Products and Resources Catalog

  IC&RC Prevention Specialist Certification: What, Why, and How A Panel Presentation May 10, 2023   Panel Presentation Description Regardless of the service, those seeking a provider want to be sure that that person is both competent and ethical. This is especially important when the services are human services, such as prevention of substance misuse and mental illness. The International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium is the only organization that certifies prevention providers. Featuring a representative from each state or jurisdiction’s certification board, this panel presentation will discuss the need and process of becoming certified as a Prevention Specialist as well as highlight information about board-specific requirements and application procedures. By the end of this panel presentation, participants will be able to: Identify at least three reasons why certification of prevention specialists is important Outline the international process for certifying prevention specialists Describe the international prevention certification examination and its development List the certification requirements for their specific state or jurisdiction   Learning Session Materials IC&RC Certified Prevention Specialist Presentation Slides (pdf) IC&RC Certified Prevention Specialist Presentation Recording     Presenter Sandra Puerini Del Sesto, M.Ed, ACPS, is a consultant and master trainer who has provided community and strategic planning, program development, and capacity building in all areas of prevention practice throughout the United States. She was the founder and for 30 years the executive director of a statewide, multi-service prevention program and a founder of Rhode Island’s largest non-profit treatment program. In addition to her prevention work, she was the founding director of the Institute for Addiction Recovery at Rhode Island College. Sandra is a delegate to and the former Prevention Committee Co-Chair of the IC&RC. She is a member of the faculty and advisory board of the New England School of Addiction Studies, a member of the Advisory Board for the National Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), the National Hispanic/Latino PTTC and the New England PTTC. Sandra is a co-author of SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training (SAPST) and its Basic and Advanced Prevention Ethics as well as many other courses and webinars. She has previously trained members of the US National Guard in prevention planning. Sandra received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston College (Newton), and her Master’s degree in counselor education from Rhode Island College. She also completed a certificate program in nonprofit management through Brown University in Providence. Ms. Del Sesto is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist. Certification Board Panelists Wayne Giles Arizona Board for Certification of Addiction Counselors Pete Nielson California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals Angela Bolan Hawaii Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division Britany Wiele (on behalf of Natalie Powell) Nevada Certification Board James Arriola Pacific Behavioral Health Council and Certification Board   Questions? Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

3-Part Webinar Series: Improving Workforce Retention in the Substance Misuse Prevention Field Series Information    Part 1: Prevention Career Roadmap May 18, 2023   Presented by: Erin Burnett (she/her), Co-Director @ New England PTTC, Senior Training & Technical Assistance Coordinator @  AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, and Chair @ Maine Prevention Certification Board   This webinar will provide an overview of the resources developed by the New England PTTC for the new and mid-level prevention specialist to aid them in their professional development and career growth in the substance misuse prevention field. After this webinar, participants will be able to: Identify the universal developmental training needs of the substance misuse prevention workforce. Determine where they are at on the Prevention Specialist career lattice and where they might be headed depending on their professional development goals. Establish their professional development goals for their career in the substance misuse prevention field. Learn about the importance of Prevention Specialist certification and the requirements for certification in their state.   Webinar Resource: PowerPoint slides with links to resources LINK Webinar Recording LINK  Professional Development Grid Fillable LINK

This resource is adapted by the Southeast PTTC from a resource created in partnership with the Maine Prevention Workforce Development Workgroup, convened by AdCare Educational Institute of Maine under contract with the Maine Center for Disease Control. It aims to meet universal developmental training needs of the substance misuse prevention workforce in the Southeast. This resource is not specific to any one funding source or program. This resource can be used by new or current prevention professionals entering the field working in any federal, state, or locally funded prevention coalition, organization, or initiative. The purpose of this resource is to provide an overview of, and orientation to, the field of substance use prevention. We hope that the information will assist new professionals to become successful and productive. It is likely that your specific initiative or organization has its own on-boarding process and tools. This resource is offered as a supplement to your training. This document is a living document that will change as the field of substance use prevention changes. The most current document can be found at the download link above.

  This training will lead you to better understand what drives motivation to engage and commit time, energy and resources to any initiative. By learning to understand this core value you can help facilitate increased engagement and minimize frustration. Unpack the concept of The Golden Circle from Start with WHY Share tools and the process to discover your individual WHY Work 1-on-1 to write your WHY statement Learn how to maximize the capacity of collaborations Identify the “Why” that brings people to the table and helps them engage This session is led by Dave Closson from DJC Solutions and Kari Ter from Hue Life. Be sure to download the workbook discussed in this training <here>

