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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
The newly released infographic Prevention and the Basics of Social Media Management is now available! This document 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, […]

Upcoming Events

Hosted by the Great Lakes PTTC
Webinar/Virtual Training
This 90-minute webinar will explore national and state level data points from middle and high school youth to make the case that Prevention Works!  We will discuss the need to maintain, expand, and sustain our efforts of implementing tested and effective substance misuse prevention programs. The session will also focus on areas where we have not seen prevention success and a call for action to improve prevention among 18-25-year-old young adults.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Explore Monitoring the Future and some state trend data that have demonstrated decreasing overall trends in substance use among high school age youth. Identify three websites that provide information on the tested and effective prevention programs Identify areas of focus for the prevention field that need attention based on state and national data points     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.      PRESENTER:  Kevin Haggerty, MSW, PhD Kevin P. Haggerty, MSW, PhD, is an emeritus Professor of Prevention at the University of Washington School of Social Work. He is the former director of the Social Development Research Group where he specialized in the delivery of prevention programs at the community, school and family level. For over three decades, he has focused on developing innovative ways to organize the scientific knowledge base for prevention so that parents, communities and schools can better identify, assess, and prioritize customized approaches that meet their needs. He has served as principal investigator on a variety of intervention-focused federally funded grants.     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
Social media can be a powerful tool in our substance misuse prevention work. The number of digital platforms continues to grow and the way they deliver content is ever-changing. Often, we have limited resources to implement social media plans. Competing priorities, minimal staff time, and an inability to keep up with the technology can make social media planning feel overwhelming.   This 90-minute webinar will address ways to navigate these challenges. Join us to learn how to develop and implement manageable and effective social media plans. The session will introduce tools to help broaden reach and enhance engagement.  We will share tips for curating and creating engaging, original content for a variety of platforms. Additionally, we will explore ways to use social media advertising, scheduling, and insights.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Select practical tools, resources, and strategies to create social media content. Identify strategies to increase social media engagement and reach. Integrate social media plans as part of information dissemination, event promotion, and storytelling.     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.      PRESENTER:  Jennifer Bierer, BA Jennifer Bierer is the Director of Communications at PreventionFIRST!  At PreventionFIRST! Jennifer leads social media, public relations, and marketing strategies and coordinates problem gambling prevention strategies. Additionally, she provides training and technical assistance on sustainable, realistic communication strategies for community organizations and prevention professionals. She serves as a board member for the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio.    Jennifer is passionate about public health and has extensive health promotion experience in the areas of chronic diseases, obesity, traffic-related deaths/injuries, mental health, and substance use/misuse. She has also developed marketing strategies and branding for several worker-owned businesses.   She has a Bachelor of Arts in communication and public relations from Xavier University and is currently working on her Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist credential. Her life outside of work is filled with houseplants, home improvements, furry friends, human friends, family, and three college-age sons.           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
This is the fourth of six highly interactive sessions focused on taking a deep dive into principles of the code of ethics for substance misuse prevention specialists. The focus of this session will be on the principle of Nature of Services and how to apply it to the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). After a short presentation participants will work together in small groups to look at how this principle can be applied to the SPF.   This prevention ethics series is for substance misuse prevention practitioners that have already completed a Foundations in Prevention Ethics training. If you would like to attend this series but have not yet completed the prevention ethics foundation course, complete the free, self-paced, online prevention ethics course on HealtheKnowledge before attending this ethics series. Important notes: In order to receive a certificate of attendance for this training, participants are required to actively participate and be on camera. Participants will be allowed into trainings up to 10 minutes after the start of the session. After that time, no new attendees will be accepted into the session because the group will have moved into breakout rooms. Visit the series landing page for information and registration links for the other sessions in the series.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Heighten understanding and daily implementation of the code of ethics for prevention specialists Better understand how the prevention code of ethics applies to the Strategic Prevention Framework     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.     PRESENTER:  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. Kris 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 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 Recording and Follow-Up Materials This presentation focuses on the intersection of adolescent substance use and gun violence in metropolitan, suburban, and rural communities. Along with substance use, 15 additional risk factors for gun violence will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed upon protective factors which help buffer the impact of risk factors. We will also discuss prevention and intervention strategies.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to: Articulate the relationship between substance use and gun violence. Recognize 15 risk factors for adolescent gun violence. Describe how protective factors can help reduce the risk of substance influenced gun violence. Name prevention and intervention strategies that address adolescent gun violence.   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS Presentation Recording, March 12, 2024 Presentation Slides, March 12, 2024    PRESENTER:  Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is Illinois state project manager for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. He is an international speaker in the behavioral health field whose presentations have reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean and British Virgin Islands. A partial list of clients include General Motors Corporation, Xerox Corporation, Northwestern University, and the United States Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. The author of five books, Mark has had two stories published in The New Times bestselling book series, Chicken Soup for The Soul. He has taught at the University of Chicago, Loyola University of Chicago, and Illinois State University's schools of social work. Mark’s three decades of experience as a direct service Licensed Clinical Social Worker provide the foundation for his presentations.   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.
Other, Toolkit
The Sustainability Planning in Prevention Guidebook and Sustainability Planning in Prevention Toolkit are designed to help substance misuse prevention providers, coalitions, groups, organizations, and training and technical assistance providers to: Look critically at prevention infrastructures Develop sustainability plans Establish the necessary partnerships and resources to sustain meaningful prevention outcomes beyond current funding              The Sustainability Planning Guidebook and accompanying toolkit were originally developed and published by SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) task order in 2018 (Reference # HHSS283201200024I/HHSS28342002T). The 2024 versions of the guidebook and toolkit were developed with the support of the DHHS, SAMHSA, under cooperative agreement H79SP080995.
Multimedia
Recording: Drug Trends in the Great Lakes Region: What Are They and How Do We Address Them?   This 90-minute webinar will explore changes in drug use trends in the Great Lakes region and how prevention professionals can integrate the new and evolving data into their existing prevention work. The most up-to-date information on trends in alcohol, cannabis, opioid, and other drug use in the Great Lakes region will be presented. Additionally, we will discuss how these changes may impact everything from the existing priorities, strategies, data needs, and partnerships.         LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Describe changes in current substance use patterns and behavior. Describe how priority risk and protective factors may shift due to changing drug trends. Recognize the impact of shifting use and consumption patterns on prevention strategies and partnerships. Explain the importance of incorporating emerging drug trend into ongoing strategic planning.     PRESENTERS:  Josh Esrick, MPPP Josh Esrick is the Chief of Training and Technical Assistance at Carnevale Associates, LLC. Mr. Esrick has over ten years of experience researching, writing, evaluating, and presenting on substance use prevention and other behavioral health topics. He is an expert in providing training and technical assistance (TTA) in substance use, having overseen the development of hundreds of TTA products for numerous clients, including six of SAMHSA’s ten regional Prevention Technology Transfer Centers (PTTCs), the PTTC Network Coordinating Office, the Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) and Mental Health Technology Transfer Centers (MHTTC), and SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT). These trainings and products have covered a wide range of topics, including strategic planning, data collection and analysis, and identifying evidence-based prevention interventions for youth. In addition to TTA, Mr. Esrick has directly provided many of these services to behavioral health agencies and other entities. He has published several academic journal articles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Public Policy from George Washington University.   Erin Ficker, MPAff, CSPS 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.     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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