There is growing concern among prevention specialists and public health officials regarding older adults and substance use, misuse, and increasing substance use disorders. Substance use in older adults is complicated and is often overlooked, especially when individuals are experiencing other aging related health conditions. While the number of older adults experiencing substance use disorders dramatically increased in the last 20 years, prevention services have not been tailored to the needs of older adults. This webinar will highlight the growing problem, approaches to understanding the older adult population in your community, and available strategies. Additionally, we will hear directly from preventionists who are implementing programming with this population.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Describe how to assess the prevention needs of older adults in your community. Identify strategies to prevent substance misuse and promote the health and well-being of older adults. Understand approaches and barriers to engaging older adults in prevention efforts. Develop new partnerships that can work across sectors to engage older adults.     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:    Chuck Klevgaard, CSPS Chuck Klevgaard is a nationally recognized expert in substance misuse prevention, public health, and school-based health. Drawing on his experience in collective impact and prevention-focused partnerships, he builds the capacity of states, tribes, schools, communities, and cities to use evidence-based substance misuse prevention and intervention strategies. He specializes in behavioral health support; training and technical assistance; and evidence-based alcohol, opioid, and substance misuse programs and policies. Nationwide, he provides trainings to prevent opioid overdose, including working with first responders to administer naloxone. As a consultant to Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, Klevgaard provides training and technical assistance to substance misuse prevention entities within the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. Klevgaard, a Certified Senior Prevention Specialist through the Illinois Certification Board, Inc., holds a BSW from Minnesota State University Moorhead.     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

COURSE DESCRIPTION Join us for an interactive session that will explore strategies for effectively engaging marginalized communities in prevention efforts. Participants will gain insights into the unique challenges faced by these communities and learn practical approaches to promote empowerment, inclusivity, and equity in prevention initiatives. PRESENTERS Dr. Earl Nupsius Benjamin-Robinson led the development of Louisiana’s first health equity plan and is thus leading efforts, in LDH, to operationalize health equity protocols and practices agency-wide. Dr. Benjamin-Robinson is a public health practitioner with over 19 years of experience and is adjunct faculty at Xavier University’s Public Health Science Program. Since 2015, he’s been distinguished by the American Psychological Association as a Health Equity Ambassador and is a practitioner-scholar member of the Health Disparities, Education, Awareness Research & Training (HDEART) Health Equity Scholars and is the Co-founder of The BACH Group – a community and behavioral health consulting firm. Dr. Benjamin-Robinson is an alumnus of Loyola University, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, completed post-graduate work at the University Of Mississippi Medical Center & John Hopkins University, and is a Doctor of Health Science graduate from Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Health Sciences.        

Event Summary: Prevention professionals from across the US-affiliated Pacific Islands will come together in Palau to develop the “Gathering of Pacific Islanders (GOPI).” The GOPI will be a creation of the Pacific for the Pacific, grounded in indigenous culture, that will engage and mobilize communities in healing and planning to address community-identified issues, including substance misuse prevention. Since 1992, Native American and Alaska Native groups have delivered the Gathering of Native Americans/Alaska Natives (GONA/GOAN) to youth, behavioral health providers, and broader tribal groups. The GONA/GOAN is recognized as an effective culturally-based prevention program that mobilizes groups towards effective prevention planning and sustainability. The GOPI will be developed following a similar process as the GONA/GOAN, starting with cultural sharing and storytelling to identify key values, lessons, and other cultural elements that can inform the framework and processes of the GOPI. Audience: Prevention professionals from across the US-affiliated Pacific Islands nominated by their Jurisdiction SSA or NPN.   Facilitators Jeri Brunoe Alyssa O'Hair   Location West Plaza Hotel at Lebuu Street Koror, Palau   Dates & Times 8:30 am – 4:30 pm April 29-May 3, 2024   Registration Email [email protected]

Cultural Intersections Across the Continuum of Care Southeast TTC’s Collaborative Virtual Summit   Join the Southeast TTC’s Collaborative Virtual Summit! Are you a professional or practitioner in the field of prevention, treatment, recovery, or mental health services within the southeastern United States? If so, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Southeast Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs) invite you to our illuminating event: "Cultural Intersections Across the Continuum of Care." The Technology Transfer Centers (TTC) play a crucial role in developing and fortifying the specialized workforce that provides prevention, treatment and recovery support services for substance use disorder and mental health. The Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center (SE ATTC), Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (SE MHTTC), and Prevention Technology Transfer Center (SE PTTC) will lead discussions, share insights, ideas, and best practices within their specialized areas. This regionally relevant summit will focus on the intersection of culture and illuminate the challenges and approaches experienced across the continuum of behavioral health.   Supplemental Resources: Presentation Slides - Cultural Intersections SE TTC Collaboration   Key Themes: Equity Across Borders: Explore how cultural intersections impact prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts in diverse communities across the southeastern United States. Continuum of Care: Examine the continuum of care and the role of equity in prevention, addiction science, and mental health services. Challenges and Opportunities: Engage in thought-provoking discussions on the challenges and opportunities faced in ensuring health equity in substance use prevention and mental health services.   Presenters: CAPT Michael King, PhD, MSW, Regional Director Albert Gay, MS, CPC Lucy Cannon, EdD, LCSW, CCDP-D, MATS Pierluigi Mancini, PhD  

This webinar describes the importance of environmental strategies and how they differ from individual-focused prevention programs. Environmental strategies are prevention interventions that address factors related to the context within which individuals make decisions about initiating and continuing substance use. Researchers have identified numerous risk and protective factors for engaging in substance use, which are often categorized by a socio-ecological model. Environmental strategies primarily seek to address factors found at the community and society levels of the model. The webinar discusses the different types of environmental strategies and provides examples of evidence-based strategies. The webinar depicts walk-through examples of collaborative partners needed to implement environmental strategies and the pre-implementation work that preventionists will need to complete.

There is growing concern among prevention specialists and public health officials regarding older adults and substance use, misuse, and increasing substance use disorders. Substance use in older adults is complicated and is often overlooked, especially when individuals are experiencing other aging related health conditions. While the number of older adults experiencing substance use disorders dramatically increased in the last 20 years, prevention services have not been tailored to the needs of older adults. This webinar will highlight the growing problem, approaches to understanding the older adult population in your community, and available strategies. Additionally, we will hear directly from preventionists who are implementing programming with this population.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Describe how to assess the prevention needs of older adults in your community. Identify strategies to prevent substance misuse and promote the health and well-being of older adults. Understand approaches and barriers to engaging older adults in prevention efforts. Develop new partnerships that can work across sectors to engage older adults.   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS: Presentation Recording, April 25, 2024 Presentation Slides, April 25, 2024   PRESENTER: Chuck Klevgaard, CSPS  Chuck Klevgaard is a nationally recognized expert in substance misuse prevention, public health, and school-based health. Drawing on his experience in collective impact and prevention-focused partnerships, he builds the capacity of states, tribes, schools, communities, and cities to use evidence-based substance misuse prevention and intervention strategies. He specializes in behavioral health support; training and technical assistance; and evidence-based alcohol, opioid, and substance misuse programs and policies. Nationwide, he provides trainings to prevent opioid overdose, including working with first responders to administer naloxone. As a consultant to Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, Klevgaard provides training and technical assistance to substance misuse prevention entities within the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. Klevgaard, a Certified Senior Prevention Specialist through the Illinois Certification Board, Inc., holds a BSW from Minnesota State University Moorhead.   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.