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The February 2023 issue honors National Black History Month by sharing resources and content from the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and SAMHSA that focus on how social determinants of health have affected the health and well-being of African Americans, as well as the importance of providing culturally responsive behavioral health services. This issue also features exciting, new training opportunities sponsored by the Great Lakes PTTC, the ATTC Network's Pearls of Wisdom blog series, and the final article of the Power of Music series by Mark Sanders and Kisha Freed.  As always, The Great Lakes Current provides links to all the upcoming events and trainings for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   

Supplemental Resources: Engaging Youth to Improve Substance Misuse Prevention: Information Guide Series   Youth Engagement (YE) is an approach to prevention in which prevention organizations effectively engage youth as leaders or partners in planning, tailoring, implementing, or evaluating prevention programming. In this webinar, Dr. Ballard will describe different models of YE for prevention, share tips for YE, and provide tools to guide members of the substance misuse prevention workforce through decisions about whether, and how, to incorporate YE into their prevention work.   Learning Objectives: Identify the benefits and challenges of engaging youth voices to improve your substance misuse prevention efforts Understand different models of youth engagement Identify key questions to consider as you prepare to engage with youth to improve your substance misuse prevention efforts Become familiar with tools and resources to help you incorporate youth engagement into your substance misuse prevention efforts   About the Presenter:   Dr. Ballard is an Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine in the Wake Forest School of Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how young people engage with their communities, increasing equitable and meaningful opportunities for youth voice in communities, and understanding how youth engagement can improve community efforts and promote healthy youth development. In one current project, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, she applies ideas from developmental psychology to increase opportunities for youth voice in substance misuse prevention efforts. In another current project, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, she is co-leading a randomized-controlled trial study to understand the effects of a school-based action civics intervention. Outside of work, Parissa spends time exploring mountains, creeks, and playgrounds around North Carolina, with her husband and four young kids.

  What is Prevention? January 26, 2023   This recorded presentation, developed with the brand-new prevention professional in mind, will help orient viewers within the field of primary substance misuse prevention. Viewers will gain basic insight into primary prevention concepts such as risk and protective factors, evidence-based interventions, the Strategic Prevention Framework, and the coalition model. By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to: Define primary prevention Explain the importance of using a data-informed planning process Identify who does prevention work within a community   Presentation Materials Recording for What is Prevention Slide Deck for What is Prevention (PDF)   Audience: Community, tribal, jurisdiction, and state-level substance misuse prevention practitioners and allied health partners located in the Pacific Southwest region, including American Samoa, Arizona, California, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Republic of Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau.   Presenter:   Britany Wiele, CPS, is a Project Coordinator, Workforce Development at the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). In her role at CASAT, Britany serves as a Training and Technical Assistant Specialist for SAMHSA’s Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center which aims to expand the capacity of the substance misuse prevention workforce. She is a Certified Prevention Specialist with experience working with community coalitions in all areas of the Strategic Prevention Framework. Prior to joining CASAT, she worked for Join Together Northern Nevada providing leadership in developing effective community-wide youth and adult programming, implementing evidence-based programs, and building community partnerships. Britany has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the University of California, Riverside.   Questions? Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.    

Evaluators use pseudocodes to protect a participant's anonymity when asking protected questions. Pseudocode means a "fake code" that severs the link between the data and the provider. The attached document explains pseudocodes and how to create them.

An effective logic model will act as a roadmap that tells your prevention workgroup where it is starting from, where it is going, how it will get to where it is going, and if it is going in the right direction. The attached document will aid preventionists as they work through the process of creating an effective logic model for prevention curricula.

This crosswalk identifies tasks commonly associated with each step of SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and aligns them with sustainability milestones and practitioner skills needed to meet these milestones. This can be used to determine capacity building needs within communities/counties implementing the SPF process.

This toolkit and PowerPoint presentation walk substance misuse prevention practitioners and coalition members through the first two tasks of Step 3 of the Strategic Prevention Framework: Prioritizing risk and protective factors and selecting an evidence-based strategy.  

Efforts to prevent substance misuse generally fall under one of two broad approaches: individual and environmental strategies. Individual strategies focus on interventions to change attitudes and intentions, provide knowledge, and develop skills to help individuals resist influences that would lead them to use substances. These interventions involve working repeatedly with individuals and small groups, requiring a tremendous amount of resources to reach a large portion of the community population.   Environmental strategies, such as policy change, focus on changing the environments that shape individual behavior. The goal is to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Policy change also provides a greater opportunity to address health disparities.This guidebook will help you and your coalition make sense of the policy process by breaking it down step-by-step.   In detail, the guide will cover: How to draft the Policy Action Statement Building compliance of the policy with the responsible organization(s) or entity Collecting data to establish a link between the Community Condition and the Proposed Policy Developing an Issue Brief that makes the case for the Policy and offers the policy solution Drafting the Policy Language Utilizing media advocacy Organizing and mobilizing for support Preparing and presenting your policy to Decision Makers Supporting policy implementation and compliance Evaluating the policy campaign process and impacts     By working through the supporting activities, you and your partners will gain experience in forming, implementing, and promoting the compliance with ATOD policies. These policies have the potential to make alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs less accessible, less affordable, and less prevalent, thereby reducing the community-level harms associated with these substances.    This guidebook was adapted from Implementing and Supporting Policies to Prevent Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Misuse Information Guide Series funded by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.

