Products and Resources Catalog

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!

The latest edition of our bi-monthly newsletter is available. This month’s edition features a PTTC network event "Climate Change from a Prevention Perspective", Exploring Root Causes of Substance Misuse through Stories, Alcohol Awareness Month and awareness campaigns for April, and regionally and nationally developed events and tools to support and grow the prevention workforce in New England. View the newsletter.

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!

Behavioral Health Services for Criminal Justice-Involved Populations Part 2: Evidence-Based Strategies and Recommendations for Providing Services Josh Esrick, MPP, and Lauren Pappacena, MSW March 9, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION This webinar will explore the evidence base around effective behavioral health interventions for criminal justice-involved populations. It will discuss substance use, overdose, and suicide prevention and treatment services for both the juvenile and adult justice systems. As part of this, the webinar will review the evidence base for drug treatment courts as an alternative to continued justice system involvement. The webinar will also provide strategies for improving collaborative efforts between the behavioral health continuum of care and criminal justice system organizations. Lastly, the webinar will introduce resources that behavioral health professionals can use to learn more about these topics. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Explain how prevention and treatment strategies can be applied to criminal justice-involved populations Describe the evidence base of effective behavioral health interventions for these populations, including drug treatment courts Identify potential strategies and partners for expanding the reach of behavioral health services in the criminal justice system List resources to learn more about serving criminal justice-involved populations PRESENTERS Josh Esrick, MPP is a Senior Policy Analyst with Carnevale Associates. Josh has extensive experience in substance use prevention; researching, writing, and presenting on best practice and knowledge development publications, briefs, and reference guides; and developing and providing T/TA to numerous organizations. He developed numerous SAMHSA Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies’ (CAPT) products on strategies to prevent opioid misuse and overdose, risk and protective factors for substance use, youth substance use prevention strategies, youth substance use trends, emerging substance use trends, the potential regulations surrounding marijuana legalization, as well as numerous other topics. Lauren Pappacena, MSW is a Research Associate with Carnevale Associates. Lauren has a background in criminal justice and juvenile justice research specifically as it relates to evidence-based programs and practices spanning criminal justice topics, including corrections, law enforcement, reentry, and courts. Currently, she assists with training evaluations for NADCP and the PTTC, where she brings her experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis and data visualization. With a strong interest in policy analysis, research translation, data collection, and analytic writing, Ms. Pappacena is published in the Journal of Human Rights and Social Work for her analysis of national early-release laws.

Youth Gaming and Gambling, Is It a Problem? Heather Eshleman, MPH, and Kenneth Crawford, CPRS March 5, 2024, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION With the expansion of gaming and gambling activities in communities and on-line, how will it impact youth and young adults? This population is affected by gaming, gambling, and activities that include a mix of both in their daily lives. Discuss youth gaming, gambling, and the warning signs of problems with these activities. An overview of strategies to prevent youth problem gaming and gambling behaviors that have been adapted from alcohol and substance misuse prevention will be presented. Hear a story of recovery and learn of resources for help. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Increase your knowledge of youth gaming and signs of gaming problems in youth. Discuss youth gambling and signs of gambling problems in youth. Examine how youth gaming and gambling behaviors connect. Review prevention strategies that have worked to prevent alcohol and substance misuse that could work to prevent youth problem gaming and gambling behaviors. Learn about gambling recovery and resources for help. PRESENTERS Heather Eshleman, MPH, is the Prevention Manager at the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling. She works collaboratively with community organizations, schools, and government agencies to prevent underage and problem gambling as well as oversee special population and youth grants. She currently leads the Center’s efforts in compiling an underage and problem gambling prevention needs assessment to provide baseline data to guide future prevention strategies. She served as the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Supervisor at the Anne Arundel County Department of Health from 2006-2019, overseeing the Substance Abuse Prevention coalitions, the Opioid Misuse Prevention Program, the Strengthening Families Program, the Fatal Overdose Review Team, and Coordination of the Students Against Destructive Decisions Chapters. Before becoming Supervisor, from 2002-2006, Heather was a Grants Administrator at Anne Arundel County Department of Health. Heather received her Masters in Public Health from the University at Albany School of Public Health and her Bachelor’s degree in School and Community Health Education from Towson University. Heather served in the United States Peace Corps in Morocco, North Africa, as a Maternal and Child Health volunteer, working on hygiene promotion and pre-natal care for two years.   Kenneth (Kenny) Crawford is a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist with the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling (the Center). As a Peer for the Center, Kenny assists individuals within Maryland struggling with problem gambling and gambling addiction to navigate recovery treatment resources and helps remove any barriers to recovery. He has dedicated his life to helping others with gambling problems by sharing his story of recovery. Kenny has a great passion for the outdoor life, boating, fishing, hiking, and can capture the tranquility of nature thru his photography. For him, this is a great form of meditation and has helped him thru his recovery process and he would be happy to share his techniques on meditation. Kenny comes from a background in Carpentry and is grateful to help others achieve a balanced life through his extensive training in Peer Recovery Support training.    

