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EMS providers are well-positioned to improve access to naloxone. The " EMS leave-behind " initiative is a promising method of bringing naloxone to those who need it most. Through this program, EMS providers give a naloxone kit directly to people who experience an overdose, their social network, and their family immediately after the event. The goals of an EMS leave-behind program are to improve the patient’s experience and self-efficacy to use naloxone in the event of an overdose, reach patients with this critical information in their home environments, and improve patient awareness of community resources for substance use disorder.  The Engaging Emergency Medical Services in Naloxone Distribution brief report provides an overview of the naloxone leave-behind program and examples of the program in action in three states.   

La prevención de sobredosis por uso de opioides requiere la colaboración de una amplia gama de socios, muchos de los cuales pueden ser nuevos para los proveedores de servicios de prevención.   Click here to download resource. 

Download the webinar presentation 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.

  The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This training is offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   Fentanyl Test strips have been proven as an effective harm reduction strategy in studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County, Ohio has been supporting fentanyl test strips as a harm reduction tool since 2018 and began grassroots distribution in 2019. Using data from both fatal and non-fatal ODs, the ADAMHS Board was able to get this harm reduction tool to the communities where it was needed most.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES Background on fentanyl test strips as a harm reduction tool Using data to inform harm reduction outreach efforts The power of community partnerships to reach individuals where they are     Panel Members Beth Zietlow-DeJesus, MA Director of External Affairs Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County              Madison Greenspan, MNAL External Affairs Officer Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County                  Rebekah Wiland, MSW, LISW-S Associate Director of Housing FrontLine Service                   Waverly Willis Founder The Urban Barber Association (TUBA)    

  The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI.  This event if offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   This one-hour webinar will cover data showing the impacts of drug overdose in Minnesota, and an overview of the Minnesota Department of Health’s efforts to prevent drug overdose statewide. We will discuss MDH naloxone distribution partnerships and programming, linkage to care partnerships, and overdose fatality review partnerships.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Provide data showing the impacts of drug overdose in Minnesota Summarize MDH efforts to increase access to naloxone across Minnesota Describe MDH efforts to implement overdose fatality review and linkage to care teams across Minnesota   PRESENTERS Sam Robertson Community Prevention Specialist | Drug Overdose Prevention Team Injury and Violence Prevention Section Minnesota Department of Health       Cody Bassett, MPH Opioid Prevention Naloxone Coordinator Injury & Violence Prevention Section Minnesota Department of Health  

Stigma disproportionately influences health outcomes and mental well-being for individuals with substance use disorder. Fear of being judged and/or discriminated against can prevent people from getting the help they need. According to results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 20.5% of people with substance use disorder do not seek treatment because of negative consequences associated with their work; 17% do not seek treatment for fear of negative judgements by friends or community. It can also prevent caregivers and others from providing needed services, including medical care. To decrease the impact of stigma, the Region 5 Great Lakes PTTC offered a Community of Practice to provide rural communities in Region 5 an opportunity to learn from one another and to foster the implementation of anti-stigma initiatives. The goal was to promote the use of evidence-based strategies for the prevention and reduction of stigma and provide an opportunity for group problem solving.   This report shares the lesson learned in the Community of Practice. 

