Substance misuse prevention professionals working in HHS Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) are invited to apply to participate in an 8-session learning collaborative. The goal of the learning collaborative is to assist participants in preparing to become certified prevention specialists by providing opportunities to learn foundational knowledge and skills.

Learning collaborative participants will attend monthly virtual meetings on the last Tuesday of each month from 10:00–11:30 AM CT (11:00–12:30 PM ET) from January through September 2025. (Please note: There is no March session.)

Virtual trainings will also be available for learning collaborative participants to help them acquire foundational knowledge and skills in substance misuse prevention. Participants will select which trainings they will attend based on the personal training plans they develop through the learning collaborative.

AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE LEVEL Click for info

APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 20, 2024. Click on the “Register” button to access the application.

Participant Eligibility:

Applicants must meet the following criteria to participate in this learning collaborative:

• Currently working in the substance misuse prevention field within HHS Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
• Ability to attend all monthly learning collaborative sessions via Zoom with camera on and a working microphone (1.5 hours each)
• Ability to complete the required homework prior to each learning collaborative meeting (~30-60 minutes per session)
• Committed to becoming a certified prevention specialist (or similar certification depending on what is offered in the participant’s state)
• Create and follow through on a personal training plan that will guide the participant’s progress toward becoming a certified prevention specialist

Expectations:

Participants of the learning collaborative will:

• Attend the monthly learning collaborative virtual meetings (1.5 hours each)
• Complete the assigned homework prior to each learning collaborative meetings (~30-60 minutes per session)
• Create and complete a personal training plan for obtaining their prevention certification
• Participate in trainings, when the trainings fit into their personal training plan

Learning Objectives:

• Gain foundational knowledge and skills for substance misuse prevention work
• Create a personal training plan to obtain prevention certification
• Complete a personal training plan to obtain prevention certification

Training Schedule:

All virtual sessions will take place from 10:00–11:30 AM CT / 11:00–12:30 PM ET on the following dates:

Jan. 28, Feb. 25, Apr. 29, May 27, Jun. 24, Jul. 29, Aug. 26, and Sept. 30, 2025

(Please note: There is no March session.)

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 Reed (Gabrielsen), MPH, CPS 

Kris Reed 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 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 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.