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Great Lakes PTTC

University of Wisconsin–Madison
1513 University Avenue
Madison,
WI
53706
HHS Region 5
IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
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The Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center (Great Lakes PTTC) is located at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies (CHESS).

We are funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide evidence-based technical assistance, training, and resources addressing the needs of prevention professionals/pre-professionals, organizations, coalitions, and others in the prevention workforce in Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 5:  Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Our partner in this project is Educational Development Center (EDC), a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity.

We work closely with the Great Lakes ATTC and the Great Lakes MHTTC, both of which are also based out of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, CHESS.

Recent News

From the Great Lakes PTTC
Jan. 12, 2024
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office on Women’s Health (OWH) is seeking innovative ways to address human trafficking prevention among women and girls in the United States through the  HHS Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls. The goal of this national competition is to identify and award existing […]
Dec. 08, 2023
Preventionists working in HHS Region 5 (MN, MI, IL, IN, OH, WI) are encouraged to apply for the NIATx Change Leader Academy for Prevention Practitioners!   The NIATx Change Leader Academy (CLA) for Prevention Practitioners is a highly interactive 4-part training series that teaches individuals how to facilitate change using the tools and philosophies of […]
Dec. 04, 2023
This infographic, Prevention and the Basics of Social Media Management, was created to help guide substance misuse prevention professionals in using social media to maximize their prevention efforts. Visit the Great Lakes PTTC product page to download this valuable resource and learn about the basics of social media management, including definitions, tools, and tips to help […]

Upcoming Events

Hosted by the Great Lakes PTTC
Webinar/Virtual Training
Join us for this 90-minute webinar that will provide peer recovery specialists with an introduction to the field of substance misuse prevention. In this interactive session, we will demystify what primary prevention is and is not, introduce the Strategic Prevention Framework, and uncover evidence-based strategies that have proven effective for primary prevention, while debunking those that fall short. This training was created for peer recovery specialists who would like to make a difference in the primary prevention field.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Define primary prevention Explain the 5 steps of the Strategic Prevention Framework Understand how risk and protective factors impact individuals and communities Identify evidence-based approaches that can be used to prevent substance misuse in communities   CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.   PRESENTERS: Kris Gabrielsen, MPH, CPS Kris Gabrielsen is the co-director of the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center. She has worked in the substance misuse prevention field for over 30 years, has a Master of Public Health degree, and is a Certified Prevention Specialist. Kris was the Associate Director of the Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), co-authored the first Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training curriculum, and co-authored the textbook, Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice. As a consultant, she has worked with states and communities across the nation to bridge the gap between research and practice, assisting prevention professionals in maximizing their effectiveness.   Kris Kelly, PRS Kris Kelly is a Project Manager at the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence, leading the RCO capacity-building team through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With over a decade of experience in the in the recovery field, Kris has worked with a wide variety of systems and settings designing and implementing strategies to empower people with lived experience to lead the process in systems change, integrate peer services, and develop recovery-oriented practices. Prior to joining UW, Kris was a director of a Minnesota RCO where she facilitated Recovery Coach training, supervised peer programing, and supported Minnesota’s efforts to grow the Peer Recovery Specialist workforce. She has a passion for holistic wellness in her own recovery journey and has dedicated her personal and professional life to ensuring those who struggle have the opportunity to get well without judgement, without having to jump through countless hoops, and with choice and dignity throughout the process.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.
Webinar/Virtual Training
According to the U.S. Attorney General, “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health.” This 90-minute webinar will explore the concept of social connectedness and its impact on our individual and community health. We will also explore what role we have as substance misuse prevention professionals to address the issue of social connectedness.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Define social connectedness. List at least three impacts of a lack of social connectedness and loneliness. Identify the risk and protective factors for substance misuse that are impacted by social connectedness Name at least three actions that prevention professionals can take to increase social connectedness.   CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.   PRESENTERS:  Erin Ficker  Erin Ficker serves as a prevention manager for the Great Lakes PTTC. For more than 16 years, Erin has worked in substance abuse prevention supporting communities to use evidence-based strategies and data-driven processes in substance abuse prevention planning and implementation.  She works with community level prevention practitioners and schools in the development, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability of prevention interventions. Kris Gabrielsen Kris Gabrielsen is the co-director of the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center. She has worked in the substance misuse prevention field for over 30 years, has a Master of Public Health degree, and is a Certified Prevention Specialist. Kris was the Associate Director of the Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), co-authored the first Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training curriculum, and co-authored the textbook, Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice. As a consultant, she has worked with states and communities across the nation to bridge the gap between research and practice, assisting prevention professionals in maximizing their effectiveness.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.
Webinar/Virtual Training
Meetings, do we need them? How do we make them meaningful? In the field of prevention, we often have the responsibility of facilitating meetings. We use meetings to bring community partners together, to coordinate work, to create buy-in, and to facilitate community change, but most of us facilitate meetings without training on how to organize and run effective meetings. How do we get people to the table, and once there get (and keep) them engaged? How can we make the most of our time together and ensure everyone feels their time was honored and well-spent? In this workshop, prevention professionals will learn practical skills to plan and facilitate effective meetings. Note: Space is limited.  Registration will close earlier if the training fills.    LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Articulate the cost and value of meetings Develop an attendance strategy, create a strong agenda, select an effective format, define roles, and manage logistics Prevent uh-ohs in advance and avoid meeting disasters Encourage meaningful participation and collaboration Conduct effective post-meeting follow up and foster ongoing engagement   CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.   PRESENTERS:  Jamie Comstock and Robin Carr  Jamie Comstock and Robin Carr founded Info Inspired in 2014. Both are certified prevention specialists with over 30 years of combined experience in the field. Outside of their work on Info Inspired, Jamie is the Health Promotion Program Manager and Robin is the Substance Use Prevention Coordinator for Bangor Public Health and Community Services in Bangor, Maine.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.  