  This webinar is the fourth in a series of webinars that will highlight the overdose prevention efforts in Region 5. Today will highlight the key challenges associated with opioid misuse/OUD or unintentional fatal mixed stimulant/opioid overdoses within the Black/African American population. Presenters will provide community-informed practices for addressing opioid misuse, overdose and the prevention of OUD in Black/ African American Populations.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES   Provide recent data on prevalence of opioid overdose death rates in the Black/African American population in the U.S. Discuss contextual factors that impact the opioid epidemic and increase overdose deaths in these communities, including challenges to accessing early intervention and treatment. Understand the difference in the ways that Blacks/African Americans use opioids and other drugs compared to White and Latinx populations. Highlight new or potential innovative outreach and engagement strategies that have the potential to connect individuals with evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery.   Presenters today served as community experts and contributed to the development of this SAMHSA Resource: The Opioid Crisis and the Black/African American Population: An Urgent Issue was prepared for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by SAMHSA’s Office of Behavioral Health Equity. You can also see our research from 2017 Whitewashed   Presenters:  Kathie Kane-Willis  Director of Research and Policy for the Chicago Urban League   Kathie Kane-Willis is the Director of Research and Policy for the Chicago Urban League and she has been trending the opioid epidemic since 2003. Before joining the League, she co-founded and led the Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy at Roosevelt University from 2005-2016 and has worked to pass harm reduction policies in a number of Midwestern states.     Kareem Butler  Director of Learning and Evaluation for the Research and Policy Center, at the Chicago Urban League Kareem Butler is the Director of Learning and Evaluation for the Research and Policy Center, at the Chicago Urban League. In this role, Kareem works enterprise wide to evaluate the performance and resource needs of programmatic departments through a client focused lens to help shape and support programming that is responsive to longstanding community needs and emerging trends. With a background in public health and health policy, Kareem has developed an appreciation and respect for the gathering of input, stories and quality data, to advocate more effectively on behalf of black families and communities in pursuit of racial equity in total health and wellness.    THE OPIOID CRISIS AND THE BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANPOPULATION: AN URGENT ISSUE (samhsa.gov)  

The Double-burden: COVID-19 and Opioid Deaths De'Asia Harris, MPHc, and Leah Blackall, MPHc May 11, 2021, 12-1:30 PM EST COURSE DESCRIPTION Before the U.S. entered the COVID-19 pandemic, it has long suffered the epidemic of opioid deaths. Opioid use disorder affects 40.5 million people worldwide, and with the pandemic, we have seen these numbers rise exponentially. This webinar will address the impact of COVID-19 on individuals who misuse opioids and how the sudden change in everyday life increases their usage. It will explore how the pandemic has exacerbated mental instability and caused interruptions in potential treatment for people who misuse opioids. In addition, the webinar will present methods and resources to mitigating the risk of opioid deaths associated with vulnerable populations. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Introduce the background and history of the Opioid Epidemic, as well as the rise of opioid deaths during COVID-19 Discuss why individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection Understand how a disruption in access to opioid antagonist treatment can lead to harmful effects on the individual Discover the importance of harm reduction sites, syringe service programs, interventions, and access to treatment PRESENTERS De'Asia Harris, MPHc is a graduate student at the University of Maryland, with a Public Health Practice and Policy program concentration.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in May of 2017.  She is also a graduate research assistant for the Consortium on Race, Gender and Ethnicity (CRGE) at the University of Maryland. She currently works as a Medical Assistant at an Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in Washington, D.C., and an intern for The Danya Institute's Central East Region Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC). This summer, she will be partnering with the University of Miami's Minority Health Research Training (MHRT) program to research health disparities in the Dominican Republic. Upon completion of her MPH program, she plans to pursue her Ph.D. in Community Prevention. Her career goal is to pursue public health research focusing on economic stability and public health among underserved populations. Leah Blackall, MPHc is the Training and Technical Assistance intern for the Central East PTTC. Currently, an MPH candidate at the University of Maryland, focusing on Public Health Practice and Policy. Her ultimate goal is to find solutions to eliminate health disparities within the healthcare system and improve access and quality of care.    

