Barbados’ National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) faces significant operational challenges due to severe staffing limitations that hinder its capacity to address the island’s growing need for drug prevention and education services. Deputy Manager Troy Wickham revealed that despite concerted efforts to enhance public awareness campaigns, the organization’s modest workforce of just 19 employees substantially restricts its community outreach capabilities. Among these staff members, only four serve as substance abuse prevention officers tasked with directly delivering drug education programs across diverse community groups. The council’s technical capabilities are further constrained by having merely two research and information officers analyzing local drug trends and two counselors providing essential support services. To overcome these limitations, the NCSA has implemented innovative digital solutions including Zoom, Nearpod, and Canva platforms to conduct virtual sessions reaching broader audiences. These technology-driven initiatives are supported by an evidence-based database ensuring research-grounded prevention messaging. The organization has increasingly relied on trained volunteers who undergo comprehensive 7-12 week training programs covering NCSA’s curriculum, local drug research, and technological delivery methods. As Barbados observes Drug Awareness Month throughout January, Wickham has issued a public appeal for additional volunteers to bolster the council’s community prevention efforts. Despite these adaptive measures, Wickham identified message acceptance as another fundamental challenge, noting that persuading the public to internalize prevention messages remains persistently difficult despite expanded outreach initiatives.