Products & Resources

Developed by the Great Lakes PTTC
Multimedia
Webinar Description: In collaboration with the Pacific Southwest PTTC, this engaging 90-minute webinar aims to deepen understanding of the social determinants of health (SDOH) and explore their significant impact on community health outcomes. Participants will gain insights into the primary preventionist's role in addressing SDOH and learn practical strategies for collaboration with various partners. The session is designed to move beyond the theoretical understanding of SDOH, prompting action by highlighting successful examples and providing actionable steps for prevention providers to integrate these determinants into their work effectively. By focusing on collaboration and action, this webinar seeks to empower participants to make a tangible difference in their communities. By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: Define and explain the concept of social determinants of health and their importance in health equity. Identify the role of prevention providers in addressing SDOH within communities. Highlight successful examples of SDOH integration into prevention practices. Offer practical strategies for effective collaboration with other partners working on SDOH. Motivate participants to apply learned strategies in their practice to improve community health outcomes. Presenter: Nicole M. Augustine, Founder & CEO of RIZE Consultants Inc., embodies the spirit of innovation and advocacy in public health. With a vibrant career launched from Cornell University and propelled at George Washington University School of Public Health, Nicole has evolved from a campus harm reduction counselor to a beacon of prevention and equity in public health. A trailblazer in substance misuse prevention and a passionate social justice advocate, Nicole's contributions are not just professional but deeply personal. Her role as an Advanced Implementation Specialist with the Opioid Response Network and consultant to the Prevention Technology Transfer Center underscores her commitment to tangible, widespread change. In 2022, Nicole authored the groundbreaking "Prevention Specialist Exam Study Guide," bridging a crucial gap in the field and empowering professionals to excel in substance misuse prevention.    
Multimedia
  How many times have you seen (or given!) a presentation where the audience's eyes glazed over with boredom or exhaustion? How do we communicate ideas that are important to us in a way that's meaningful to our audiences? Can we make complex science and deep data meaningful to non-expert audiences? Interestingly, directorial and editing techniques that have long been used in movies correspond with some of the best practices derived from cognitive research about how we can engage our audiences in the delivery of our ideas. This webinar looks at how we can create highly engaging and impactful presentations in our substance misuse prevention work.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Explain how basic narrative techniques apply to the successful design and delivery of presentations Describe how design and composition affect an audience's ability to process our messages Apply the Pixar storytelling framework to presentation content design   PRESENTER:  Brian Klaas  Brian Klaas is the Assistant Director for Technology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Teaching and Learning. He also has a faculty appointment in the School's R3 Center for Innovation in Science Education. As the architect for online learning technology at the School, he leads a team that designs and delivers custom online courseware to thousands of students around the world each year. He teaches graduate level courses on communications design and data visualization for non-expert audiences as well as applications of generative artificial intelligence in public health. Brian heads the university’s IT Accessibility Training and Education subcommittee and the Hopkins Universal Design for Learning initiative at Johns Hopkins. Brian has presented on techniques for successful online learning delivery and UDL programs at conferences throughout the country, including Educause, OLC, TeachX, UBTech, APHA, TechEd, Syllabus, and CUE.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders
Multimedia
  This 1.5-hour webinar will introduce substance misuse prevention professionals to the basics of media literacy. Media literacy education provides the tools necessary to analyze and understand the impact of media on our everyday decision making.  Participants will identify different types of media and practice analyzation strategies and skills.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Define media literacy and explain the importance of being media literate. Analyze several types of media. Teach media literacy basics to middle school and high school aged individuals.   PRESENTER: Christi Valentini-Lackner, OCPC  Christi Valentini-Lackner is the Chief Program Officer for Community Strategies at PreventionFIRST!. She is an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant (OCPC) who has worked in the prevention field for over 20 years. Christi has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Ohio University, is the Vice President  for the Ohio Prevention Professionals Association and serves on the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board’s Education and Training Committee.  In 2016, she received the ADAPAO Advocate of the Year Award. Christi is an Ohio Coaching and Mentoring (OCAM) Network coach and mentor. The Ohio Coaching & Mentoring Network (OCAM) is a statewide initiative providing capacity building and workforce development for prevention professionals. The OCAM Network is a diverse team of experienced and certified Ohio prevention professionals.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.
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