ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN ADVOCACY AND POLICY
individuals. families. communities
Get to Know ECAP
ECAP advances community-driven prevention efforts that address the conditions shaping health, with a focus on policy, systems, and environmental change. Our work centers youth leadership, community voice, and data-informed advocacy across the following areas:
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Click here to select the programs you’d like to engage with.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
ALI WOHLGEMUTH | MESSAGE ALI
Alcohol and Drug Prevention
AOD Program Overview/Impact
ECAP’s alcohol and other drugs programs bring together community coalitions and youth-led initiatives across Contra Costa County to prevent underage substance use, reduce alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drug misuse, and address overdose risk. Through education, environmental prevention, policy advocacy, and harm reduction, our programs empower youth, support families, and advance culturally rooted, community-driven solutions that promote healthier and safer communities.
Looking for alcohol and other drug prevention or harm reduction resources? Visit our AOD resources page
PROGRAM DIRECTOR - EAST BAY
ALISON WOHLGEMUTH | MESSAGE ALI
Our AOD efforts in the news
CCC MEDS Coalition Events
Explore our recent community activities, including overdose prevention trainings, fentanyl awareness events, and local partnerships advancing education and harm reduction across Contra Costa County.
Free Naloxone Available in Contra Costa
CCC MEDS Coalition helped support efforts to stock opioid overdose medication at three Contra Costa County library branches, expanding community access to life-saving resources.
Challenges with the 4am Bar Bill
Challenges and ongoing policy discussions around the 4 a.m. bar bill and its potential public health and community impacts.
Tobacco Prevention
Tobacco Program Overviews/Impact
ECAP’s tobacco prevention work centers youth leadership and community partnerships to reduce exposure to tobacco and nicotine, strengthen local policies, and promote smoke-free environments. Through advocacy, education, and policy change, our programs address secondhand smoke, tobacco retail practices, and inequities that disproportionately impact youth, families, and communities most affected by tobacco-related harms.
Our Tobacco efforts in the news
YTAPP youth supported Vallejo City Council’s adoption of a smoking ban in multi-unit housing and public spaces, strengthening protections from secondhand smoke for residents countywide.
YAC youth were part of the effort behind Tiburon’s complete ban on tobacco and nicotine sales to protect future generations from addiction.
YTAPP youth helped advocate for Vallejo’s new Tobacco Retail Licensing ordinance, strengthening local policy to regulate where and how tobacco products are sold.
Food Access and Nutrition
Nutrition Program Impact
ECAP’s nutrition work focuses on improving food environments by advancing youth-led policy and systems change that increases access to healthy, affordable food. Through partnerships with young leaders and community organizations, our programs address unhealthy retail practices, strengthen local food policies, and elevate youth voice in shaping healthier food options in schools and neighborhoods.
Healthy Options at Point of Sale (HOPS)
HOPS is a youth-led project in Berkeley, Richmond, Oakland, and Contra Costa County advocating for a healthier food retail environment. They’ve passed groundbreaking healthy retail ordinances in Berkeley and Contra Costa County.
Richmond Food Policy Council
A group of young leaders helped restart the Richmond Food Policy Council. This council works with neighbors, stores, local organizations and community leaders to make access to healthier options easier through an initiative called Healthy Retail, which sets a minimum nutrition standard for products sold at checkouts.
Urban Nutrition Initiative
Urban Nutrition Initiative was a WCCUSD youth-led project where youth worked to provide feedback about school meals, and assisted in school salad bar implementation.
Our nutrition efforts in the news
Youth pass a landmark Contra Costa County Healthy Checkout ordinance.
Click here to learn more
HOPS Richmond youth continue advocating for healthy retail standards in the city of Richmond
Youth leaders from HOPS helped pass the nation’s first Healthy Checkout ordinance in Berkeley, improving food environments at grocery store checkouts.