The Fundamentals of Understanding and Using Data in Prevention Part 3: DIY Data for Prevention Professionals Jamie Comstock, MURP, PS-C, and Robin Carr, PS-C February 29, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION Looking for tips and tricks on how to present your data in a way that catches people’s attention and is easily understood? Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the Five C’s of Data: Chart, Color, Context, Clutter, and Composition. Through learning about the Five C's, participants of this virtual training will gain skills to present data in a manner that best resonates with their audiences. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Choose the most effective chart for their data Use color for emphasis and action Show data in context for maximum (and realistic) impact Reduce clutter so data insights can be easily understood PRESENTERS Jamie Comstock, MURP, PS-C and Robin Carr, PS-C founded Info Inspired in 2014, after many years of designing and giving presentations with no formal training in this area, and watching their public health colleagues struggle with the same skills gap. Both are certified prevention specialists with 30 years’ combined experience in the field. They’ve spent the last several years researching and testing ways to not only capture and hold an audience’s attention, but to also inspire audiences. They’ve spent countless hours refining the presentation planning process, identifying free resources, and learning how to maximize the tools they already had. It’s also important to know that they aren’t graphic designers, artists, or especially tech savvy. Everything they do, you can do too. They’ve presented at the Community Anti Drug Coalitions of America’s Leadership Forum, the Maine Public Health Association Annual Meeting, the New England Institute of Addiction Studies, the New England School of Best Practices, and provided training and technical assistance to non-profit organizations throughout New England. They have been featured on the Organizing for Change podcast and have an on-demand webinar available through the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center.  

In this Issue: Substance Misuse Through the Lens of Black History Month Alcohol Availability is a Social Justice Issue Epi Corner: The Syndemic Framework: Enhancing Understanding of the Root Causes of Disease What's Happening Around the Region? Free Logic Model TA Webinar: Alcohol, Equity, and Social Justice: Breaking the Silence What's New?

Webinar Description This interactive two-hour training discussed how cognitive bias develops, contributes to inequitable outcomes for persons of color, and informed on bias reducing techniques for enhancing the provider-client interactions and outcomes for marginalized communities.   Presenter Information Diana Padilla, MCPC, CARC, CASAC-T, is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC), and a member of the ASAP-NYCB Trainer Registry. As a cultural agent, Ms. Padilla promotes an equity lens in trainings for engaging diverse communities in need, aligning with evidence and strength-based strategies within behavioral health, addiction, prevention, and recovery supports fields and professional capacities.   Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer

The Northeast and Caribbean Winter 2023 Newsletter (English | Spanish) is here. This issue highlights resources for strategic communication, as well as, our upcoming trainings. 

Webinar Description This 1.5 hour interactive session looked at cultivating community support for prevention coalitions and explored how to transform local leaders to prevention champions. As managing a coalition effectively is an art, it requires excellent communication skills and the ability to build both individual and organizational prevention capacity. It also involves establishing and maintaining close working relationships with community members and collaborating with them to select and implement community and culturally appropriate substance misuse prevention interventions. In a post-Covid world, the ways in which we work and communicate have shifted in meaningful ways, but the fundamental principles informing that work remain the same. Learning Objectives: Identify key organizational functions and resources necessary to support effective coalitions Discuss strategies to build organizational capacity Describe key strategies for a plan to continually monitor organizational capacity   Presenter Information Charlotte Carlton brings over 30 years of experience leading and implementing substance use prevention programs at the community, state, regional, and national levels. She is currently working with multiple Education Development Center (EDC) teams to provide support for prevention efforts in Health & Human Services Regions 1 and 2. Previously, she served as the Director of the Southeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) and as a Senior Program Director for the Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation (PIRE). She has done extensive research on the subject of program sustainability, most recently applying that research to the sustainability of community coalitions. She is the co-recipient of the 2002 Science to Practice award presented by the Society for Prevention Research and the 2001 Award of Excellence for outstanding contributions to the prevention field from the National Prevention Network.   Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer Extra Resource - NeC-PTTC Resources Coalitions Post Covid Extra Resource - NeC-PTTC Coalitions Post Covid - Tips for Engagement

