eNewsletter or Blog
In this Issue
Enhancing the Collaborative Efforts of Communities to Address Homelessness
Epi Corner:Adolescent Health Literacy and Substance Use
What's Happening Around the Region?
What's New at SAMHSA?
Published: November 21, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
In this Issue
Navigating the Green Wave and Protecting Youth in the South Southwest Region
Additional Resources on Youth Substance Use Prevention
Epi Corner: Implicit Bias and Algorithms Generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI)
What's Happening Around the Region?
Webinar: Reducing Youth Substance Misuse by Implementing Mental Health initiatives
New from SAMHSA
Substance Use Prevention Month: Telling the Prevention Story
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Published: October 17, 2024
Print Media, Toolkit
Social Justice, Cultural Humility, Ethics, and Equity in the Planning and Implementation of Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions
This is a comprehensive resource developed by Community Coalitions and Collaborators workgroup of the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network. It focuses on integrating social justice, cultural humility, ethics, and equity into the planning and implementation of evidence-based prevention interventions. The workbook is structured around the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and the Prevention Think Tank Code of Ethical Standards, providing a step-by-step guide for professionals in the field.
Key sections include:
Introduction: Overview of the importance of ethics, social justice, and cultural humility in prevention.
Cultural Humility: Principles and practices for understanding and respecting diverse cultures.
Capacity Building: Strategies for engaging community resources and addressing systemic inequities.
Ethics and Social Justice: Intersection of ethical principles with social justice to ensure equitable prevention efforts.
Data Equity: Ethical considerations in data collection and analysis to avoid reinforcing biases.
Implementation and Sustainability: Best practices for sustaining prevention initiatives with a focus on community involvement and innovation.
Planning Resources: Tools and guidelines for effective prevention planning with an equity lens.
This workbook is designed to support prevention professionals in creating inclusive, ethical, and effective prevention programs that address the needs of diverse communities.
Published: September 10, 2024
Multimedia
Description:
This two-hour training explores Harm Reduction strategies, or interventions aimed at reducing negative consequences related to substance use or other risk behaviors. Session reviews misunderstandings and barriers to helping people who actively use substances and informs on the 8 principles of harm reduction and how they apply in behavioral health."
Presenter:
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.
Published: September 9, 2024
Presentation Slides
The purpose of the PTTC, MHTTC, and ATTC network’s glossary is to promote clear and consistent communication and understanding among professionals, service providers, policymakers, and the general public by providing definitions and explanations of key terms and concepts related to prevention, mental health, and addiction. This glossary is valuable in promoting effective communication and collaboration, leading to better-informed decisions and improved prevention and treatment outcomes. Additionally, a prevention and behavioral health glossary is an essential asset for individuals seeking information and support, helping to increase awareness and understanding of the prevention, mental health, and addiction fields and promoting a more informed and empathetic society.
This glossary contains both words that help us understand concepts related to equity, diversity, and culture, as well as words that help us understand the impact that those concepts can have on our health. This is not intended to be comprehensive list, but rather to provide definitions for some terminology that you may encounter in your work. The document is formatted in 2 sections. The first section is intended as an addition to terms defined in A Comprehensive Culturally Responsive Glossary: Concepts to Increase Awareness Towards Health Equity, originally published in September 2021. The second section provides cross-cultural translations of common terminology for mental health, substance use, medical care, health access and diversity for English and Portuguese speakers. The Spanish edition is coming soon!
This product was a collaborative effort of the PTTC, MHTTC, and ATTC Networks.
PORTUGUESE: O objetivo do glossário da Rede de Centros de Transferência de Tecnologia de Prevenção (PTTC), Rede de Centros de Transferência de Tecnologia de Saúde Mental (MHTTC) e Centro de Transferência de Tecnologia de Dependência Química (ATTC) é promover uma comunicação e compreensão clara e consistente entre profissionais, prestadores de serviços, formuladores de políticas e o público em geral, fornecendo definições e explicações de termos-chave e conceitos relacionados à prevenção, saúde mental e adicção. Este glossário é valioso para promover uma comunicação e colaboração eficaz, ajudando as pessoas a tomar decisões informadas produzindo melhora nos resultados de prevenção e tratamento. Além disso, um glossário de prevenção em saúde é um produto essencial para indivíduos que buscam informação e apoio, ajudando a aumentar a conscientização e compreensão nas áreas de prevenção, saúde mental e adicção e promovendo uma sociedade mais informada e empática.
