Products and Resources Catalog

This webinar is one of the New England PTTC's prevention trainings. In this webinar (recorded March 12, 2020), participants will receive a detailed overview of each of the four products in the toolkit. No continuing education is available. Contact us if you have any questions.   Recorded Webinar - Evidence-Based Practices to Address Substance Misuse Among Young Adults Presenter: Kim Dash, PhD, MPH   Course Summary: SAMHSA’s National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention have collaborated to develop a new evidence-based resource guide, “Evidence-Based Substance Abuse Prevention for Emerging Adults”. This guide is one of many that was developed to fulfill the charge of the 21st Century Cures Act to disseminate information on evidence-based practices and service delivery models to prevent substance misuse and to help individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), serious mental illnesses (SMI), and serious emotional disturbances (SED) get the treatment and support that they need. This webinar will review the process of developing the guide with technical experts around the country, review the literature and science in the guide, examine emerging and best practices, determine key components of peer-reviewed models that affect policies and programs, and identify challenges and gaps in implementation.   Link to view the recorded webinar (recorded on March 12, 2020). No continuing education is available.    Download the PDF guide here: store.samhsa.gov/product/Substance-Misuse-Prevention-for-Young-Adults/PEP19-PL-Guide-1

This webinar is one of the New England PTTC's prevention trainings. In this webinar (recorded April 23, 2020), participants will receive a detailed overview of each of the four products in the toolkit. No continuing education is available. Contact us if you have any questions.   Laughing Matters, A Conversation about Natural Highs and Coping with Stress Presenter: Matt Bellace, PhD, Comedian & Psychologist   Course Summary: This engaging hour-long discussion will involve comedy and inspiring stories, in addition to demonstrating Matt’s style when presenting to and communicating with youth, especially during a time of social distancing and self-isolation. Dr. Bellace will respond to questions that participants submitted during the registration process for this event. Since 1995, Matt Bellace has been traveling the country as a professional speaker and stand-up comedian. He has spoken in 47 states to a wide range of audiences, including SEAL Team Six and survivors of Sandy Hook. Dr. Bellace has a PhD in clinical neuropsychology and trained at both the National Institutes of Mental Health and the traumatic brain and spinal cord injury units of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He is the author of the book, “A Better High,” contributing author for National Geographic Kids, and was a regular on truTV’s, “World’s Dumbest.”   Link to view the recorded webinar (recorded on April 23, 2020). No continuing education is available.   

The Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) distributed a survey to determine the information, training and resources needed to address the challenges prevention professionals are encountering during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The survey was open from April 3, 2020 to April 24, 2020, receiving 177 responses.

In response to new challenges experienced by the prevention workforce resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) facilitated four listening sessions over video conference with 111 prevention practitioners joining. Listening sessions were conducted at various times throughout the day on April 15, 16, 21, and 22. Participants represented Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as well as a few participants from outside of the Pacific Southwest region. The listening sessions opened up a conversation about the specific challenges practitioners are facing with doing their work in prevention; what training and resources the PTTC could provide to address these challenges; and where are they finding new opportunities for their work. During the listening sessions, spontaneous peer-sharing and crowdsourcing of resources naturally occurred. This document briefly summarizes the conversations held across these four sessions and includes various links to resources as they relate to various topics that emerged during these conversations.

The Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) is offering a new product line for prevention practitioners and other key stakeholders called Best Science Slide Decks for Prevention Professionals, or slideDecks4U for short. These slide decks are intended to highlight a topic in 10 slides or less. The purpose of this slide deck is to provide prevention practitioners with researched and vetted tools they can feel confident in using in their prevention presentations. All slide decks include presenter notes and full references.  This slide deck introduces basic definitions of stigma and discusses the role substance misuse prevention practitioners plan in reducing stigma.  USE: These slides can be used as a stand-alone overview of the topic or  incorporated into other presentations or materials. Citing the Pacific Southwest PTTC as the author of these slides is greatly appreciated. Each slide deck includes presenter notes to guide the speaker on presenting the information contained in the slides. The slide deck also include the references to all of the literature used to source the information presented. NOTE: Please do not alter any of the slides. If you need additional information, please contact the Pacific Southwest PTTC, email [email protected]  or call toll-free: 1-833-9SW-PTTC.

