Products and Resources Catalog

    Prioritizing Equity in Prevention Series: The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military August 22, 2023   Learning Session Description U.S. military personnel are particularly vulnerable to a number of health disparities due to their occupational stresses, hazards, and environments. These include frequent geographic relocations due to changing duty stations, undergoing deployments, and balancing work-life demands (e.g., supporting their families). Each of these factors contribute to alcohol misuse on their own, and taken together, create a high-risk setting for military personnel. Additionally, concern for potentially career-ending ramifications keep many personnel from seeking treatment or support. Military personnel report binge drinking at higher levels than the U.S. civilian population: in 2018, 34% of active duty personnel binge drank in the past 30 days compared to 27% of U.S. adults age 18 and older. This population also experiences extensive harms, including violence, injury, poor work performance, and potential harm to careers. This Learning Session will discuss the risk and protective factors that contribute to the military alcohol environment, drawing parallels between colleges and the military as institutions with unique opportunities for prevention efforts to promote health equity within this population. Participants will have the opportunity to assess the potential alcohol-related issues specific to the military population in their jurisdiction and develop a plan for collaborating with the military community to address these issues.   Objectives In this learning session, participants will: Describe alcohol consumption and harms specific to military personnel Discuss risk and protective factors that contribute to the alcohol environment on and around military installations Determine opportunities for collaboration in the prevention of excessive alcohol consumption among military personnel   Learning Session Recording and Slides The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military Recording The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military Slide Deck (PDF)   Presenter Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH, is the Chair of the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance and a Senior Principal at Synergy Enterprises, where she serves as the Project Director for NIAAA’s APIS contract, as well as SAMHSA’s STOP Act contract. Dr. Sparks served as Project Director for CDC’s alcohol advertising monitoring project, for which she directed a team of researchers in conducting analyses of Nielsen data to determine alcohol industry compliance with self-governed rules on advertising alcohol to youth audiences. She has more than 12 years of experience in alcohol policy research, including designing, implementing, and evaluating studies, programs, and policies. Dr. Sparks has led the development of numerous publications on alcohol policy, including the 2022 Implementing Community-Level Policies to Prevent Alcohol Misuse evidence-based resource guide and the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has presented at more than a dozen conferences. She is co-chair of the Alcohol Policy conference series and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Global Alcohol Policy Conference.   Questions Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this learning session.

This product is developed by Steve Otero under the 2022-2023 Mountain Plains Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Fellowship Program.

Safer Homes, Safer Communities: Firearms, safety, and culture November 2, 2022   Webinar Description and Objectives Community prevention practitioners are cultural brokers who understand the values and norms of their community. Current research demonstrates that when communities effectively implement evidence-based interventions to prevent youth access to substances, communities also benefit from a reduction in firearm-related violence. This presentation will explore how five core values (Safety, Protection, Responsibility, Freedom, and Community) expressed by owners of firearms can act as a bridging tool to strengthen and expand substance misuse prevention efforts, prevent suicide by firearms, and promote safer communities.  This presentation will highlight existing coalition efforts that promote safety by reducing easy access to firearms and medications. The Safer Homes, Suicide Aware program educates the public on the potential deadliness of easy access to firearms and medications if available during a time of crisis. Led by Forefront Suicide Prevention and the Second Amendment Foundation, the Safer Homes Coalitions is comprised of firearms retailers, health care providers, and suicide prevention experts who came together around a single goal to save lives.   Presenters   Jeffrey Chen-Ning Sung, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist and a clinical assistant professor with the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His work focuses on education and training in the areas of suicide prevention and suicide care.  Particular interests include supporting clinicians who have experienced the loss of a patient to suicide and building knowledge among healthcare professionals about cultural aspects of firearm ownership and use. Dr. Sung earned his M.D. at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. His clinical interests focus on psychotherapy. He has taught psychodynamic theory, suicide risk assessment, and managing response to patient suicide. Brett Bass is the Safer Homes, Suicide Aware Program Manager.  He joins Forefront after years of volunteering on the Firearms Subcommittee of the Safer Homes task force.  Brett enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in 2006, completing Military Police School in 2007 as the Honor Graduate of his class.  He reported to MWSS-473, Det. A in Fresno, CA shortly thereafter and was mobilized to active duty.  Upon moving to Washington, Brett transferred to H&S Co. 4th LSB out of Ft. Lewis.  He deployed to Latvia with his battalion in 2010, Kuwait (from 2011-2012) and Afghanistan (from 2012-2013) as an individual augment with MARCENT.   Webinar Recording and Slides   Safer Homes, Safer Communities: Firearms, safety, and culture Recording Safer Homes, Safer Communities: Firearms, safety, and culture Slides (PDF)     Additional Resource   PSA- Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County Safer Homes Suicide Aware Website     Questions? Contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The June 2022 issue features content related to Pride Month and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, the Counselor's Corner blog, the Checking In Podcast: Understanding PTSD in First Responders, and a complete calendar of events.