Webinar Description Tailored for early career practitioners looking to elevate their prevention practice, this session explored the foundational prevention competencies that every prevention professional should build toward, where to find professional development opportunities to support growing those capacities, and best practices for planning your personal approach to professional development. Appropriate for individuals intending to pursue prevention certification, are seeking career advancement or simply want to improve their skills and abilities. Our presenters shared practical insights and valuable resources to support the professional development journey. Session Learning Objectives included: Defining key foundational competencies important for early prevention practitioners to develop Listing sources (e.g., organizations, websites) providing professional development opportunities for prevention professionals Describing the process for developing a personal approach to professional development   Presenter Information Sandra Puerini Del Sesto, M.Ed, ACPS is a consultant and master trainer in behavioral health and strategic planning for states and non profits. For over thirty five years, Ms. Del Sesto has provided training throughout the United States in all areas of prevention practice. She is a member of the advisory boards of the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), the National Latino PTTC and the New England School of Addiction Studies. Sandra serves as the RI delegate to the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Jessica Goldberg is a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist with Education Development Center. For over a decade, Jess has specialized in building capacity to improve behavioral health at the national, state, regional and local levels. Her areas of expertise include preventing youth substance use; promoting cross sector collaborations; addressing health disparities; strategic planning, logic model development, and sustainability planning. Jess is a Certified Prevention Specialist and holds an MSW and an MPH from Boston University.   Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer Personal Professional Development Action Plan Starter

  Webinar Description This interactive presentation reviewed the dynamics of culture in substance use prevention and recovery support services. Additionally, content considered cultural humility key components and how they translate in practice for person-centered care and enhance the opportunities that build trust and rapport.   Presenter Information Diana Padilla, MCPC, CARC, CASAC-T, is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC), and a member of the ASAP-NYCB Trainer Registry. As a cultural agent, Ms. Padilla promotes an equity lens in trainings for engaging diverse communities in need, aligning with evidence and strength-based strategies within behavioral health, addiction, prevention, and recovery supports fields and professional capacities.   Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer

The Ethics of Authentic Connections and Healing Boundaries Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW February 21, 2024, 1:00pm-3:00pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION For many of us, Ethics and Boundaries have been taught, or interpreted, as walls of disconnection between providers and those they serve. However, we know that authentic connections and unconditional positive regard are both Trauma Informed and powerful offerings to people struggling with Substance Use Disorder. This conversation supports us in clarifying the definitions and applications of ethics and boundaries that can protect AND promote the health and well-being of those we serve. LEARNING OBJECTIVES List the examples of how ethics inform appropriate and strong boundaries in our work relationships with clients who experience Substance Use Disorder. Identify how the historic instruction on ethics and boundaries and how that teaching threatens clinical engagement and client outcomes. Name 5 ways a provider can hold appropriate and ethical boundaries. PRESENTERS Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker with experience in medical, behavioral and mental health settings.  Laura has had the pleasure of working with high acuity special needs populations and their providers for over 22 years.  An alumna and instructor at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice for 13 years, and Bryn Mawr’s School of Social Work and Social Research’s for the past 4 years, Laura has supported the learning and education of new social workers, veterans in the field, and their interdisciplinary partners.  With a focus on trauma, human and gender development, racial equity, and crisis intervention Laura supports special needs populations and those who serve them.  

