Products and Resources Catalog

Access free, self-paced online courses through HealtheKnowledge to enhance your substance misuse prevention knowledge and skills.  Upon finishing these courses, participants receive certificates of completion.  Also available are drug fact sheets for reference.  

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.   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.

  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   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 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.    

  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

  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.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. The June 2024 issue features content celebrating Pride Month, PTSD Awareness Month, and Intersection of Addiction and Racism: A Curated Bibliography‒a new comprehensive resource created by AMERSA, the ATTC NCO, and the PTTC NCO. You will also find links to upcoming trainings focused on the therapeutic benefits of humor in treatment and recovery, prevention efforts in rural communities, and trauma-informed care for transition-age youth. Make sure you're subscribed to our email contact list so you never miss a month of The Great Lakes Current newsletter, and thank you for reading!

DESCRIPTION: This 1.5-hour webinar will review the best practices in effective coalitions and our role as leaders to implement those practices. We will discuss the importance and role that leadership plays in successful coalitions. We will also discuss the ways leadership functions differently in the unique structure of a community coalition.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Describe key characteristics of effective coalition leaders Define leading and managing Identify ways to support and lead coalition members Describe methods to grow your leadership skills   PRESENTER: Erin Ficker, CPRS, MPAff Erin serves as a prevention manager for the Great Lakes PTTC. For more than 14 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 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.  

This is a follow-up session to Breaking Intergenerational Patterns of Addiction, Trauma, and Dark Secrets (December 2020), you can view the recording at Session One Link HERE.   DESCRIPTION Fueled by toxic shame, patterns of trauma, addiction and dark secrets are often repeated in families across generations. Unhealthy relationships perpetuate these  patterns, until the cycles are broken. This presentation includes use of the iceberg model to help families understand the link between trauma, addiction, and dark secrets.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Articulate how toxic shame fuels trauma, addiction, and dark secrets in families across generations. Help adolescents develop healthy friendships as a prevention strategy. Help families deal with generational shame and begin to break patterns of trauma, addiction, and dark secrets.   PRESENTER Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC is Project Manager Illinois for Great Lakes ATTC and Mental Health TTC. He is the 2021 recipient of the NAADAC Enlightenment Award, a lifetime achievement award for the advancement of NAADAC and the substance use disorder treatment profession. Mark is an international speaker in behavioral health whose presentations have reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, The West Indies and Guam. Mark is the author of five books and has a 30-year career as a university educator at the University of Chicago, Loyola University of Chicago, Illinois State University, and the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. He is co-founder of Serenity Academy, the only recovery high school in Illinois.   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.  

This document was created to assist new substance misuse prevention practitioners in finding prevention resources to broaden their understanding of the prevention field. The resources compiled within this guide include links to the source content. (Updated May 2024.)

Documents in this collection provide an overview of each step and the guiding principles of SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF).

  Working in rural communities can be as rewarding as it is challenging. Isolation and a lack of connectedness is an issue in all parts of rural life, prevention work is no exception. Prevention professionals working in small towns, rural communities, and frontier areas often feel isolated from others in the profession and can be misunderstood by funders and program developers. Finding connection and support can be the key to helping move prevention forward in rural communities.   In this webinar we will discuss the unique benefits and barriers of working in rural communities. We will explore ways to make connections and share knowledge with prevention professionals working in similar settings. Our speakers will share their experience with The Rural Network in Washington state. The network brings together rural prevention providers to help share ideas, discuss challenges, and affirm and support each other’s work.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, participants will be able to: Understand challenges facing rural prevention providers, and ways to overcome those challenges. Access to an online Rural Prevention Toolkit, containing 4 categories of tools for success in rural communities. Discuss ways to increase connections and networks.   PRESENTERS:  Isaac Wulff is a lifelong resident of and advocate for rural communities, who came to prevention work by way of leaving a career in construction to teach high school science. After working in an alternative school teaching teenage moms and dads from 14 different small school districts, he became fascinated by the dual nature of growing up in small towns with all their strengths and challenges. First drawn into student support and then prevention coalition work, he ended up working at the Washington State Health Care Authority as a prevention manager helping 10 coalitions and serving as one of the founding members of the Rural Prevention Network. Sarah Meyers is the Coalition Director for the Pomeroy Partners for Healthy Families coalition in Garfield County, Washington -- the least densely populated county in Washington State with a county-wide population of 2,800. Sarah found her niche in prevention after leaving her hometown of Pomeroy and getting a bachelor’s degree in psychology and found herself back in her hometown (very much against her will!). Sarah became the coordinator of a brand-new, state-funded coalition in 2014 and became the director in 2021 after receiving a Drug Free Communities grant. Sarah is also the Testing Chair and board member of the Prevention Specialist Certification Board of Washington and serves on the Steering Committee for the Washington State Rural Network. Sarah has worked in rural prevention for 9 years and is passionate about serving our rural communities in a way that is culturally competent to each community’s needs.   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.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. The May 2024 issue features content celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Hepatitis C Awareness Month, and National Prevention Week. You will also find links to upcoming trainings focused on the therapeutic benefits of humor in treatment and recovery, prevention efforts in rural communities, and trauma-informed care for transition-age youth. Make sure you're subscribed to our email contact list so you never miss a month of The Great Lakes Current newsletter, and thank you for reading!