  The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners and behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This training was developed in response to a need identified by stakeholders in our region.   This one-hour webinar will highlight trends in overdose rates in Region 5 with an emphasis on disparities and the strategies being implemented to engage disparate populations in overdose prevention.    This webinar is the third in a series of webinars that highlight the overdose prevention efforts in Region 5.  Today focuses on overdose prevention and harm reduction initiatives in Wisconsin and Indiana with an emphasis on contactless naloxone dissemination and training during COVID-19.   Learning Objectives Challenges implementing harm reduction strategies during COVID-19 Indiana Department of Health’s statewide naloxone program Wisconsin Department of Health Services harm reduction services   Speakers:  Christine Niemuth President of Hope Consulting  Christy Niemuth, MA, is the Opioid Harm Prevention Coordinator for the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Bureau of Community Health Promotion.  She has been working in the field of substance abuse prevention and intervention services for over 15 years. Ms. Niemuth served as the National Prevention Network representative for the State of Wisconsin for 10 years and as the Coordinator for the state’s Prescription Drug and Opioid Overdose Prevention grant as well as the Prevention Coordinator for the State Targeted Response and State Opioid Response grants for the past several years. She is currently coordinating the Division of Public Health’s Overdose Data to Action Grant from the CDC.  Previously, Ms. Niemuth worked at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Population Health Institute and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, providing evaluation services on multiple federal substance abuse prevention-related grant projects.      Cassidy McNamee, MPH Naloxone Program Manager/COVID Vaccine Deployment Team Indiana State Department of Health, Division of Trauma and Injury Prevention Cassidy earned her master’s degree in public health at Indiana University-Purdue with a concentration in health policy and management. As the naloxone program manager within the Division of Trauma and Injury Prevention at the Indiana Department of Health, Cassidy manages two statewide naloxone grant opportunities and conducts naloxone administration trainings across the state.

  The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI This is the first in a series of two webinars exploring the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences on the prevention of substance misuse and substance use disorders.  Prevention professionals will consider how to apply this understanding to prevention efforts from assessment to the implementation of prevention interventions.   Learning Objectives Define trauma at the individual and community level. Describe trauma’s lasting impact on cognition and emotional regulation. Learn the elements of trauma informed practice. Identify three ways to integrate a trauma informed approach into prevention efforts.   Speaker Dodi Swope is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Massachusetts. Dodi’s background includes teaching in regular and special education settings and a clinical practice serving children and families in the Boston area for over ten years. Most recently, Dodi has provided training and planning facilitation on a broad scope of community health initiatives.       This training is offered in response to a need identified by stakeholders in HHS Region 5. 

  Pain and Pot: The Facts about Opioids and Marijuana   Webinar Date: March 10, 2021   Webinar Description and Objectives The opioid epidemic continues to ravage communities across the Pacific Southwest region. Many communities are receiving misleading and confusing information about prevention strategies to address it, such as using marijuana for pain management instead of prescription opioids. This webinar will discuss the opioid epidemic and the controversies surrounding the substitution of marijuana for pain management and whether or not it is helpful or harmful in this epidemic. The science and most recent data will be presented along with real, front-line stories from the emergency department.  By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: 1. Explain the latest trends in the opioid epidemic 2. Describe the basic chemistry of opioids and marijuana 3. Identify five key reasons why marijuana should not be used to treat pain   Presenter Roneet Lev, MD, FACEP was the first Chief Medical Officer of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, ONDCP. She brought refreshing frontline medical experience to national health policy. She is a nationally acclaimed medical expert and speaker who continues to treat patients in the emergency department. As a mother of four, she relates to families who struggle. Dr. Lev uses data to drive change and is frequently quoted in print and television media. Dr. Lev is dually board certified in emergency and addiction medicine, bringing over 25 years of experience treating the frontline cases of addiction. She came to the White House as chief of the emergency department at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.          Webinar Recording View Webinar   Webinar Slides Webinar Slides   Other Resources High Truths Podcast hosted by Dr. Roneet Lev San Diego Prescription Drug Task Force Fentanyl Testing Toolkit    