Este glossário contém tanto palavras que nos ajudam a entender conceitos relacionados com a cultura, a equidade, e a diversidade. Essas palavras nos ajudam a entender o impacto que esses conceitos podem ter em nossa saúde. O glossário não pretende ser uma lista abrangente, mas sim, fornecer definições para algumas terminologias que você pode encontrar em seu dia a dia. O glossário está formatado em duas seções. A primeira seção pretende ser um acréscimo aos termos definidos em Um Glossário Compreensivo e com Sensibilidade Cultural: Conceitos para Aumentar a Conscientização Sobre a Equidade em Saúde, publicado originalmente em setembro de 2021. A segunda seção fornece traduções transculturais de terminologia comum para saúde mental, uso de substâncias, cuidados médicos, acesso à saúde e diversidade para as pessoas que falam português.
Published: August 29, 2024
Multimedia
Equity in Action: Crafting Inclusive Prevention Communication
How to incorporate racial and cultural equity into prevention messaging, training, and other communication.
This interactive skill-building workshop will explore the use of culture in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) prevention communications. We will explore how the enhanced National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standard – Communication and Language Assistance provides guidance on improving:
Trust Among Various Populations
Participant Comfort and Satisfaction
Program Effectiveness
Positive Participant Outcomes
Supplemental Resources:
Presentation Slides
Resource Handout
Learning Objectives:
Review Cultural Humility.
Explore the enhanced National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standard – Communication and Language Assistance.
Learn how to incorporate racial and cultural equity into prevention messaging, training, and other communication.
Practice methods to incorporate racial and cultural equity into prevention messaging, training, and other communication.
Develop a plan to incorporate racial and cultural equity into prevention messaging, training, and other communication.
Share experiences and learn from others.
About the Workshop:
It is an interactive, educational, and mutual learning session designed to create specialized results and products. This 3-hour workshop is longer than the typical webinar and requires more preparation beforehand.
This workshop will include collaborative activities, allow for time to work on your community’s issues, and participants will work on a process that will generate a product that can be used in their communities.
Participants are urged to participate as a team (at least two members of a program) to ensure that the workshop will lead to the desired result. There are hands-on interactive activities.
Presented by Michael Browning:
Michael Browning, nationally recognized public health and Substance Use Disorder program developer, policy analyst, and trainer, has a passion for constituent-led community advocacy. He has provided support to several governmental agencies by providing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention proven practices in capability building, training, and day-to-day technical assistance to assist the departments in planning, grantee support and technical assistance and community engagement. Including and not limited to: US Federal government, State of California, District of Columbia, Atlanta, County of Los Angeles, Kern County, the County of San Bernardino, and other CA counties. He is a proven grant writer and program developer. He was a senior administrative analyst for the University of California, Berkeley - Institute for the Study of Social Change (now: Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, Prevention by Design). He is currently the Interim president of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development.
Browning was an executive director of a non-profit community coalition and deputy director at another. He has over 35 years of local, state, and national substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and tobacco control and prevention, early intervention and treatment, youth services, community organization, early childhood education, violence prevention, HIV/AIDS, public health, cultural proficiency development, program planning, development and evaluation, public policy advocacy, and strategic planning experience. His former employers include community-based programs in Pasadena, Inglewood, Los Angeles, and Michigan. Browning provided direct support to President Jimmy Carter’s “The Atlanta Project” and the Hilton Foundation’s Project Alert. Browning was a master trainer at CADCA for over 20 years. He is the former president of the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, member of LAPD’s Van Nuys Division Community Police Advisory Board, health chair of the San Fernando Valley NAACP, and chair of the USC COVID-19 Community Advisory Board. Browning is a graduate of the University of Southern California and was a fellow at Boston University.
Published: August 9, 2024
Multimedia
Webinar Description:
As prevention professionals, facilitation in both virtual and face-to-face spaces is an integral part of our work. The ability to convene partners -- whether in meetings, trainings or events – and lead them through collaborative decision-making and other processes is essential to the success of community-based change efforts. This session looked at the art and science of facilitation, the skills needed for successful facilitation and discussed real-world tips and techniques for consensus-building with groups and managing group dynamics.
