Products and Resources Catalog

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

How can we prevent substance misuse unless we understand what places kids at greater risk of misusing drugs? During this webinar, we will explore the risk factors that place youth at greater risk of substance misuse, as identified by the Social Development Research Group through systematic reviews of the research literature. Time will be spent exploring each risk factor to ensure that preventionists understand the meaning of each factor in order to address them effectively. This training will build on the information shared during the Building Protective Factors Using the Social Development Strategy (Dec. 2023) webinar.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Describe the importance of focusing on both increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors List the criteria used to identify factors that place youth at greater risk of substance misuse Understand the nuances that exist for each risk factor Put the risk factor framework into action in their communities   PRESENTATION RESOURCES Printable presentation slides Printable version of the participant workbook  Flipbook version of the participant workbook   PRESENTER Kris Gabrielsen, MPH, CPS  Kris Gabrielsen is the co-director of the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center. She has worked in the substance misuse prevention field for over 30 years. Kris was the Associate Director of the Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), co-authored the first Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training curriculum, and co-authored the textbook, Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice. As a consultant, she has worked with states and communities across the nation to bridge the gap between research and practice, assisting prevention professionals in maximizing their effectiveness.    

Grant Writing Series 2024 – From Basics to Application Part 1: Introduction to Grant Writing Dan Webb, PhD January 9, 2024, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION In this session, participants will learn introductory elements of grant writing. This session will introduce participants to grant terminology, where to find grant opportunities, and how to read grant announcements. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Review commonly used grant terminology Discuss how and where to find grant opportunities appropriate for your organization Explore next steps when finding an application that is of interest PRESENTERS Dan Webb, PhD, is co-owner of Catalyst Research, LLC and Catalyst Insight, LLC. Dan has over eighteen years of experience writing and evaluating local, state, and national grants. In addition, he has over ten years of experience in business/organizational intelligence and analytics. His experience includes evaluation and research in education (elementary through post-secondary), youth substance use prevention, health and medicine, and housing and urban development. Dan holds a PhD in Sociology from the University at Buffalo.  

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

  Webinar Description SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) is a preventive public health approach used to identify and intervene with persons whose pattern of use put them at risk for, or who are experiencing, substance-related health and other psychosocial problems, such as HIV and HCV, or exacerbated mental health issues. Prevention with Latinx communities includes a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and inclusive framework conducive to screening and early intervention. The content will inform on how taking a few minutes to conduct a person-centered brief intervention can help motivate reduction of substance use with Hispanic, Latino and Latinx communities. The approach further identifies those with high potential for a substance use disorder and opportunities for accessing culturally relevant resources.     Presenter Information Diana Padilla, MCPC, CARC, CASAC-T, is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC), and a member of the ASAP-NYCB Trainer Registry. As a cultural agent, Ms. Padilla promotes an equity lens in trainings for engaging diverse communities in need, aligning with evidence and strength-based strategies within behavioral health, addiction, prevention, and recovery supports fields and professional capacities.     Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer

The January 2024 Dialogue contains articles on: Addiction: COVID-19 Impact on Substance Use Disorder and Recovery | Mental Health: Heart Disease and Mental Health Disparities in Black America | Prevention: Celebrating 20 Years of Prevention Excellence | ORN: ORN Consultant's guidance on Recovery Houses  Additional sections include behavioral health observances, virtual training and webinar events, Region 3 news, and new resources. The Dialogue is designed to inform behavioral and mental health professionals of news and upcoming events in the Central East states. This electronic newsletter is disseminated on the first Tuesday of each month. You are encouraged to provide us with any feedback or submit articles and topics for discussion in future issues of the newsletter.  Sign up to receive the Dialogue in your mailbox. 

