Products and Resources Catalog

Introducing Environmental Scans and Their Importance to Strategic Planning What are Environmental Scans? Josh Esrick, MPP, and Emily Patton, MSc, PgDip February 18, 2025, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION The first webinar in this learning collaborative will provide of an overview of environmental scans and their importance. The term “environmental scan” has multiple, competing definitions, depending on its source and context. This can present a challenge to prevention professionals seeking information and resources about them. This webinar will provide a shared definition of environmental scans that is relevant to substance use prevention and discuss how it relates to other types of assessments. The webinar will also discuss how and why environmental scans are an important tool for prevention professionals. Among other topics, the webinar will identify the common types of environmental scans and their uses and how asset maps can support environmental scans. LEARNING OBJECTIVES - Explain the basics of environmental scans and their similarities and differences to other types of assessments. - Describe the importance of environmental scans to prevention. - Identify common types of environmental scans and their core elements. - Recognize how asset maps can support environmental scans. PRESENTERS Josh Esrick, MPP 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 (T/TA) in substance use, having overseen the development of hundreds of T/TA 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 T/TA, 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.   Emily Patton, MSc, PgDip holds a Masters of Science in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology from Swansea University and a Postgraduate Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Edinburgh. She offers significant professional experience in the fields of public policy development and analysis, criminal justice research, data collection and analysis, program development, and performance management.    

This webinar was designed specifically for substance misuse prevention professionals gearing up to take the IC&RC prevention certification exam. The webinar provides listeners with crucial test-taking tips and strategies for passing the exam. This session included an interactive experience with a live test question game, designed to boost confidence and readiness for the exam. Whether one is just beginning a prevention specialist certification journey or are brushing up before the test, this session provides invaluable insights and resources to help you succeed.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Name key strategies for effective test preparation and the multiple-choice questions. Apply practical tips and techniques to manage time and stress during the exam. Access and use resources to prepare for the prevention exam.   ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: These additional resources were referenced during the webinar: Test Prep Resources for the IC&RC Prevention Certification Exam  6 CSAP strategies learning portal page Social Development Strategies webinar What Research Shows Does NOT Work in Substance Misuse Prevention Prevention Specialist Exam Guide, Nicole M. Augustine Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice, Julie Hogan, Kristen Gabrielsen, et al.   PRESENTER:  ES: Nicole M. Augustine, MPH, MCHES, PS  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. In 2022, she authored the "Prevention Specialist Exam Study Guide," a key resource for substance use disorder 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.

Webinar Recording and Follow-Up Materials   Webinar Description What if college graduates entered the prevention workforce with basic knowledge of prevention science, the Strategic Prevention Framework, and the importance of evidence-based programs, practices, and policies? Despite the interdisciplinary nature of substance misuse prevention, traditional college courses often lack explicit content relevant to this critical field. To address this, the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) developed curriculum infusion packages that can be easily inserted into existing college-level coursework to engage the pre-professional workforce. This webinar will explore the pressing need for capacity-building within the pre-professional workforce, guide participants through the Pacific Southwest PTTC’s curriculum infusion packages, “The Power of Prevention,” and discuss additional ways they can be utilized to develop knowledge and skills for coalition staff, volunteers, and partners. By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Articulate the need to increase exposure to prevention science and application prior to entering the prevention workforce Describe the benefits of curriculum infusion packages as an innovative method of introducing core prevention concepts Discuss how curriculum infusion packages are useful and accessible across professional roles and can increase prevention knowledge regardless of educational background or status   Webinar Recording and Slides Power of Prevention Recording Power of Prevention Slide Deck   Presenters Michelle Frye-Spray, MS, CPS specializes in integrating prevention science, capacity-building, and workforce development to expedite the adoption and diffusion of evidence-based interventions that achieve intended outcomes. With over 30 years of experience in substance misuse prevention, including 15 years focused on managing and delivering Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) services to states, jurisdictions, and tribes across the western region, she has extensive subject matter expertise in designing and delivering learner-centered, skills-based training and consultations to secondary educators, prevention practitioners, pre-professionals, coalition members, including under-served populations and organizations, on the application of prevention science. As part of her work with SAMSHA’s Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), she has chaired and co-chaired the Cannabis Prevention and Community, Coalition, and Collaboration Workgroups, and as a member of the Prevention Workforce Development Workgroup contributed to updating the SPF Application for Success Training (SAPST). Britany Wiele, CPS is a Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Specialist for the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), administered by CASAT at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). In this role, she provides direct TTA services to build state, jurisdiction, tribal, and community capacity in the application of data-driven decision-making to the selection, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based programs and practices to prevent substance misuse within the Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 9. Additionally, Ms. Wiele chairs the National PTTC Cannabis Risk Work Group. Prior to her work with CASAT, she served as Program Manager for Join Together Northern Nevada, a substance misuse prevention coalition serving Washoe County, NV where she implemented effective community-wide youth and adult substance misuse prevention programs, developed informational materials, and delivered presentations relating to prevention, drug trends, and other topics to diverse audiences.   Questions Contact Reagan Hart ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.