Southeast PTTC April Newsletter

During these unprecedented times resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, people are feeling overwhelmed with long work hours, caring for family, and frequently changing information. As people try to manage uncertainty about the future, health concerns, financial instability, and access to resources, it becomes imperative to take time for self-care. The Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) has summarized recommendations and compiled a list of resources for self-care from reputable sources for you to practice and take care of YOU!   Recommended Tips to Take Care of Yourself Physical Health Fuel your body by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and drinking plenty of water. Aim to get regular sleep and rest (at least 7-8 hours) Exercise every day. Taking care of your body helps you feel better mentally, too. While sheltering in that doesn’t mean your exercise routine needs to end, it may just need to be different. Take a family walk after dinner, but follow social distancing guidelines. Do some stretches at your desk while you’re working from home. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, which are the natural substances that help you maintain a positive attitude. Take deep breaths and stretch often. Avoid risky behaviors, such as misusing alcohol and other substances, and ignoring public health recommendations. Mental Health Create a sense of structure and routine in daily life. Focus on things you can control. Use technology to maintain social connections with your loved ones. Consider a regular check-in schedule to give you something to look forward to. Engage in relaxing activities. Listen to music, read books, or try a new hobby. Consume reliable news sources that report facts, and avoid media that sensationalizes emotions. Lean on your personal beliefs and faith for support.   How can I stay informed without becoming anxious? Take a Break from the News Media. While it is important to stay current about the public health emergency, avoid excessive exposure to media coverage. This includes watching, reading or listening to news stories, even on social media. Limit yourself to a single credible source such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[1] Access Hotlines and Help.1 If you are feeling anxious, considering self-harm, or concerned about yourself or others  in your household being harmed, several hotlines are available to help: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 / 1-800-846-8517 (TTY) or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273- 8255 / 1-800-799-4889(TTY) National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 / 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) StrongHearts Native Helpline 1-844-762-8483   Resources to Support Self-Care Strategies and Practices   PTTC Network The PTTC Network has gathered resources for prevention in response to the COVID-19 pandemic   SAMHSA SAMHSA COVID-19 resources and information   The World Health Organization Health parenting during COVID-19   CDC Ways to cope with stress and take care of yourself and your community during COVID-19   Prevention Institute Resources for health, safety, and wellbeing during COVID-19   National Association of Social Workers Self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic   National Council of Urban Indian Health COVID-19 Resource Center   Colorlines Self-Love in the Time of COVID-19   ReachOut 10 Ways to take care of yourself during COVID-19   National Institute for Health Care Management Managing loneliness Vulnerable populations and COVID-19 Activities that support elder well-being during isolation or quarantine   Mayo Clinic Kids coping with COVID-19 pandemic Maintaining human connection in time of social distancing   Washington State University Wellbeing Online Stress relief & mindfulness workshops   US Department of Veteran Affairs Resources for managing stress   [1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 2020, Take care of yourself and your community.

Part 2 of 2: Legal and Ethical Considerations for Telehealth Prevention This presentation reviews the legal and ethical considerations for prevention practice through a virtual setting. Participants learn which requirements must be in place as well as current changes due to COVID-19.  Key Objectives: Participants will be able to describe legal and ethical considerations for virtual prevention practice Participants will be able to identify if a virtual platform is HIPAA and FERPA compliant Participants will learn how to safeguard their clients through responsible technology use   Presented By: Aaron Fischer, PhD, BCBA-D Webinar Recording PDF PowerPoint Slides Link to Part 1 of 2: Understanding How to Leverage Telehealth Technology for Prevention Services We are closely collaborating across the Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network in response to COVID-19.  There are a number of telehealth related products, webinars, virtual discussion sessions, and web resource pages being developed across the three Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs).  We are all doing our best to ensure we avoid duplication, and we recognize that some overlap in activities and resources related to this topic is understandable.  We realize the need for information and training across the workforce that provides prevention, treatment and recovery support services for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental illness is vast. You can access the events calendar and the products calendar through the Technology Transfer Center (TTC) landing page and see a listing of all events and products across the three networks. https://techtransfercenters.org/landing