RECORDING: Laugh It Off: How Therapeutic Humor Can Work for You (And Your Communities)   Improve your outlook and reduce harmful stress through humor. That’s the message of this seriously funny workshop where you will get to practice applied therapeutic exercises that you can use every day to improve your wellbeing and the wellness of your clients and others around you. Research has shown that accessing humor and laughter directly after a stressful situation reduces stress hormones and creates lasting, positive feelings. Muscles relax, breathing changes, and the brain releases endorphins, natural painkillers, and other psychological benefits. Mallori and Lodge will teach you how to laugh off difficult times, and as a result turn the negative impacts of stress into the positive benefits of humor.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to… Identify how laughter is used to reduce stress. Develop a personalized humor application. Explore how humor can be a resource to strengthen psychological safety and build community   PRESENTERS:  Mallori DeSalle Mallori DeSalle is a licensed mental health counselor, an internationally certified prevention specialist, motivational interviewing trainer and a certified humor professional. As a speaker and trainer, she has sparked curiosity in both the young and young-at-heart. Her passion for creating a lasting impact led her to the public health field and for the past 14 years she has worked at Prevention Insights, a center within the School of Public Health at Indiana University, Bloomington.  Mallori works with people all over the world. She served on the Board of Directors for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor and in 2021 became a TEDx speaker. Her credentials don’t impress her family, but occasionally her corny jokes do make them laugh.   Lodge McCammon Dr. Lodge McCammon is a therapeutic humorist, instructional designer, author, musician, and international education consultant who provides professional services, including keynote speeches, workshops, curriculum development, and a variety of training programs. He works with school districts, universities, nonprofits, and businesses (e.g., Palm Beach Schools, University of the West Indies, Discovery Education, Microsoft, Amazon, The Coca-Cola Company). Most recently, Lodge facilitated a month of therapeutic humor for the Nourished Teachers Community, which is a Facebook-funded initiative focused on helping educators cope with work stress and avoid burnout. He uses a program that he designed called “Laugh It Off!" to help his clients transform their daily frustrations into humor.

The latest edition of our bi-monthly newsletter is available. This month’s edition features growing prevention careers together, a focus on cannabis prevention, stories of substance misuse prevention and resilience, the application is open for the next Project ECHO, awareness campaigns for the month of June, and regionally and nationally developed events and tools to support and grow the prevention workforce in New England. View the newsletter.

Recording: Alcohol is STILL a Drug: The Impact of Alcohol Use on Individuals with Mental Illness    This presentation will review the comprehensive impact alcohol use has on people who have a co-occurring psychiatric conditions, including depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD and schizophrenia. Special consideration will be given to the impact of COVID-19 and factors that promote initiating and sustaining recovery. 

Resources Developed by the Southeast PTTC   The Southeast PTTC Policy Guidebook IMPLEMENTING POLICY TO PREVENT ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG MISUSE This Guidebook was developed by the Southeast Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) to provide a framework for advancing evidence-based policy strategies in local communities. Download Guidebook   Preemption & The Regulation of Alcohol Infographic This interactive resource was developed by the Southeast PTTC to assist in the education and dissemination of state-based policy regarding alcohol distribution, regulation, and enforcement. Download Resource   Southeast PTTC Onboarding and Orientation Guide This resource is adapted by the Southeast PTTC from a resource created in partnership with the Maine Prevention Workforce Development Workgroup, convened by AdCare Educational Institute of Maine under contract with the Maine Center for Disease Control. It aims to meet universal developmental training needs of the substance misuse prevention workforce in the Southeast. Download Resource     Resources Developed by SAMHSA SAMHSA's Practical Guide for Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach SAMHSA Prevention Resources A Guide to SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth SAMHSA Evidence-based Resource Guide Series SAMHSA Evidence-based Resource Guide Series Tobacco-free Toolkit for Behavioral Health Agencies SAMHSA National Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Recovery Advisory: Peer Support Services in Crisis Care - added 8.31.22 Advisory: Expanding Implementation of Mental Health Awareness Trainings (MHAT) in the Workplace - added 9.2.22 Addressing Burnout in the Behavioral Health Workforce through Organizational Strategies - added 9.7.22 Guide Overview - Adapting Evidence-Based Practices for Under-Resources Populations - added 9.19.22 Adapting Evidence-Based Practices for Under-Resourced Populations - added 9.19.22 Sample Policies for the Delivery of SUD-related Services via Audio-Only Telehealth Product Developed by:  Pacific Southwest ATTC  & Mountain Plains ATTC - added 9.28.22 Racial Equality Tools Glossary - added 9.28.22 Tip 61: Behavioral Health Services for American Indians and Alaska Natives - added 9.28.22 General Disaster Response and Recovery Information - added 9.28.22 Community Engagement: An Essential Component of an Effective and Equitable Substance Use Prevention System - added 11.28.22 Guide Overview: Community Engagement: An Essential Component of an Effective and Equitable Substance Use Prevention System - added 11.28.22     Resources Developed by the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network A Comprehensive Culturally Responsive Glossary: Concepts to Increase Awareness Towards Health Equity - Direct Download     Resources Developed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing 2022 Access to Care Survey Results - Direct Download More than 4 in 10 U.S. Adults Who Needed Substance Use and Mental Health Care Did Not Get Treatment     Resources Developed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA Expands Outreach to Diverse Audiences with New Factsheet Translations The Latest “Alcohol Facts and Statistics” from NIAAA - Added 3.21.23    

