SAMHSA’s National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center (NHL-PTTC)

Published:
April 1, 2019

En Español Em Portugues

Few preventive interventions target the co-occurrence of risk behaviors, including substance abuse for Hispanic youth. Synchronized prevention strategies that address multiple risk behaviors are increasingly desirable options for cost-effective treatment and are beneficial for addressing the complex needs of hard-to-reach populations by reducing barriers to service access and utilization (Ickovics, 2008). Some substance abuse prevention and interventions do exist to address acculturation related stressors such as Familia Adelante (Cervantes, Goldbach & Santos, 2011), intra-familial stress in Hispanic families, such as Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT; Santisteban, et al., 2003) and more recently Culturally Informed Family Therapy for Adolescents (CIFTA; Santisteban, et al, 2011).  Culturally-tailored prevention interventions are better able to engage ethnic minority youth (Tello, et al.  2010; Holleran, et al., 2011). 

The National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) will focus on 1) developing and disseminating tools and strategies needed to improve the quality of substance abuse prevention efforts ; 2) providing intensive technical assistance and learning resources to prevention professionals in order to improve their understanding of prevention science, how to use epidemiological data to guide prevention planning, and selection and implementation of evidence-based and promising prevention practices; and 3) developing tools and resources to engage the next generation of prevention professionals. The intent of these efforts is to increase capacity, skills, and expertise to ensure and/or enhance delivery of effective substance abuse prevention interventions, trainings, and other prevention activities.

Specifically, as it relates to Hispanic/Latino issues, the National Hispanic and Latino PTTC will promote national, regional, and local communication and collaboration for supporting SAMHSA’s workforce development and quality improvement missions, goals, and objectives related to Hispanic and Latino populations; provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to Hispanic and Latino communities seeking to address substance use prevention. Training and technical assistance may be delivered via face-to-face meetings, webinars, conference calls, and other virtual means of delivery; and develop and facilitate virtual learning communities to discuss relevant topics important to Hispanic and Latino communities (e.g., cultural competence, adaptation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for Hispanic and Latino populations).

The National Hispanic and Latino PTTC will work in partnership with the National Hispanic and Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center and complement and expand some of the work that will be done there.  By maximizing economies of scale, we plan to bring efficiency in the development and delivery of our products and services to the nation.

Goals for the National Hispanic and Latino PTTC

The National Hispanic and Latino PTTC will accomplish this through the following goals:

  1. Conduct comprehensive training and technical assistance to Hispanic and Latino communities seeking to address substance use prevention by providing ongoing skill development and coaching opportunities related to specific EBPs and implementation strategies,
  2. Develop and facilitate virtual learning communities to discuss relevant topics important to Hispanic and Latino communities (e.g., cultural competence, adaptation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for Hispanic and Latino populations,
  3. Use a system change approach to increase the prevention workforce’s knowledge of Evidence Based Practices relevant to Hispanic/Latino communities in order to improve their skills to better serve this community,
  4. Participate in the activities for the biennial conference being organized by the National Hispanic and Latino ATTC to include prevention topics and participants and to include prevention categories in the behavioral health awards that are part of the conference and
  5. Include prevention in the survey being conducted by the National Hispanic and Latino ATTC in order to develop and/or improve the quality of services and interventions available by building a relationship between researchers, prevention providers and prevention specialists to increase tools needed to improve the quality of service delivery to H/L communities across the continuum of care. The survey may also include questions for youth to begin to engage the next generation of prevention professionals.

For additional information please contact:

Susie Ann Villalobos, Ed.D.
Project Director
National Hispanic and Latino PTTC
[email protected]

Priscila Giamassi, MPM, CPS
Program Coordinator
National Hispanic and Latino PTTC
[email protected]

Christina Mancebo-Torres, MPH
Program Specialist
National Hispanic and Latino PTTC
[email protected]

Elizabeth Rodriguez, BS
Prevention Fellow
National Hispanic and Latino PTTC
[email protected]

NHL-PTTC
Contributing Center(s):
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