Toolkit for Parks and Recreation Departments: Preventing Youth Substance Use and Addressing Substance Misuse   Substance use disorders are a community problem that require a community response. While it will take many sectors of the community to solve this problem, Parks and Recreation Departments (referred to as P&R Depts in this document) have a unique role to play in preventing substance use disorders and in addressing substance misuse in New England communities. Many P&R Depts offer before and afterschool childcare, summer, and sports programming for young people, and play a large role in building healthy communities through the oversite of parks and playgrounds and holding public events. This toolkit offers P&R Depts some guidance and resources for implementing research-based strategies to help prevent youth substance use and address substance misuse. 

Central East Webinar Series: Social Determinants of Health Part 1: Examining the Social Determinants of Health: A Prevention Perspective Dawn M. Thomas, PhD, OCPC April 22, 2020, 1-2 PM EST  |  View all Central East series This is part one of a two-part webinar series hosted by the Central East PTTC that focuses on social determinants of health. COURSE DESCRIPTION Participants will understand the basic tenets of the social determinants of health and its impact on behavioral health, prevention, and wellness efforts. Participants will critically examine the role of neighborhood conditions, education, socio-economic, and socio-political climate. This training will strengthen participants understanding of the social determinants of health and their role in shaping the prevention efforts of diverse populations. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Provide an overview of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH Define and differentiate health equity terminology Review the five areas of the Social Determinants of Health and how they impact health outcomes Review and summarize the significance of SDOH to increase health and wellness PRESENTER Dawn Thomas, PhD, OCPC is currently a Prevention Systems Manager with the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (OhioMHAS). She is highly experienced in event planning, program development, coordination and implementation as well as fostering and promoting close working relationships between state, county and local social service systems/agencies.She has more than 25 years of public service that has focused on prevention, training, mental health and other social services programming for adults as well as students. Dr. Thomas is an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant, with a Ph.D. in Health Education from the University of Cincinnati.Additionally Thomas she has served as a Consultant and presented numerous trainings and workshops at a wide array of venues and conferences that include but are not limited to: SAMHSA, The National Prevention Network Conference, and the Ohio Society for Public health Education.               

April 2020 issue of the Great Lakes Current, with a special focus on responding to COVID-19.  Includes links to resources and information produced by the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC, as well as the other TTC programs across the country. 

