Narcan, and to date, 977 Narcan kits have been distributed.
The work of the Prevention Department has always been based on Prevention Science, utilizing evidence-based programs and practices. Prevention Science is a well-established area of research aimed at improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities. By intervening before the onset or worsening of any problem, whether at the individual level or within systems, a preventative approach can stop or redirect what might otherwise lead to a series of negative consequences.
For more information about the Hood River County Prevention Department or a list of resources, visit hoodriverprevents.com.
The Hood River County Prevention Department originated from the Hood River County Commission on Children and Families, established in 1992 by a legislative mandate. When the mandate expired in 2013, the Hood River County Prevention Department was established. The department’s vision, “Well Being for All,” and mission and have remained consistent:
Striving towards a healthy, safe, and drug-free Hood River County through education, programs, and support for our children, families, and community, based on a foundation of cultural humility, inclusion, and equity.