  Webinar Description This interactive four-hour workshop reviewed how mitigating factors such as stress, discrimination, microaggressions and societal attributions influence racial stigma and differential prevention services. The intersecting challenges of social drivers of health and development of racial trauma in communities of color will also be explored. The content will offer bias reducing strategies that help mitigate stigma and benefits of integrating culturally responsive care to help attain and retain highest levels of person-centered care for people of color and other marginalized communities.     Presenter Information Diana Padilla, MCPC, CARC, CASAC-T, is a Research Project Manager at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. She is a senior staff trainer for the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Transfer Technology Center Network (NeC-ATTC), and a member of the ASAP-NYCB Trainer Registry. As a cultural agent, Ms. Padilla promotes an equity lens in trainings for engaging diverse communities in need, aligning with evidence and strength-based strategies within behavioral health, addiction, prevention, and recovery supports fields and professional capacities.     Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer  

Dr. Fred Rottnek is a Professor and the Director of Community Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the Program Director of the Saint Louis University Addiction Medicine Fellowship. His clinical practices currently include addiction medicine and correctional healthcare. He teaches in the School of Medicine, the Physician Assistant Program, and the School of Law. Board-Certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine, he is the Medical Director for the Assisted Recovery Centers of American (ARCA) and Juvenile Detention in Family Court for the City of St. Louis. He serves on the boards of the Saint Louis Regional Health Commission and Alive and Well Communities.  Email: [email protected] The funder of this project, along with all other products of the Mid-America PTTC is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Although funded by SAMHSA, the content of this recording does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA. The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can drive the compulsive drug use that marks addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a great recourse available titled Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. For more information visit -  https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain It is reported that only 25% of parents speak with their children about the dangers of drugs. How can we educate parents on the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and provide them with the tools needed to guide and engage children through this very rough and sensitive terrain? Addiction is Real can help answer this simple question – to learn more visit www.addictionisreal.org  We’d like to hear from you, please send your comment, topic or guest suggestion to [email protected]

Session 3 – Equity, Inclusion, & Prevention: A Rural & Appalachian Conversation   A facilitated panel discussion featuring three subject matter experts from our region. This session will provide a focus on understanding the culture of Appalachia and similar rural communities and how that culture informs the lens through which prevention efforts should be focused.   Learning Objectives: Define cultural humility. Identify the difference between cultural humility vs. cultural competence.  Discuss the importance of these topics within the context of current SUD prevention priorities, and prevention leadership.  Discuss potential resources for prevention leaders.   Access the supplemental resources associated with this virtual training opportunity via the download button above.

  To prevent substance misuse among our youth, we must enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors. Join this webinar to learn how to build protective factors in the youth in a straight-forward, easy to implement way using the Social Development Strategy.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Name the elements of the Social Development Strategy Describe how the elements of the Social Development Strategy interact to create protective factors List a minimum of three ways that the Social Development Strategy can be incorporated into daily interactions and prevention strategies with youth   PRESENTATION RESOURCES Printable presentation slides SDS Assessment Tool Printable version of the participant workbook Flipbook version of the participant workbook    

The Northeast and Caribbean Fall 2023 Newsletter (English | Spanish) is here. This issue highlights resources for strategic planning for the New Year, as well as, our upcoming trainings.  

COURSE DESCRIPTION This presentation reviews the history of US street drug markets since the early 1990s to explain the emergence of xylazine, fentanyl, and crystal methamphetamine in regional markets formerly dominated by heroin and cocaine. It will examine the relationship between each of these newly prevalent synthetic substances and describe what we know so far about their impact on related comorbidities. Finally, it will assess how the public health impact of recent transformations to the US narcotics supply relates to the experience of drug consumption and the actual way that people use drugs in their everyday lives. It will conclude with lessons learned to help determine what prevention strategies could be used to counteract the impact on communities. Select the View Resource button above to watch the recording and link to the PowerPoint below. PowerPoint PRESENTER Dr. Fernando Montero’s research draws together the methods of medical and economic anthropology to examine the racialized, gendered interface between the opioid overdose epidemic, mass incarceration, ongoing transformations in narcotics supply chains, and public assistance programs for psychiatric disability in the United States. His mixed-methods research studies the changes in the risk environment for HIV, HCV, mental health conditions, and fatal overdose among street-based drug users brought about by the emergence of synthetic sedatives (e.g. fentanyl and xylazine) and stimulants (e.g. methamphetamine) in the 2010s-2020s, and by the concomitant resurgence of punitive drug control targeting petty dealers throughout the US. One of the central questions of his current research is why the opioid overdose epidemic is becoming increasingly black following almost three decades in which it was predominantly white and working class. He is also conducting a long-term ethnographic study of the War on Drugs in the Afro-Indigenous region of Moskitia on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras.      