  Supplemental webinar resources: Webinar presentation MEE Productions Newsletter: Engaging and Mobilizing the Grassroots Community - How to Work with CBOs MEE Productions Newsletter: Tackling America’s Opioid Epidemic from the Ground Up MEE Productions Newsletter: Effectively Engaging Men and Fathers to Support the Health and Wellness of Their Families MEE Productions Newsletter: Community Engagement 101 Infographic: The Win-Win of Community Engagement Infographic: Framing of Opioid Misuse   Presented by: Ivan J. Juzang, MBA, Founder and President of MEE Productions Inc. Description: Many agencies and organizations are struggling to engage members of affected communities with opioid prevention, recovery and treatment messaging, due to stigma related to addiction, ineffective outreach and engagement strategies, low levels of trust in government institutions and other challenges. During this webinar, MEE will share how Coalitions or Collaborations in any size community can enhance their outreach, engagement and prevention efforts, with a focus on hard-to-reach audiences. These strategies and tactics will help them grow their presence in both digital (online) and grassroots (off-line) spheres to educate communities and to mobilize partners and stakeholders, increasing both impact and effectiveness of their opioid prevention and reduction efforts. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will understand MEE's Adaptation of the SPF Model (By-and-For Processes) to engage communities from oral-based cultures 2. Participants will understand why a mix of strategies results in the Most Effective Community Engagement Efforts 3. Participants will learn How to Use Community-Engagement Tactics in their Substance Misuse Prevention Work to Counter a Lack of Trust About Ivan J. Juzang, MBA Ivan Juzang, MBA, Founder and President of MEE Productions Inc., is a leading expert in health communications and social marketing. He has over 25 years of first-hand experience working on health disparities and public health issues affecting low income, underserved and devalued communities across America. Mr. Juzang’s work focuses on how service providers, community-based organizations and the public health community can present trauma-informed and culturally-relevant health information in such a way that lifestyle changes are sustainable in the context of an economically-challenged and stressed-out life. MEE specializes in community-centered approaches that acknowledge the social determinants of health, honor personal assets and resiliency, infuse protective factors and embrace trauma-informed strategies. MEE has been engaged in substance abuse prevention work since 1991 in low-income urban communities across the country. Its specific opioid misuse work has been conducted in urban, suburban and rural communities over the last five years, in places that include Philadelphia, Baltimore and New Orleans, with Prevention Coalitions across Ohio and statewide agencies in Louisiana. Mr. Juzang was a member of the Advisory Committee on Public Issues for The Ad Council and a current board member of Power to Decide (formerly the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy). From 2003-2009, Mr. Juzang was a member of The Office of National Drug Control and Policy's Behavior Change Expert Panel. Mr. Juzang received his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University, and his MBA from The Wharton School of Business.  

The Great Lakes Current YouTube Channel brings you recorded webinars hosted by the Great Lakes PTTC as well as our partner projects,  Great Lakes ATTC and Great Lakes MHTTC. Subscribe to the Great Lakes Current to receive automatic notifications of new recordings.   

The Great Lakes Wave podcast channel is available on all of the top podcasting platforms, including Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Breaker. New episodes and podcast series are added regularly!  

The Great Lakes PTTC developed this webpage to provide an overview of regional and national initiatives and resources dedicated to preventing and reducing stigma associated with having, treating, or being in recovery from a substance use or mental health disorder.  Visit the Preventing and Reducing Stigma web page. 

The Great Lakes ATTC developed this webpage to provide an overview of regional and national resources related to telehealth for behavioral health. This site will be updated regularly with new information and tools designed specifically for the behavioral health field.  

This page provides an inventory of naloxone training and related resources in the Great Lakes region. 

This webpage provides an overview of trainings and information related to vaping. It includes regional and national resources. 

New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) recognized the immediate need to provide information, training and resources to meet the challenges prevention professionals facing transition in service delivery as a result of the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19). A survey to assess these needs was launched March 23, 2020 and closed April 3, 2020. A total of 144 people participated in the survey. Themes for open-ended responses are summarized below each question.

The second edition of our bi-monthly newsletter is available. This month's edition features an update from the director, COVID-19 resources, regionally and nationally developed trainings and tools to support and grow the prevention workforce in New England. 