Opioid addiction impacts young people more than others. In this episode, Dr. Marc Fishman, M.D., explores strategies for prevention and how the right treatment of other disorders can help.   Check out our other podcast episodes:   Ep. 1: Advancing Prevention Science —An Introduction to the Southeast PTTC and Interactive Forum Ep. 2: Reducing Prevalence of Addiction Begins with Youth Prevention: One Choice for Health Ep. 3: Prevention in a Changing Marijuana Landscape Ep. 4: Understanding the Prevention Specialist Certification Process Ep. 5: Innovative Strategies for Engaging Underserved Populations Ep. 7: Best Practices for Prevention Media Campaigns Ep. 8: The Benefits of Engaging Youth in Communities: Insights and Evidence from Developmental Science Ep. 9: The Brain Science of Substance Misuse Ep. 10: Leveraging a Health Equity Approach to Improve Prevention Efforts Ep. 11: Community Engagement Strategies —Best Practices for Preventing Substance Misuse at the Grassroots Level Ep. 12: TTC+ORN Collaborative Brown Bag Webinar Ep. 13: Keeping Kids Safe in Schools —Associations between School Safety and Behavioral Health Ep. 14: Leading From the Head and the Heart —The Pyramid of Success Ep. 15: Managing the Impact of COVID-19 in Children, Families, and Communities through Prevention Strategies  

Monthly e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.  February 2021 issue features resources for Black History Month, The Counselor's Corner, state spotlight on Ohio, the new Peer Recovery Center of Excellence website, and more!

Peer Support and Community Reentry for Prisoners with Opioid Use Disorders Dr. Derek Kreager January 6, 2021, 1-2 PM EST COURSE DESCRIPTION This webinar overviews a treatment intervention targeting PA prisoners with opioid use disorder (OUD)  to promote their recovery and reduce heightened relapse in the high-risk period immediately following community reentry. Core to the intervention is connecting eligible participants, while they remain incarcerated, to community-based Certified Recovery Specialists (CRSs) who will assist in the transition from prison to community. Specifically, the CRSs will (1) connect clients to community treatment resources (i.e., continuity of care), (2) provide informal coaching and personal support, (3) understand and assist clients’ families, to include the provision of naloxone, and (4) monitor the recovery progress and encourage treatment retention. This case-management system will operate in parallel to parole staff to increase client trust, communication, and treatment compliance. The goals of the project are to create inter-organizational linkages between correctional administrators and community non-profit providers to implement and evaluate a scalable intervention for a high-risk population. COVID-19 and related obstacles to treatment make this study even more timely. Results of the pilot should establish proof-of-concept and inform a larger proposal for a randomized controlled trial across multiple sites. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand the risks facing incarcerated individuals with OUD as they reenter communities Understand the roles and responsibilities of Certified Recovery Specialists Discuss the challenges facing inter-organizational interventions targeting vulnerable populations Share preliminary results and project activities from the pilot project PRESENTER Dr. Derek Kreager, is a Professor of Criminology and Director of the Criminal Justice Research Center at Pennsylvania State University. He received his M.A. and PhD in Sociology from the University of Washington and his B.S. in Psychology from the United States Military Academy. His research focuses on social networks and health, particularly among incarcerated and reentering populations. His research of prisons and reentry has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and National Institute of Justice. In his role as CJRC Director, he helps bridge research and practice, to include fostering university partnerships with local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies.               

Happy December everyone! The holidays are here, and we wanted to share some words of encouragement to all of those who are striving for sober celebrations. #NHLATTC #NHLPTTC #Holidays #sobercelebrations #recoveryjourney #peersupport Disponible en Español ¡Feliz mes de diciembre a todos! Las fiestas están por comenzar, y queremos compartir algunas palabras de aliento a todos aquellos en recuperación que se esfuerzan por tener celebraciones libre de alcohol y drogas. #NHLATTC #NHLPTTC #Fiestas #celebracionessobrias #procesoderecuperación #apoyodecompañeros Disponible en Portugués Feliz dezembro à todos! As festas de final de ano estão chegando e gostaríamos de deixar algumas palavras de incentivo à todos aqueles em recuperação que estão se esforçando para ter celebrações sem álcool e drogas. #NHLATTC #NHLPTTC #Festas #sobercelebrations #recoveryjourney #peersupport