The Seven Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being: A Framework for Community Action in Skagit County February 7, 2024   Webinar Description What does it take for communities to thrive? This webinar will provide an overview of the seven vital conditions for well-being and illustrate how it can be a useful framework for conceptualizing holistic individual and community well-being. The presenters will demonstrate how the framework can help address issues related to a community response to mental health and well-being, substance use disorder, and substance misuse prevention in Skagit County, WA, with North Star Project. The framework is used by multiple state and federal agencies, including The Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience as a guiding framework to organize and take action on social determinants of health. The framework can support efforts to achieve the transformative change needed to build a strengths-based and community-driven response to creating conditions that promote well-being. This webinar is jointly brought to you by the Northwest PTTC, ATTC, and MHTTC.   Webinar Objectives In this webinar, participants will: Identify the seven vital conditions (thriving natural world, basic needs for health and safety, humane housing, meaningful work and wealth, lifelong learning, reliable transportation, and belonging and civic muscle).  Develop a basic understanding of each of the seven vital conditions. Learn about how a community is organizing their response to the mental health and opioid crisis using the vital conditions as a framework for promoting community well-being.   Webinar Recording and Slides The Seven Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being: A Framework for Community Action in Skagit County Recording & Additional Resources The Seven Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being: A Framework for Community Action in Skagit County slide deck (PDF)   Additional Resources The Institute for People Place and Possibility (IP3) Social Vulnerability Index Social Vulnerability Index Interactive Map The Water of System Change-John Kania, Mark Kramer, Peter Senge Area Deprivation Index Index of Deep Disadvantage   Presenters Chris Kelleher Chris Kelleher is a Portland, Oregon, consultant who works at the intersection of strategy, management, and language. He has held positions with Kaiser Permanente, Oregon Health and Science University, and the University of North Carolina. His client engagements focus on achieving meaningful progress by increasing coherence in thought and action. A frequent collaborator with ReThink Health, he is dedicated to developing cases and practices that drive equitable system change.   Jennifer Johnson Jennifer Johnson serves as Deputy County Administrator for Skagit County.  Ms. Johnson has worked for Skagit County since 2003 and her background spans the fields of public health, nutrition, and organizational management.  Ms. Johnson has over 28 years leadership experience, with specific interest and experience in advancing organizational and community systems to advance the development of public policy that addresses community-level health and social problems.   As the prior Public Health Director for Skagit County, Ms. Johnson was committed to creating a culture of health and wellness for all of Skagit County, with an expanded focus on social determinants of health, strengthening public-private partnerships, increasing connection between public health and clinical health, and implementing an outcomes driven approach to program and policy development.  She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Management from Oregon State University in 1996, and then completed the Mid-Willamette Dietetics Residency Program, becoming a registered Dietitian in 1998.   Questions Contact Kathy Gardner ([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 February 2024 issue features content from the Great Lakes ATTC celebrating Black History Month, including our upcoming 2024 Black History Month Panel Presentation. It also features a new educational brief on health equity in crisis systems, upcoming prevention trainings on drug trends in the region, and updates to the Classroom WISE curriculum for 2024. As always, you will also find links to all upcoming 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!

Advancing Health Equity through the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF): A Lunch & Learn Series   The Southeast & Central East PTTCs are pleased to present this week-long Lunch & Learn Series in collaboration with the Southeast Regional SPTAC Team. This interactive webinar series offers new and experienced prevention professionals an opportunity to explore comprehensive prevention planning with a Health Equity lens. Sessions include dynamic breakout room discussions, resource sharing, and networking opportunities between prevention professionals from regions 3 and 4.   Supplemental Resources: SPF and Health Equity: Lunch & Learn Series Workbook   Learning Objectives: Describe the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and its key components Explain the importance incorporating health equity into the SPF process Identify strategies for assessing community needs and health disparities Develop a plan to build capacity for implementing the SPF with a focus on health equity Apply the SPF to develop and implement a comprehensive prevention plan that addresses health disparities Evaluate the effectiveness of prevention efforts and their impact on health equity Identify strategies for sustaining prevention efforts that prioritize health equity   Presenter: Nicole M Augustine, MPH, MCHES, PS Region 3 and 4 SPTAC Director   Watch Sessions On-Demand Session 1 – Assessment & Health Equity Download Session 1 Presentation Slides This session provided an overview of the SPF and its key components, with a particular focus on the assessment phase. Participants learned how to conduct a community needs assessment that identifies health disparities and inequities that need to be addressed in prevention planning.   Session 2 – Capacity & Health Equity Download Session 2 Presentation Slides In this session, participants learned how to build capacity for implementing the SPF with a focus on health equity. Topics covered included developing partnerships, engaging diverse stakeholders, and building a culture of health equity within organizations.   Session 3 – Planning & Health Equity Download Session 3 Presentation Slides This session focused on the planning phase of the SPF and how to incorporate health equity considerations into prevention planning. Participants learned how to prioritize prevention strategies that address health disparities and involve diverse communities in prevention planning.   Session 4 – Implementation & Health Equity Download Session 4 Presentation Slides In this session, participants will learn how to implement prevention strategies that prioritize health equity. Topics covered will include adapting evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of diverse communities, addressing social determinants of health, and building community capacity for prevention. Session 5 – Evaluation and Health Equity Download Session 5 Presentation Slides This session will cover the evaluation phase of the SPF and how to assess the impact of prevention efforts on health equity. Participants will also learn how to assess the cultural appropriateness of evaluation tools, use data to monitor progress, evaluate outcomes, and adjust prevention efforts as needed.