In this Issue:   The Power of Community Advocacy Additional Policy and Advocacy Resources Epi Corner: Using "Big Data" and other Digital Methodologies to Monitor Substance use Disorders (SUDs) What's Happening Around the Region

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. 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 components of a coalition that has established community support  • Identify strategies to build coalition members’ leadership capacity   • Explain the process of developing a personal plan to avoid burnout as a coalition leader   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 Handout (Tips for Engagement)

The November 2023 Dialogue contains articles on: Addiction: Trans Awareness Week | Mental Health: School Well-Being Learning Community | Prevention: Fostering Inclusivity and Substance Use Prevention | ORN: Finding a Voice  Additional sections include behavioral health observances, virtual training and webinar events, Region 3 news, and new resources. The Dialogue is designed to inform behavioral and mental health professionals of news and upcoming events in the Central East states. This electronic newsletter is disseminated on the first Tuesday of each month. You are encouraged to provide us with any feedback or submit articles and topics for discussion in future issues of the newsletter.  Sign up to receive the Dialogue in your mailbox. 

Practical Skills in Prevention: A Series Focused on Soft Skills When it comes to building workforce capacity, some fields overlook the importance of practical or “soft skills” as they are not as tangible as technical or “hard skills.” Soft skills are abilities that relate to how you work and interact with others. Soft skills are transferable, and useful in every domain of life. Soft skills enable you to collaborate, build relationships, and enhance productivity. For prevention professionals, strong communication skills instill confidence to engage with communities, foster meaningful connections and strengthen relationships. Developing soft skills may take time but is essential for advancing in the modern prevention workforce.   Supplemental Resources: Presentation Slides Exploratory Questions to Increase Contact Worksheet (Prosper & Partners) Identifying Group Belonging Worksheet (Prosper & Partners)   Session 1: Nurturing a Sense of Belonging The goal of this webinar is to explore the concept of belonging in our communities and its application in the prevention field. Dr. Kelly-Ann writes that a sense of belonging, "is a fundamental human need that predicts numerous mental, physical, social, economic and behavior outcomes." If this is true, do we have a responsibility to make sure everyone in our communities feels like they belong? What's the individual community member's responsibility? This interactive session explored these questions and how forms of exclusion can lead to substance use/misuse. Participants were placed in breakout groups to discuss and brainstorm strategies to recruit and retain diverse community members to lead prevention initiatives.   Learning Objectives: Define what is meant by "a sense of belonging" Analyze past recruitment and retention efforts and their effectiveness  Design a preliminary recruitment action plan   Presenter: Colber Prosper, M.S. Colber Prosper, M.S., is the CEO of Prosper & Partners International Consulting Firm, LLC and authored the book title, No Entry Examining the Powers that Undermine our Full Potential. Colber is an expert in various areas like education, organizational development, community public health and prevention. However, all of this work is centered around building community and creating inclusive spaces for all. He is passionate about spirituality, social justice, humans and South Florida sport teams.      

Webinar: Honoring Culture in Prevention - Cultural Interactions, Awareness, & Responsiveness Training   The goal of this webinar is to increase prevention professionals' understanding of how cultural humility and cultural standards can improve interactions with a variety of audiences. Participants will explore cultural humility and how to apply it, and the National Enhanced CLAS Standards (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care), in their profession.   Supplemental Resources: Presentation Slides An Implementation Checklist for the National CLAS Standards National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care CLAS ACTION PLANNING Worksheet   Learning Objectives: To apply cultural humility and the National Enhanced CLAS Standards (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care). Practice methods to overcome hurdles and avoid misunderstanding in cross-cultural communication, service delivery, and community engagement.   Presenter: Michael Browning, nationally recognized public health and Substance Abuse 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.

SAMHSA's National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification (Spanish Version)     This Spanish model standards guidance document, SAMHSA's National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification, is prepared in response to President Biden's 2022 Unity Agenda. This document outlines model standards for substance use disorder, mental health, and family/youth peer support certification.   Modelo nacional de normas para la certificación de apoyo entre pares El documento guía de modelo de normas de SAMHSA titulado, Modelo nacional de normas para la certificación de apoyo entre pares, ha sido preparado como respuesta a la agenda de unidad del 2022 del presidente Biden. Este documento delinea el modelo nacional de normas en el área del consumo de sustancias, la salud mental la familia así como también la certificación de apoyo entre pares jóvenes.     Publication ID: PEP23-10-01-002 Publication Date: September 2023 Originally published by SAMHSA, here: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/national-model-standards-for-peer-support-certification-spanish/pep23-10-01-002     