Description: Despite sustainability being a cross-cutting concept in prevention planning, it is often an afterthought or a moment of panic nearing the end of a grant cycle. Often our initiatives are funded by temporary grant opportunities, designed to jumpstart community change. This interactive virtual workshop will focused on the art of sustainability and how we maintain the human, social and material resources needed to achieve long-term goals for community change.   Learning Objectives: After participating in this training, participants will be able to: Define sustainability as a cross-cutting concept in the prevention Define and describe the three pillars of sustainability Identify a personal action step that will be implemented in the next 30 days.   About the Presenter: Nicole M. Augustine, Founder & CEO of RIZE Consultants, LLC Nicole M Augustine is the Founder & CEO RIZE Consultants, LLC, a strategic consulting firm founded in January 2015. Nicole is an entrepreneur, public health professional and social justice advocate. Her journey in public health began at Cornell University when after graduating she worked for three years as a BASICS counselor for Cornell's campus harm reduction initiative.  From there, Nicole transitioned into the George Washington University School of Public Health before experiencing a rapid career progression from providing prevention education to providing training and technical assistance to communities, professionals and state agencies.Nicole has served as the Project Coordinator for the Southeast PTTC, the Project Director of the NC Behavioral Health Equity Initiative, and the Prevention Director for the Addiction Professionals of NC. Nicole currently serves as an Advanced Implementation Specialist with the Opioid Response Network.This network is building trust across justice, corrections and medical systems to address the opioid and stimulants crisis.  

Description: This webinar provided participants with a broad overview of the issues of faith and spirituality as protective factors, outlined the significant assets religious organizations possess and described how they can be mobilized to reduce substance misuse. Effective and innovative strategies for engaging faith leaders in prevention efforts were also discussed.   Learning Objectives: Participants learned about some of the challenges of working with the faith community Participants learned how community-based organizations and coalitions have successfully partnered with religious organizations in their communities.   About the Presenters: Tracy Johnson, Founder & Managing Partner of TTJ Group, LLC Tracy has over 29 years of experience working closely with states, nonprofits, small businesses, universities, communities and coalitions in helping them with community organizing, environmental strategies, strategic planning, substance abuse prevention, and cultural competence. He is also Managing Partner and Director of Training & Technical Assistance for SheRays’s & Associates, LLC. He currently is working with the state of Ohio’s Partnership for Success (SPF-PFS) and the Community Collective Impact Model for Change (CCIM4C) Initiative. He formerly was the Project Director of the federally funded Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) Central Regional Team (CSAP's Central RT). Mr. Johnson is a member of the Executive Team for the Southeast (HHS Region 4) Prevention Technology Transfer Center network, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to improve implementation and delivery of effective substance abuse prevention interventions. Michael L. Dublin, Pastor for South Central Church of Christ Pastor Michael L. Dublin Sr. has served in the pastoral role at South Central church of Christ for the past 36 years. Pastor Dublin began his service to Christ Jesus in ministry as an Associate Minister at Brooks Avenue church of Christ in 1985 before his calling to Rochester Heights Church now South Central. Under God’s direction, South Central has grown spiritually and numerically and averages 180 on Sunday mornings. The current building where the congregation meets was completed in May 2006 and houses several ministries that are consistent with South Central’s God given vision to “Build a Better Community for the Coming Christ by Loving God, Each Other, and Serving the Community Through Intentional Evangelism”. Pastor Dublin has facilitated scripturally based, Substance Abuse Prevention and practical Marriage and Family workshops in a number of congregations of the Churches of Christ and is in growing demand to continue these workshops during this time of great stress in families and marriages and fluctuating drug use and misuse. Pastor Dublin has also worked in the field of Addictions as an Internationally Certified Substance Abuse Prevention Consultant for the past 34 years.  He currently serves as a consultant for NC ABC Talk It Out Program providing faith-based training to churches. Pastor Dublin has been married to Cecelia Crim of Dayton, Ohio for 36 years. They have a blended family of three adult daughters and two adult sons, 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Lesley Gabel, Certified Prevention Specialist Ms. Gabel is currently the Co-Chief Executive Officer at Prevention Resources (PR), a nonprofit agency presently covering Hunterdon, Somerset and Monmouth Counties, NJ. Lesley graduated with a Marketing degree from Hofstra University. She has over 30 years’ experience in key leadership roles in non-profit management and training with a focus on statistical analysis, auditing and process improvements. Ms. Gabel joined the Prevention Resource team in 2009 to direct and manage the federal Drug Free Communities grant program focusing on reducing underage drinking and drug misuse through the Safe Communities Coalition. The coalition has been recognized several times nationally for its’ outstanding successes and demonstrated outcomes in the area of prescription drug prevention and the reduction of underage drinking and marijuana; CADCA, Coalition of the Year, 2017, the National Coalition Milestone Award (February 2013) and the Dose of Prevention Award (2011). Additionally, she is incredibly proud to have received the 2018 Hunterdon County Business Woman of the Year award and Community Leader Award with the New Jersey Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association in 2016. Ms. Gabel has also been one of the team members responsible for developing a nationally recognized Faith Based coalition called “One Voice,” a collaborative network of faith-based organizations and the prosecutor’s office, focusing on community concerns, such as suicide, opioid and marijuana prevention. Ms. Gabel is passionate about creating a better community by being involved with many organizations. She has been fortunate to live in many parts of the country like Georgia, New York, California, Nevada, Colorado and now New Jersey. Most of all, Lesley enjoys her time with her family and dogs.