Session Learning Objectives included:
Describing the facilitation skills prevention practitioners need
Identifying techniques for managing group processes and dynamics
Identifying strategies for handling challenging situations as a facilitation
Presenter Info:
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.
Jess Goldberg, MSW, MPH, CPS, is a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist with Education
Development Center. She specializes in building capacity to improve
behavioral health at the national, state, regional and local levels.
Published: August 5, 2024
Multimedia
From Tokenism to Empowerment: Building a Sustainable Youth Coalition
Rikki Barton, MAPS, IC&RC
July 23, 2024, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Effective community prevention work involves youth engagement at all stages of the Strategic Prevention Framework – that is, Assessment, Capacity, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. Unintentional tokenism is a barrier to youth reaching their full potential with prevention work; instead, youth can and should be engaged in leadership opportunities, strategic discussions, and solutions to the identified problems. An effective way to engage youth in prevention is to build a youth coalition that empowers them to take the lead for their peers and the community. This interaction session will help you understand the essential nature of youth involvement, how to make prevention work attractive to youth, and practical steps to building a youth coalition.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand why youth involvement is essential for substance use prevention work.
Build skills around recruiting, retaining, and appropriately engaging youth in prevention work.
Implement practical steps to building a sustainable youth coalition.
PRESENTERS
Rikki Barton, MAPS, IC&RC, has a passion for communicating essential messages to move individuals and communities onward in their goals. She is the Founder/Lead Consultant of Onward Consulting and holds the Missouri Advanced Prevention Specialist certification as well as international IC&RC certification. Rikki has nearly 15 years of prevention field experience and currently serves as a consultant to assist organizations, coalitions, and state/federal agencies in the areas of substance use prevention, suicide prevention, and mental health promotion. She has extensive experience working with community coalitions, providing training, grant writing, managing funding sources, and leading a team of preventionists. Rikki trains for several national organizations including National Council for Mental Wellbeing, CADCA (youth and adult programs), and the National Coalition Institute. She also volunteers with a human trafficking prevention and awareness coalition, serving on leadership for the last 12 years, with particular focus on empowering youth to stay safe on social media and teaching adults how to protect young people from online grooming. Rikki holds a Bachelors degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters degree from Liberty University.
Published: July 23, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
In this Issue
The Importance of Accessibility: 5 Simple Steps
Resources Highlighting Accessibility and Disabilities
Epi Corner: Social Network Analysis: A Helpful Tool in the Prevention Toolbox
What's Happening Around the Region?
Webinar: Elevate Your Work: Accessibility for Prevention Professionals
Webinar: Reducing Youth Substance Misuse by Implementing Mental Health Initiatives
New From SAMHSA
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Get Involved with National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month - A Toolkit
Published: July 17, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
In this Issue
Systems Thinking for Prevention Professionals
Epi Corner: Addressing Parental Loss in Children of Overdose Victims
What's Happening Around the Region?
Webinar: Elevate Your Work: Accessibility for Prevention Professionals
Exciting Updates! HealtheKnowledge Online Learning Platform
An Important Announcement from the Blueprints Registry
New Products and Resources from the South Southwest PTTC
New From SAMHSA
Published: June 19, 2024
Multimedia
Stigma the Gift that Keeps on Giving: Residual Effects of Stress During the Recovery Process from Active Substance Use
Part 2
Demetrie Garner, CPRS, and Shawn Colvin, CPRS, RPS, RCPF
June 13, 2024, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Identifying triggers is essential at the beginning of the recovery process, but more is to be revealed. Comprehensive support systems, including counseling, employment assistance, and accessible housing, can alleviate some of the stress and contribute to a successful recovery. Sustainable support is a counterbalance to stress and the stigmatization of being in recovery. As we unpack the benefits of support systems, we will also discuss the tools for prevention and how to move forward in recovery.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Recognize the role of comprehensive support systems in alleviating stress during recovery.
Investigate various types of support systems and how they can act as preventive measures in dealing with stress and the association of stigma.
Examine tools and techniques and address stress and triggers in a recovery context.
Develop strategies to build and maintain long-term recovery and apply the knowledge gained to support others.