    Considering the Associations Between Substance Use and Suicide September 7, 2023   Webinar Description September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. For this month's Monthly Media Series webinar, the Pacific Southwest PTTC would like to raise awareness on this preventable issue and highlight the important intersection between substance use and suicide.  In this webinar, we will consider alcohol-related risk factors for suicide, including ways in which alcohol use can impact decision making when a person is experiencing distress. We will also review the recent literature on cannabis, focusing on mental health concerns associated with the use of high-potency cannabis, as well as associations between cannabis use disorder and suicide risk. Implications for prevention, intervention, and public health will be discussed   Objectives By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: Define “alcohol myopia” and how this relates to suicide risk. Identify a screening measure for cannabis use disorder. Describe at least one potential unwanted outcome associated with the use of high-potency cannabis. Discuss at least one implication for prevention, intervention, and public health.   Webinar Recording and Presentation Handout Considering the Associations Between Substance Use and Suicide Recording Considering the Associations Between Substance Use and Suicide Presentation Handout (PDF) *This presentation and all information contained within it is proprietary information of Dr. Jason Kilmer, Ph.D., and may not be adapted, modified, or disseminated without prior written consent of Dr. Kilmer. This presentation is intended to be used by prevention professionals for learning purposes only. This presentation is not ADA compliant.   Presenter Dr. Jason Kilmer, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Psychology at UW. Jason serves as an investigator on several studies evaluating prevention and intervention efforts for alcohol, cannabis, and other drug use by college students. In addition to research and teaching, he has worked extensively with college students and student groups around alcohol and other drug prevention programming and presentations throughout his career (including student athletes, fraternity and sorority members, residence life, and first-year students), both at UW and on over 125 campuses across the nation.    As faculty in the School of Medicine, Jason continues his direct work with students through presentations for intercollegiate athletics and residence life. Jason also serves as the chairperson of Washington state's College Coalition on Substance misuse, Advocacy, and Prevention (CCSAP)   Questions Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

In this Issue:   September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month Additional FASD Resources Epi Corner: Reducing the Incidence of FASD: What Have We Learned? What's Happening Around the Region? What Else?

After attending this webinar from Dr. Sheryl Ryan, viewers should be able to: 1. Describe the biology of cannabis products and the endocannabinoid system. 2. Explain the adverse short and long-term health effects of cannabis products especially during pregnancy and breast-feeding on fetal and neonatal development. 3. Discuss prevention strategies including multi-sector approaches and recommendations for people who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Slide Deck Available: Here

Webinar Description Using equitable language is a skill that can be learned and applied in the work we do as prevention professionals, paving the way to greater successes at achieving our outcomes,   This interactive event included the following learning objectives:  • Defining “equitable language” to support prevention professionals’ efforts to reach their intended audience  • Learning about the benefits of using equitable language in communication tools and events  • Identifying strategies for using equitable language as part of a community engagement approach when building partnerships and sharing information with communities of focus    Presenter Information Sarah Gabriella Hernandez is an evaluator and researcher specializing in community-engaged and participatory approaches. She has collaborated with diverse organizations and community partners across Chicago to conduct mixed-methods research, culturally responsive and developmental evaluations, program development and coordination, community health assessments, and dissemination. Dr. Hernandez leads evaluation projects that focus on evaluation capacity building and improving equity in health and education. Her recent areas of work include substance use services and recovery, trauma-informed work, and health equity in education.    Ivy Jones Turner, MPA, CPS is an expert in behavioral and mental health promotion and prevention, as well as an experienced program leader, technical assistance (TA) specialist, applied researcher, and evaluator. Her expertise includes building the capacity of schools and organizations to research, implement, evaluate, and sustain interventions to prevent substance misuse, suicide, youth violence, and bullying, and to promote social-emotional and mental health. Ivy holds an MA in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and is a certified specialist in prevention and conflict mediation in Massachusetts.    Additional Documents PowerPoint Flyer