On February 19th, Dr. Parissa Ballard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, presented what I thought was a fascinating webinar,  sponsored by our Region IV Prevention Technology Transfer Center.  Her topic:  The Benefits of Engaging Youth in Communities: Insights and Evidence from Developmental Science.  One of the things I noted in my brief introductory remarks to the webinar was that while youth engagement is a mainstay of current prevention efforts, the argument for it usually revolves around the value of this approach for a local coalition’s efforts to achieve a goal, such as passage of a local ordinance (e.g., a social host ordinance), or getting the word out about an important prevention practice (e.g., locking up medications in the home).  Many of us know from experience that youth can garner attention and have a significant voice in these kinds of efforts—such as when a well-organized group of youth come to a city or county council meeting to voice their support for passage of a public health ordinance.  Dr. Ballard presented this argument, but she also discussed why and how youth engagement is associated with benefits for the youth themselves.  For example, Dr. Ballard and her colleagues found in their research that volunteering as a youth is associated with healthier behaviors and mental health as youth age into young adulthood (Ballard, Hoyt, & Pachucki, 2019). For me, one of the most important takeaways from Dr. Ballard’s webinar was that when it comes to youth engagement, one size does not fit all!  The potential benefits for youth, and for coalitions, are likely to be different for very young adolescents (ages 10 to  14) than they are for middle adolescents (ages 15 to 19) and young adults (ages 20 to 24) (see Slides 20-32 of the webinar, (Suleiman, Ballard, Hoyt, & Ozer, 2019).   Click HERE to watch the webinar.   References Ballard, P., Hoyt, L., & Pachucki, M. (2019). Impacts of adolescent and youth adult civic engagement on health and socioeconomic status in adulthood. Child Development, 90(4) 1138-1154. Suleiman, A., Ballard, P., Hoyt, L., & Ozer, E. (2019). Applying a developmental lens to youth-led participatory action research: an examination and integration of existing evidence. Youth & Society, 1-28.  

  WEBINAR - The Positive Exists: Framing Communications Using Hope and Concern  Presented by: THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST AND NORTHWEST PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTERS   DATE: Wednesday, March 25, 2020   DESCRIPTION This webinar will help prevention practitioners improve communications around substance use prevention in their communities with the Science of the Positive, a framework that promotes protective factors, increases healthy norms, and positively transforms community cultures.  This webinar will provide attendees with a new communication skill that can be used immediately to address the very challenging issues of substance misuse prevention. After completion of the webinar, participants will: understand the Science of the Positive Framework; identify ways to use the Positive Community Norms Approach to correct misperceptions and impact behavior; and identify how to balance both hope and concern in communications.   PRESENTERS Dr. Jeffrey Linkenbach is the Founding Director and Research Scientist at The Montana Institute, who has developed national award-winning science-based programs to change norms.  He is one of the co-developers of Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) and serves as a Co-Investigator at the HOPE Center in the Tufts University Medical School. Jeff is an affiliate faculty member with the University of Montana – Mansfield Center and a Fellow with UM-Mansfield Academy for Global Leadership.  He is recognized for his pioneering development of the Science of the Positive Framework and the Positive Community Norms Approach which are being utilized by tribal, federal, state, and local organizations to achieve positive change and transformation around challenging issues such as child maltreatment, substance abuse, suicide, traffic safety, and community-engaged leadership.  Sara Thompson is a Senior Trainer with The Montana Institute who specializes in training and technical assistance with Positive Community Norms communications. She brings experience as a strategic marketing consultant who also serves large and small companies, non-profit organizations, cooperatives, festivals, and community events. Ms. Thompson was Introduced to Dr. Linkenbach’s work with the Science of the Positive and Positive Community Norms (PCN) frameworks in 2006 and these transformative new approaches challenged her perceptions, reignited her passion for prevention leadership, and renewed her energy for her work. She owns her own marketing firm specializing in working with community coalitions focused on positive prevention messaging and she has been privileged to work at The Montana Institute and collaborate with some of the most experienced prevention specialists, innovative thought leaders, and social science researchers in the country.   WEBINAR SLIDES Download Slides - The Positive Exists   OTHER RESOURCES Applying SOTP to Health & Safety Integrating Hope and Concern into your Communications Introduction to Positive Community Norms    

Quarterly Newsletter - March 2020 - Northwest PTTC   Find out about upcoming events, resources, past and future webinars, and read our Northwest Community In Action article highlighting YouthThink of The Dalles, OR. Read it all here: Quarterly Newsletter - March 2020 - Northwest PTTC

This Slide Deck for You can be used as a stand-alone overview of the Social Development Strategy or incorporated into other presentations or materials. The Social Development Strategy (SDS) is a tool for enhancing five factors proven to build protection and organizes these protective factors into a strategy for action that anyone can use in their daily interactions with young people. The SDS is as simple as five fingers on one hand.