  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.  

  Dive into the world of generative artificial intelligence (AI) with an engaging 90-minute webinar that demystifies Large Language Models (LLMs) and their practical applications. This webinar will offer a blend of theory and hands-on activities, including article summarization and brainstorming AI-driven intervention strategies for substance misuse prevention scenarios. It promises to enhance your understanding of AI's potential in substance misuse prevention work, while also highlighting the critical issues of misinformation and bias inherent in these technologies.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Experiment with generative AI to discover ideas for daily substance misuse prevention work Explain the basic operation of multiple, publicly accessible generative AI tools Describe types of bias, inequity, and misinformation that can arise through use of LLMs   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS Presentation Recording, April 18, 2024 Presentation Slides, April 18, 2024 Activity Handouts: Engaging youth as leaders and partners can improve substance use prevention: a call to action to support youth engagement practice and research A National Strategy for Prevention Substance and Opioid Use Disorders Through Evidence-Based Prevention Programming that Fosters Healthy Outcomes in Our Youth The Role of Law Enforcement Officers/Police in Drug Prevention within Educational Settings - Study Protocol for the Development of a Guiding Document Based on Experts' Opinions   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.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. The April 2024 issue spotlights content celebrating National Minority Health Month and Alcohol Awareness Month. It also features links to upcoming trainings focused on supporting Black students experiencing racial trauma, harnessing AI for substance misuse prevention, and process improvement. Make sure you're subscribed to our email contact list so you never miss a month of The Great Lakes Current newsletter, and thank you for reading!

Access free, self-paced online courses through HealtheKnowledge to enhance your substance misuse prevention knowledge and skills.  Upon finishing these courses, participants receive certificates of completion. Don't have a HealtheKnowledge account? Sign up for free and start browsing substance misuse prevention courses.  

  Military-connected youth experience unique challenges that impact their educational and social-emotional learning, putting them at greater risk for substance use and behavioral health challenges. Increasing resiliency by cultivating a culturally competent, supportive environment in schools and communities helps mitigate these challenges. Participants will learn how to enhance existing infrastructure to deliver substance misuse prevention programs to military-connected youth.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Understand the risk factors that make military youth more vulnerable to substance use and behavioral health problems compared to non-military-connected youth. Describe how to increase capacity and readiness to serve military-connected youth. Identify evidence-based practices that support and build resiliency within military-connected youth.   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS Presentation Recording, April 11, 2024 Presentation Slides, April 11, 2024   PRESENTER:  Sarah Flowers, CPS Sarah Flowers, CPS, grew up in a military family outside the world’s largest naval base in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As a Gold Star Sibling and military family member, she brings unique perspectives gained from her personal experiences to prevention, empowering individuals, and communities to create and promote healthy environments, lifestyles, and behaviors. She works with state, and national agencies and organizations to develop and coordinate evidence-based strategies to increase resilience within military and veteran families. She specializes in training and consultation on capacity building, community engagement and best practices working with military families.   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.

  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.   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS Presentation Recording, March 28, 2024 Presentation Slides, March 28, 2024 PreventionFIRST! Canva Content Creation handout  PreventionFIRST! Making Content Creation Easier handout PreventionFIRST! Social Media content planning template handout PreventionFIRST! Thought Questions/Social Media Planning Strategies handout   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. Jennifer 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.

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   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS Presentation Recording, March 20, 2024 Presentation Slides, March 20, 2024   PRESENTER 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.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. The March 2024 issue spotlights content celebrating Women's History Month and National Social Work Month. It also features updated versions of the Sustainability Planning in Prevention Guidebook and Sustainability Planning in Prevention Toolkit, as well as upcoming trainings focused on provider well-being and culturally responsive services for Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) clients. As always, you will also find links to all scheduled events and trainings hosted by the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC! Make sure you're subscribed to our email contact list so you never miss a month of The Great Lakes Current newsletter, and thank you for reading!

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.

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.

  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.