Substance Use Prevention and Public Health Part 2: Building a Public Health Approach to Prevention Josh Esrick, MPP, and Emily Patton, MSc, PgDip September 7, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST COURSE DESCRIPTION This webinar will discuss how substance use prevention professionals can build a public health approach to prevention. It will describe how the similarities across public heath fields can lead to specific collaborative opportunities and will identify examples of these opportunities. The webinar will also review the concept of integrating behavioral and physical health care services and how, among other benefits, integration can support the development of a comprehensive public health approach to prevention. Additionally, it will discuss strategies for prevention professionals to further develop this approach and how to reduce health disparities through it. The webinar will also discuss the barriers and challenges prevention professionals may face and the opportunities that may exist to overcome them. Lastly, the webinar will offer a small group peer learning discussion opportunity. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Identify opportunities for collaboration across public health service fields. Describe behavioral-physical health care integration and how it can support public health. Explain strategies for implementing a public health approach to prevention and reducing disparities. Recognize barriers, challenges, and opportunities to expand a public health approach to prevention. PRESENTERS Josh Esrick, MPP is the Chief of Training and Technical Assistance at Carnevale Associates, LLC. Mr. Esrick has over ten years of experience researching, writing, evaluating, and presenting on substance use prevention and other behavioral health topics. He is an expert in providing training and technical assistance (TTA) in substance use, having overseen the development of hundreds of TTA products for numerous clients, including six of SAMHSA’s ten regional Prevention Technology Transfer Centers (PTTCs), the PTTC Network Coordinating Office, the Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) and Mental Health Technology Transfer Centers (MHTTC), and SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT). These trainings and products have covered a wide range of topics, including strategic planning, data collection and analysis, and identifying evidence-based prevention interventions for youth. In addition to TTA, Mr. Esrick has directly provided many of these services to behavioral health agencies and other entities. He has published several academic journal articles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Public Policy from George Washington University.     Emily Patton, MSc, PgDip holds a Masters of Science in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology from Swansea University and a Postgraduate Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Edinburgh. She offers significant professional experience in the fields of public policy development and analysis, criminal justice research, data collection and analysis, program development, and performance management.  

    Prioritizing Equity in Prevention Series: The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military August 22, 2023   Learning Session Description U.S. military personnel are particularly vulnerable to a number of health disparities due to their occupational stresses, hazards, and environments. These include frequent geographic relocations due to changing duty stations, undergoing deployments, and balancing work-life demands (e.g., supporting their families). Each of these factors contribute to alcohol misuse on their own, and taken together, create a high-risk setting for military personnel. Additionally, concern for potentially career-ending ramifications keep many personnel from seeking treatment or support. Military personnel report binge drinking at higher levels than the U.S. civilian population: in 2018, 34% of active duty personnel binge drank in the past 30 days compared to 27% of U.S. adults age 18 and older. This population also experiences extensive harms, including violence, injury, poor work performance, and potential harm to careers. This Learning Session will discuss the risk and protective factors that contribute to the military alcohol environment, drawing parallels between colleges and the military as institutions with unique opportunities for prevention efforts to promote health equity within this population. Participants will have the opportunity to assess the potential alcohol-related issues specific to the military population in their jurisdiction and develop a plan for collaborating with the military community to address these issues.   Objectives In this learning session, participants will: Describe alcohol consumption and harms specific to military personnel Discuss risk and protective factors that contribute to the alcohol environment on and around military installations Determine opportunities for collaboration in the prevention of excessive alcohol consumption among military personnel   Learning Session Recording and Slides The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military Recording The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military Slide Deck (PDF)   Presenter Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH, is the Chair of the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance and a Senior Principal at Synergy Enterprises, where she serves as the Project Director for NIAAA’s APIS contract, as well as SAMHSA’s STOP Act contract. Dr. Sparks served as Project Director for CDC’s alcohol advertising monitoring project, for which she directed a team of researchers in conducting analyses of Nielsen data to determine alcohol industry compliance with self-governed rules on advertising alcohol to youth audiences. She has more than 12 years of experience in alcohol policy research, including designing, implementing, and evaluating studies, programs, and policies. Dr. Sparks has led the development of numerous publications on alcohol policy, including the 2022 Implementing Community-Level Policies to Prevent Alcohol Misuse evidence-based resource guide and the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has presented at more than a dozen conferences. She is co-chair of the Alcohol Policy conference series and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Global Alcohol Policy Conference.   Questions Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this learning session.