The National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center is pleased to share the Spanish versions of the Candidate Guide for the IC&RC Prevention Specialist Examination and The Rhode Island Prevention Specialist Certification Study guide. Here are the links to the guides on our website that you can access and share with your network: The IC&RC Candidate Guide/Guía del Candidato para el examen IC&RC de Especialista en Prevención (ENGLISH): The IC&RC Candidate Guide https://internationalcredentialing.org/resources/Candidate%20Guides/Prevention_Candidate_Guide.pdf.pdf The purpose of this Candidate Guide is to provide candidates with guidance for the IC&RC examination process. By providing candidates with background information on examination development, administration, and content, preparation for an IC&RC examination can be enhanced. (SPANISH): Guía del Candidato para el examen IC&RC de Especialista en Prevención   El propósito de esta Guía para Candidatos es para proporcionar a los candidatos una orientación para el proceso de examinación de IC&RC. Al ofrecer a los candidatos información con antecedentes sobre el desarrollo, la administración y el contenido de los exámenes, se puede mejorar la preparación para un examen de IC&RC. Rhode Island Prevention Specialist Certification: Study Guide for the Certification Exam/La Guia de estudio para el examen de Certificación de Rhode Island (ENGLISH): Rhode Island Prevention Specialist Certification: Study Guide for the Certification Exam https://internationalcredentialing.org/resources/Documents/PreventionCertificationStudyGuide.pdf This Guide was designed as a study aid to help prevention professionals prepare for and pass the Rhode Island Prevention Specialist Certification Exam. (SPANISH): La Guia de estudio para el examen de Certificación de Rhode Island   La guía fue diseñada como una ayuda al estudio para que los profesionales puedan preparar y aprobar el Examen de Certificación de Rhode Island como Especialista en Prevención.