PRESENTERS
Demetrie Garner, CPRS, as a Peer Recovery Specialist, has been presented with the unique opportunity of working in the largest Emergency Department in the state of Maryland. This has given him the vantage point to encounter minority disparities. A lack of health communication targeted to African-Americans and other minorities help further this disparity. As a Peer Recovery Specialist, the visible cracks of systemic inadequacies in health care and its access garners attention and policy changes in patients with substance use disorders. Having the experience in active addiction abusing opiates, cocaine, and alcohol for 26 years with countless relapses fostered the experience needed to help others in active addiction. Finding recovery over the last 2 and 1/2 years while working in the recovery field has given Demetrie a unique perspective in recidivism and retention throughout the process of recovery. With the help of the God of his understanding (Jesus Christ), Narcotics Anonymous, and healthy relationships, the pathway of a daily reprieve from active addiction is now possible. Continuous work through pastoral licensed counseling has unlocked the acceptance of childhood molestation and recovery from trauma. After 21 years since Demetrie decided to drop out of high school in the 11th grade, education seemed to become more important to obtain. If he wants to help individuals who look like himself and suffer from trauma and active addiction, then higher education has to be pursued. While at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County, currently a sophomore, Demetrie’s interest in studies is in the social science of public health. Future involvement with research is being pursued with patients that have wait times in emergency rooms with substance use disorders. Previous research this past semester has examined minorities hesitancy to receive Covid vaccinations.
Shawn Colvin, CPRS, RPS, RCPF, has been working in the field of recovery professionally for 10 1/2 years at the Helping Up Mission in Baltimore City. He has been clean and sober for 13 years. Shawn loves being a Treatment Manager, Peer Specialist, Facilitator, and Treatment Coordinator! Shawn has a passion for assisting others toward a life of positive transformation out of the darkness of addiction!
Published: June 13, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
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!
Published: June 6, 2024
Multimedia
Join the PTTC for an insightful session with leading public health experts on semi-synthetic cannabis products such as Delta-8 THC. The panel will provide information on recent shifts in the U.S. cannabis markets and their implications, harms from using semi-synthetic cannabis products, and laws needed to effective in mitigating these harms.
Published: May 23, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
In this Issue
A Focus on Tribal Behavioral Health Providers: The Need to Advocate for the Wellbeing of Generations
Epi Corner: Building Resilience in Military Families
New! Swimming Upstream with Data: Military Individuals and Families
What's Happening Around the Region?
Webinar: Charting Paths to Prevention: Mapping Social Vulnerability and Alcohol-Related Deaths
Webinar: Principles for Prevention Professionals Across the Spectrum
Free Logic Model Technical Assistance
We're hiring: Data Training and Technical Assistance Specialist
Published: May 16, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
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!
Published: May 10, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
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!
Published: April 12, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
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.
Published: April 11, 2024
Online Course
Coalitions are essential to substance misuse prevention efforts. It is important to understand and implement research-based best practices for coalition functioning, structure, membership, and leadership. Take this course to uncover a deeper understanding of how and why we use coalitions and to increase knowledge about research-based best practices for coalitions. The course consists of an interactive content module and a completion quiz. It is estimated that the course may take up to 2 hours to complete. Certificate of Completion Available
Published: April 2, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
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!
Published: March 18, 2024
Toolkit
April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. To raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of alcohol policy safeguards, we have launched the Alcohol Awareness Toolkit: #ProofIsInTheNumbers.
The Alcohol Awareness Toolkit seeks to do the following during the month of April:
Raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of strong alcohol policies using memes, and
Encourage engagement from prevention and public health stakeholders to strategically educate and inform decision makers about effective alcohol policies by providing easy-to-personalize, templated opinion editorials, letters to legislators and proclamations.
The Northwest PTTC is excited to bring these resources to communities in Region 10 and throughout the rest of the PTTC Network. We encourage our prevention partners to use the materials to raise awareness around the weekly themes to observe April as National Alcohol Awareness Month.
View the other resources available in this toolkit.
Published: March 1, 2024
Multimedia
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.
Published: February 29, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
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?
Published: February 27, 2024
eNewsletter or Blog
The Northeast and Caribbean Winter 2023 Newsletter (English | Spanish) is here. This issue highlights resources for strategic communication, as well as, our upcoming trainings.
Published: February 23, 2024
Multimedia
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
Published: February 23, 2024