The latest edition of our bi-monthly newsletter is available. This month’s edition features our latest product a harm reduction guide for prevention professionals, prevention success videos, resources for awareness campaigns for the month of February, and regionally and nationally developed events and tools to support and grow the prevention workforce in New England. View the newsletter.

Stigma and Bias in Behavioral Health Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW January 31, 2024, 1:00pm-3:00pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION Racial and use bias has been demonstrated in the research related to Behavioral Health and Medically Assisted Therapy. The conclusion that has been drawn is that even well-meaning providers and staff hold biases that impact how and to whom they offer care and medicinal support for Substance Use Disorder (SUD). This lecture explores this research and supports participants in reflecting on, identifying, and mitigating this reality so as to offer equitable respect and support for everyone living with SUD. A LEARNING OBJECTIVES List the ways in which bias affects Behavioral Health Treatment and intervention for people living with Substance Use Disorder. Define the difference between implicit and explicit bias, and how to identify them. Recite at least three ways to identify and address their implicit bias in relation to their work in Behavioral Health. PRESENTERS Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker with experience in medical, behavioral and mental health settings.  Laura has had the pleasure of working with high acuity special needs populations and their providers for over 22 years.  An alumna and instructor at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice for 13 years, and Bryn Mawr’s School of Social Work and Social Research’s for the past 4 years, Laura has supported the learning and education of new social workers, veterans in the field, and their interdisciplinary partners.  With a focus on trauma, human and gender development, racial equity, and crisis intervention Laura supports special needs populations and those who serve them.  

Promoting Prevention by Understanding the Who, What, and Why of Psychostimulant Use   The rise of psychostimulant use over the past several years has contributed to significant negative consequences in mental health, medical, and social outcomes among communities. These outcomes are further exacerbated by the structural and systemic drivers of social determinants of health. Addressing stimulant use disorder must take into consideration the interaction of these factors in a comprehensive, public health approach to treatment. Ultimately, prevention efforts may be enhanced through understanding of the specific nuances of stimulant users and their particular vulnerabilities. Thank you to the Opioid Response Network for their collaboration on this webinar.   Supplemental Resources: Presentation Slides   Learning Objectives: Summarize the types of psychostimulants, common routes of use, and epidemiology of stimulant users. Describe the intersection of social determinants of mental health with stimulant use in the creation of health disparities among vulnerable populations. Identify outreach strategies for engaging communities and promoting prevention efforts among stimulant users.   Presenter: Dr. Daryl Shorter is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is Board Certified in both General and Addiction Psychiatry. A graduate of Rice University (BA Sociology) and Baylor College of Medicine (MD), Dr. Shorter completed General Psychiatry residency at The Ohio State University Medical Center and Addiction Psychiatry fellowship at New York University/Langone Medical Center. Dr. Shorter is an Associate Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. He also serves as the Medical Director of Addictions and Recovery Services at the Menninger Clinic as well as the Program Director of the BCM Addiction Psychiatry fellowship. Dr. Shorter is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters focusing on medication treatment of substance use disorders and addictions training in graduate medical education. Along with former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, Dr. Shorter is the co-host of The Recovery Playbook, a video podcast which tackles current issues in addictions treatment, breaks down the science behind addiction medicine, and challenges stigma. In addition to his work at Menninger, Dr. Shorter is the psychiatrist of record at The Montrose Center, Houston’s LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health and Community Center, where he supervises Addiction Psychiatry fellows who provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. He speaks widely, both in person and virtually, on topics related to mental health, the LGBTQ+ community, and addictions treatment. His monthly column in the Outsmart Magazine is widely read and serves as a platform to discuss the promotion of mental well-being among members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The January 2024 issue features the third installment of the Counselor's Corner blog series: Integrating Spirituality and Counseling with African American Clients, information on the Opioid Response Network's 2022-2023 regional summits, and a call for applications for the upcoming HEART (Healing Ethno And Racial Trauma) Training for Behavioral Health Providers Serving Hispanic & Latinx Communities intensive training series. As always, you will also find links to all upcoming 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!