Description: The Southeast region has a strong history of military service. Of the states with highest numbers of troops serving post 9/11, 5 of them are in the Southeast (South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina). This 90-minute webinar will highlight community-level collaborative approaches for substance misuse prevention for National Guard & Reserve Soldiers and their communities. We will learn about the National Guard, their unique culture, and challenges faced by service members that may contribute to substance misuse. We will briefly explore environmental strategies to change the context in which our service members live, work, play and learn. Finally, we will learn about two collaborative efforts happening in North Carolina and Florida between the National Guard’s Drug Demand Reduction Outreach Program and a community coalition partner.   Learning Objectives: Learn about the National Guard and their role in substance use prevention for service members and communities Explore strong collaborations in Florida and North Carolina between the National Guard’s Drug Demand Reduction Program and community coalition Describe examples of environmental strategies such as policy that can impact the community context with an emphasis on alcohol   About the Presenters: Captain Michael Coy is the Drug Demand Reduction Outreach Program Manager for the Florida National Guard Counterdrug Program.  Captain Coy has been in the National Guard for over fifteen years.  His current efforts involve drug prevention, community outreach, a public awareness campaign, and creating an environment of statewide partnership in regards to cross-jurisdiction cooperation, information sharing, and communal response. His direct support has led to the collection of approximately 10,000 pounds of prescription medication in the north Florida region in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Agency, local law enforcement agencies, and local community based organizations. He and his team were also responsible for presenting the Florida National Guard drug prevention program to over 69,000 elementary, middle, and high schools students across the state of Florida. Erin Jamieson Day joined Community Impact NC in October of 2018 and is the Chief Operating Officer.  In 2006, she received a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Religion & Philosophy from Barton College. Erin has worked for over 10 years in the prevention of substance use disorders.  She has experience in leading a community coalition and training communities to begin community level prevention efforts.  She has received Coalition Academy training through Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, is a trained Recovery Coach, and has had training in racial equity and disparity issues through the Racial Equity Institute. Erin currently serves on the board of the NC Prevention Providers Association. Locally she serves on the board of the Wilson Housing Authority, the Wilson Housing Development Corp., the Wilson County ABC Board, the Wilson Chamber of Commerce, and belongs to The Rotary Club of Wilson.   Kathleen Roberts, MS, is the Executive Director of Community Coalition Alliance (CCA), Inc. She has over fifteen (15) years of experience working in behavioral health at the local community level, regional level, and state level. She received her Master of Science in Criminology from Florida State University in 2010 as well as a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from University of Central Florida in 2003. In her role at CCA, she works with community coalitions, providers, and partners to assess substance misuse problems through data as well as identify research supported efforts to address the problems identified related to substance misuse. Ms. Roberts’s research background has focused on substance abuse, mental health, early childhood, social norms, antisocial behavior, parental influence, sexual violence, and prevention efforts. She also provides ongoing technical assistance and training and serves as one of the key trainers for Florida with the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) Curriculum supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Prior to joining CCA, Ms. Roberts was the Clinical Team Lead at the Department of Children and Families Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) focusing on behavioral health related programmatic, clinical, and policy areas. In this role, she served as the State’s epidemiology workgroup coordinator, the team lead for the SAMH Clinical Team, and Florida’s National Prevention Network designee. Additionally, Ms. Roberts has served as a Research Associate at Florida State University working on behavioral health related projects across communities in Florida.    Master Sergeant Nicole Smashum Lynch is a graduate of North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She has also completed her Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from NC Agricultural and Technical State University. Master Sergeant Smashum Lynch’s military education consist of Civil Operations Phase I Course January 2009, Prevention Treatment and Outreach Coordinator Course May 2012, Joint Substance Abuse Coordinator Course July 2012, and Drug Demand Reduction and Outreach Phase I February 2020. She is serving as a Civil Operator with the North Carolina National Guard Counterdrug Program. Her primary focus involves supporting coalition efforts with a substance abuse prevention nexus. Master Sergeant Smashum Lynch also served as the National Guard State Prevention Coordinator. She was responsible for teaching Substance Abuse Prevention Education to NC National Guard members. Previously she served as enlisted support in Drug Demand Reduction/Civil Operations from December 2008 to September 2011. Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH, has over 10 years’ experience in alcohol and other substance use-related research design, implementation and evaluation. Dr. Alicia Sparks has nearly a decade of research experience on military health issues, particularly substance use. She has written multiple peer-reviewed journal articles on alcohol and tobacco policy issues, including research on the behavioral health of active-duty service members and their families. Dr. Sparks received her MPH from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and obtained her PhD from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, studying the impact of the alcohol environment on alcohol consumption and related harms in the U.S. military.