The November 2021 Dialogue contains articles on: Addiction: Native Americans & the Opioid Crisis | Mental Health: World Kindness Day | Prevention: Veterans and Substance Use Prevention | ORN: Mobile Clinics Reach Rural Areas | Spotlight: Center for Health Equity Additional sections include upcoming training and webinar events, behavioral health observances, new resources, and Region 3 news. The Dialogue is designed to inform behavioral and mental health professionals of news and upcoming events in the Central East states. This electronic newsletter is disseminated on the first Tuesday of each month. You are encouraged to provide us with any feedback or submit articles and topics for discussion in future issues of the newsletter.  Sign up to receive the Dialogue in your mailbox.       

Upcoming PTTC Training Serving Military Veterans in Substance Misuse Prevention Additional Resources Question to the Field Apps for Veterans and Those Working With Veterans Addressing Trauma  

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards in Behavioral Health Settings Military and Veterans - A Distinct Health Culture Jacqueline Coleman and Adreana Tartt May 15, 2019, 1-2:30 PM EST   | View all Central East webinars COURSE DESCRIPTION The National CLAS Standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities. This webinar will discuss how health care organizations need to ensure that awareness, adoption, and implementation of the National CLAS Standards are incorporated to have a more inclusive definition of culture in order to better serve the military community. To familiarize yourself with the CLAS Standards, please watch our Intro webinar (CLAS in BH 101) prior to watching this webinar. LEARNING OBJECTIVES The structure and major components of the U.S. military Common characteristics of the military population and its distinct culture Elements of the military experience and lifestyle that are integral to military culture Using CLAS to inform a person-centered approach to military consumers and their families PRESENTERS Jacqueline Coleman, MEd, MSM, BA, CPC, is a certified professional coach with extensive experience as a senior program manager. Jacqueline has expertise in workforce development, organizational development and contract management. She is a cultivator and trainer of professionals in multiple sectors. Jacqueline provides strategic consultation on LEADERVATION (gender-tailored programs, equity and diversity initiatives, and systems change processes). Adreana Tartt is an experienced practitioner who employs person-centered care as a foundational principle in serving humanity. She is currently employed at the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS). She is the Special Populations Program Coordinator for Veterans, Older Adults and Human Trafficking. Adreana is a United States Marine Corps veteran and holds a Masters of Art in Alcohol and Drug Abuse and a Bachelor’s in Social Psychology. PREVIOUS CLAS IN BH WEBINARS: Introduction to CLAS Standards in Behavioral Health Settings - Aug. 1, 2018 Working with the LGBTQ Population, Part 1- Sep. 11, 2018 Working with the LGBTQ Population, Part 2 - Oct. 24, 2018 Children and Their Caregivers - Nov. 14, 2018 Working with Youth & Adolescents - Dec. 5, 2018 Working with the Aging Population - Jan. 16, 2019 Working with the African American Population - Feb. 13, 2019 Venus vs. Mars in Healthcare: Impacts on Women's Healthcare Outcomes - Mar. 13, 2019 Tailoring CLAS for African Immigrants and Persons of African and Caribbean Descent - Apr. 17, 2019 The Complexities of Healthcare & Wellness for Men Who Have Sex with Men - June 12, 2019