This brief compares and contrasts the mission, services and audiences of the PTTC Network and SPTAC, and describes how to take advantage of their excellent free prevention resources.

        Prevention in Pictures: Using Prevention Graphic Novels to Facilitate Conversations with Youth Sarah Johnson, MA, PS-C, and Scott Gagnon, MPP, PS-C January 10, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION Join us to learn about a unique prevention tool: Graphic Medicine. Graphic Medicine are evidence-based ways of accessibly communicating health information. In the Air is a graphic medicine built to foster conversations with and among young people around vaping, choices about substance use, and social factors. This graphic novel-styled story of five teens going through high school incorporates the behavioral science of substance misuse prevention with the stories, interests, and ideas of members of the Tobacco Free Rhode Island Youth Ambassadors. The novel has questions to help guide the discussion, a strong research base, and roots in risk and protective factors. During this session, participants will become familiar with the resource, how to use it to facilitate conversations with young people, and how to use the accompanying facilitator guide. Participants will learn how to request copies and learn about an upcoming resource in the same style that addresses youth problem gambling. The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions and explore how this and future products can work to support their prevention work. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learn what a graphic medicine is and how you can use this format in prevention efforts with young people. Understand the process of creating a graphic medicine through a prevention lens with cultural responsiveness and youth voice as driving factors. Learn about an upcoming resource being designed with this format specifically to foster conversations around youth gambling prevention. Practice facilitating conversations with the tool. PRESENTERS Scott Gagnon, MPP, PS-C New England PTTC Director - Associate Executive Director, AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc.     Sarah Johnson, MA, PS-C Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator, AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc.        

  Harm Reduction Guide for Prevention Professionals in Rhode Island   This educational resource aims to advance the practice of harm reduction within the substance use continuum of care through a prevention lens. It was created by Public Consulting Group and the New England PTTC for the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals (BHDDH). Information in this guide intends to help prevention professionals in Rhode Island learn more about harm reduction, including shared goals and priorities between the harm reduction and prevention communities, ways to collaborate, best practices for communication and services, and includes practical resources both for prevention professionals and people with a substance use condition. Though it was created for the state of Rhode Island, this guide can be used widely by prevention professionals in any state to enhance their understanding of harm reduction, the types of resources available, and how prevention can both contribute to and benefit from the advancement of harm reduction within the substance use continuum of care.   Stack the Deck Rhode Island This product, made with input from people with lived and living experience in Rhode Island, aims to empower everyone with harm reduction tools, compassionate care resources, and guidance about how to use substances more safely. This deck of cards is sized to fit into harm reduction kits. It is intended to serve as a reference guide for people with a substance use condition about the harm reduction approach to care and practical community and medical resources to help them live the life they want. Information in the deck includes ways to voice needed changes in Rhode Island’s continuum of care, a grievance hotline, services and supplies available, why and how to test for contaminants such as fentanyl and xylazine, how to create a safe environment when using substances, housing options, instructions on how to use injectable and nasal naloxone, information on the state’s Good Samaritan Law, and what to do if an overdose is suspected.   Download the guide. Download stack the deck.   SAMHSA defines harm reduction as a practical and transformative approach that incorporates community-driven public health strategies — including prevention, risk reduction, and health promotion — to empower people who use drugs and their families with the choice to live healthy, self-directed, and purpose-filled lives.    Funding Acknowledgement This guide was prepared by Public Consulting Group (PCG) for the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (New England PTTC). The PTTC is supported by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award with 100 percent funded by SAMHSA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by SAMHSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government. Cooperative Agreement # 5H79SP081020-05M005

Mountain Plains PTTC is pleased to offer a new infographic based on new research on risk and protective factors for the three most commonly used substances among adolescents.