Brush up on your cannabis knowledge with this series of short lessons on cannabis and prevention! Each lesson consists of a 5-10 minute video followed by a brief quiz. Topics include the basic differences between THC, CBD and hemp, how drug screening and confirmation for cannabis works, the effects of cannabis consumption on road safety, and the role of prevention in cannabis policy decisions.   How to use: Complete the lessons yourself to increase your knowledge or share these lessons with your coalition members, for parent or youth education programs, or with others in your community. Lessons can be viewed in the online quiz format through the links below or can be taught along with the discussion guide available for download to use with a group.   Option 1: Online Quiz Format To complete the lessons using the online quiz format, follow the link to each lesson below.   Cannabis, THC and CBD – What are they? Cannabis, hemp, THC, CBD, what’s the difference? This lesson briefly reviews each of these substances and where they come from.   Cannabis and Drug Screening and Testing How does drug screening for cannabis work and what does it detect? This lesson reviews what drug screening and confirmation testing are, what they can (and can’t) detect and other considerations of urine drug screening.   Cannabis and Driving Safety How does cannabis use impact driving and road safety? This lesson reviews the impacts of cannabis use on road safety and policy and enforcement considerations in states with and without legalized cannabis.   Cannabis Policy - Where Prevention Fits What is the role of prevention in cannabis policy at the municipal/local or organization level? This lesson reviews the various types of policy that preventionists can be aware of and how to strategize for effective policy change.   Option 2: Discussion Guide To use the lessons with a group in a discussion format, follow the discussion guide below. Each lesson includes a link to the video, followed by a set of discussion questions and answers.     Lesson 1: Cannabis, THC and CBD – What are they? Cannabis, hemp, THC, CBD, what’s the difference? This lesson briefly reviews each of these substances and where they come from.   Watch the video   Discussion Questions What does the term cannabis refer to? What are THC and CBD? Are they related? Is hemp the same as cannabis? Why is it important that we understand the terminology of cannabis?   Answers Cannabis refers to the plant (typically Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis Indica) that THC, CBD, and other cannabis products are derived from. Cannabis is the scientific name for the plant that may be referred to as a marijuana plant in some settings.   THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are the two most common of the 500 chemicals found within the cannabis plant. THC is the psychoactive component that causes the “high” feeling and can impair cognitive and motor function. THC is illegal on the federal level but legal for medical or adult-use in many states.   CBD is not psychoactive and is thought to balance some of the negative effects of THC. It has potential medical applications in large doses as an anticonvulsant used to treat epilepsy. The FDA currently allows CBD products such as lotions and topical products, but not CBD for consumption in food or beverages.   Hemp is a variant of the cannabis plant without THC. Hemp plants can be farmed and harvested for fibers often used to make rope, fabric and other applications. Hemp agriculture is governed by the USDA and cannot contain more than 0.03% THC in dry weight.   Learn more The Marijuana Education Toolkit (PTTC Network) Marijuana DrugFacts (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Research, Policies, and Practices: Federal and Community-level Perspectives on Vaping (PTTC Network) Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth - Resource from SAMHSA       Lesson 2: Cannabis and Drug Screening and Testing How does drug screening and confirmation testing for cannabis work and what does it detect (or not)?   Watch the video   Discussion Questions What are the key differences between a urine drug screen and a confirmation test? Can secondhand exposure to THC result in a positive drug screen? Can CBD-use result in a positive drug screen? Does your state have policies limiting use of drug screening tests in the workplace or other settings?   Answers Urine screens are commonly used to provide quick results. They are often used at point-of-care testing and typically identify "positive" or "negative" results for the presence of certain drug classes in the urine. Screens can lead to false positive or negative results. Confirmations are more accurate laboratory tests that take longer but provide more accurate and detailed results. A confirmation can identify specific substances and the amount of substance present in the test.   If a screening test uses the standard cutoff of 50ng/mL, it extremely unlikely for someone to test positive having only been exposed secondhand given the amount of smoke they would have to be exposed to at that level. For screening tests that use a lower cutoff like 20ng/mL, it is possible because the results can be more variable, but still not likely.   CBD does not cross well with most urine drug screens, meaning it is unlikely that it would lead to a positive result, but it is possible that large amounts of CBD combined with other factors like trace amounts of THC in the products could result in a positive test. However, follow up confirmation testing can distinguish THC from CBD. One related issue is that studies have shown that CBD products are not always accurately tested and labeled regarding their CBD and THC content, so it is possible for someone who uses CBD products regularly to have inadvertent THC exposure if products are not accurately labeled.   State policies regarding the use of urine drug screening in different settings may vary, especially for use in the workplace. Some states have policies limiting use of drug screening for cannabis while others may not.   Learn More Moeller, Karen E., Julie C. Kissack, Rabia S. Atayee, and Kelly C. Lee. “Clinical Interpretation of Urine Drug Tests: What Clinicians Need to Know About Urine Drug Screens.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2017)       Lesson 3: Cannabis and Road Safety: How does cannabis use impact driving and road safety? This lesson reviews the impacts of cannabis use on road safety and policy and enforcement considerations in states with and without legalized cannabis.   Watch the video   Discussion Questions What are the possible effects of cannabis that can impair driving ability? What are some examples of negative effects of cannabis use on driving? For how long after cannabis use could driving ability be impaired? What are some of the enforcement challenges related to cannabis-impaired driving?   Answers Cannabis use can impact several areas related to driving. THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, can impair motor coordination and impair perception. It can also slow reaction time and impair ability to make decisions, all of which can influence driving. Under the influence of cannabis, some common driving safety effects are delayed braking, not maintaining a consistent speed or driving too slow (which can be dangerous) and not maintaining a safe distance between cars.   While THC levels begin to drop within a few minutes of stopping use (while smoking), performance can be impaired for another 1-2 hours after use, which may be longer than a person feels the subjective high. For edible products, the peak effects occur anywhere from 2-4 hours after use and may last as long as 4-12 hours.   A major challenge for enforcement of cannabis-impaired driving is that there is no accurate roadside test currently available, especially since cannabis can remain in a person’s system for several days or longer. A standardized field sobriety test may be used but is not always effective. Combined use of alcohol and cannabis is becoming more common, and alcohol can be detected through roadside testing. Use of primary enforcement seatbelt laws may help prevent cannabis-impaired driving.   Learn More Does marijuana use affect driving? (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Marijuana Use and Driving. (Teen Driver Source)  Brands B, Di Ciano P, Mann RE. Cannabis, Impaired Driving, and Road Safety: An Overview of Key Questions and Issues. (Front Psychiatry. 2021)       Lesson 4: Cannabis Policy - Where Prevention Fits What is the role of prevention in cannabis policy at the municipal/local or organization level? This lesson reviews the various types of policy that preventionists can be aware of and how to strategize for effective policy change.   Watch the video   Discussion Questions Besides the federal and state level, what are other policy levels where cannabis policy should be considered? Zoning, limits on number of dispensaries, and school buffer zones are some examples of cannabis policies that can be enacted at what level? What elements are important to making effective policy change?   Answers In addition to federal and state laws on cannabis, many other policy levels should consider cannabis. Some examples include municipalities, K-12 and college/university school systems, healthcare organizations, housing/residential programs, and employers.   While some state laws on cannabis may include stipulations on zoning, density limits or buffer zones, these policies are often enacted at the local/municipal level. A community that is deciding to opt-in or opt-out of a state cannabis policy should consider these factors.   Training, communication, monitoring and evaluation, and strategy for periodic policy review/revision are key elements of the policy change cycle. These elements align with the Strategic Prevention Framework in many ways.   Learn More Prevention and Youth Cannabis Use Toolkit (PTTC Network) Cannabis: People before Profits. The Evolution of Cannabis Policies and Where Prevention Fits In (Recorded Webinar – PTTC Network) A Prevention Practitioners' Toolkit to Understanding HHS Region 10 State Cannabis Policies and Regulations (PTTC Network)   Interested in learning more about vaping prevention? Check out our Microlearning Toolkit: Vaping Prevention 101. 

The tenth edition of our bi-monthly newsletter is available. This month’s edition features the Leadership Development Program, research by RAND on Protective Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana Scale, the (NCSACW) recently developed Working with Adolescents: Practice Tips and Resource Guide, August is National Wellness Month, regionally and nationally developed events and tools to support and grow the prevention workforce in New England. View the newsletter.

Download the webinar presentation Watch Translations:     Presented by: Dr. Jana Spalding Description: The Southeast PTTC in collaboration with the National Hispanic & Latino PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 4: AL, FL, GA, KY, MI, NC, SC and TN.  This training, offered in response to a need identified by Region 4 stakeholders, will focus on the relationship between our personal and professional cultural backgrounds and those of people whose historical roots are embedded in the expansion of Spain, once a powerful global empire. Do people in this diaspora have particular views, beliefs, and biases about substance misuse?  Are they different than ours? Dr. Jana Spalding will explore and encourage deeply reflective questions such as--from what cultural framework has the field of prevention developed? What assumptions, unspoken beliefs, and biases exist in the field of prevention? How can we ever know how to work with people whose ways of being in the world are different from ours? How can we ever understand, much less find common ground with, people from another culture in order to prevent substance misuse and promote health? Learning Objectives: Challenge prevention professionals to reflect on their own personal and professional cultural assumptions and biases Consider the cultural context from which the field of prevention in the US has emerged and its relevancy to people and groups from other cultural backgrounds Motivate prevention professionals to pursue ways to increase their own cultural humility: understanding their own cultural makeup first, so as to respectfully relate to people of different cultures different  Understand that the challenge is not just to teach our concepts and practices of prevention, but to assist – even as we work on it ourselves -- to acquire skills to adapt to the changing cultural contexts in which we all find ourselves     About Jana Spalding, MD, CPSS A native Spanish speaker, Dr. Spalding was born in Panama and completed high school there before immigrating to the US, where she completed her medical degree at Stanford University. She has served for 20+ year in behavioral health, a field she first entered as a peer support specialist. Recovery and peer support training followed, then recovery services administration and university level advanced peer support instruction. In 2018 Dr. Spalding began building a behavioral health consulting and training practice. During this time the need for services in Spanish to Spanish speakers with behavioral health challenges came into focus in her work. She began translating and interpreting, first as a freelancer and then with a language services company. Dr. Spalding’s passion to advance recovery for Spanish speakers has found an outlet with the National Latino Behavioral Health Association, where, among other collaborations, she has delivered Behavioral Health Interpreter Training face to face and virtually since 2017.