Listen to the second episode of our Spotlight on Stigma podcast series: The Role of Faith Leaders.  Religious institutions offer support for people seeking help with a substance use or mental health disorder in an environment that respects their culture and values, with some studies finding that religious involvement is a protective factor for mental health and substance use. At the same time, religious beliefs about mental illness and substance misuse can lead to stigma, shame, and isolation if the illnesses are viewed as the result of sinful behavior or lack of faith. Guest presenter: Pastor Greg Delaney, Pastor of FREEDOM Church, an recovery ministry in Xenia, Ohio, serving the needs of those suffering from addictive and compulsive challenges. For more information and resources, visit the Great Lakes PTTC Preventing and Reducing Stigma webpage. 

Our introductory episode to the Great Lakes PTTC's new series, Spotlight on Stigma! Learn about the world of stigma and how YOU can make an impact in one of the most pressing issues facing SUD and Mental Health professionals today. For more information, visit the Great Lakes PTTC webpage, Preventing and Reducing Stigma.

The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training to prevention practitioners in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This 90-minute webinar will highlight trends in overdose rates in Ohio with an emphasis on disparities and the strategies being implemented to engage disparate populations in overdose prevention. This webinar is the first in a series of webinars that will highlight the overdose prevention efforts in the states in Region 5.  Learning Objectives  Provide a snapshot of the overdose crisis in Region 5 Review Ohio Department of Health’s naloxone distribution network (Project DAWN) and COVID-19 strategies Review the Ohio Overdose Prevention Network, a collaborative action group of the Ohio Injury Prevention Partnership coalition Discuss plans to implement recommendations from the state Minority Health Strike Force Blueprint. Intended Audience: Prevention specialists, naloxone coordinators, naloxone providers, harm reduction specialists, public health officials Presenter Sierra Dantzler, MPH, CPH   Sierra Dantzler is a Program Manager at Ohio Department of Health, where she manages the Project DAWN program – the state health department’s community naloxone distribution initiative. Sierra coordinates the distribution network to ensure Ohio’s most at-risk populations have adequate access to harm reduction resources and wraparound services. Prior to her work at Ohio Department of Health, Sierra served as a Public Health Analyst for Appalachia HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) as part the Opioid Response Strategy initiative, where she provided technical assistance and guidance to local community organizations to assist them in the implementation of evidence-based overdose response strategies. As a devoted public health professional, Sierra is passionate about improving the quality of life for all people and believes change starts with compassion, empathy, and altruism. Sierra received a bachelor’s degree from University of California Irvine and a master’s degree from University of Kentucky.     Related Products  Power_Point_SlidesOverdoseDisparities_OH Transcript_Ohio’sCurrentDrugOverdosePreventionHarmReductionEfforts_Dantzler_11.19.20

According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 8 out of 10 people with a mental health condition reported experiencing shame and stigma that prevented them from seeking treatment. Stigma can be defined as an attribute, behavior, or condition that socially discredits an individual or populations in various capacities. Stigma disproportionately influences health outcomes and psychological well-being of individuals with mental health and SUD. Prevention practitioners are in a unique position to reduce the stigma surrounding substance misuse.   Click "download" above to access: Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Prevention Slide Deck Two-pager Related Resources Website: Preventing and Reducing Stigma         

Law enforcement personnel frequently interact with people with mental illness and SUD because these populations are disproportionately represented in jails and overall within the criminal justice system. Law enforcement personnel have to exercise substantial judgment about mental illness and SUD since law enforcement frequently serves as a gatekeeper between the criminal justice system and mental health systems. Law enforcement personnel would benefit from a greater understanding of various psychiatric conditions, mental health issues, SUDs, and their co-occurrence.    Click "download" above to access: Preventing and Reducing Stigma in Law Enforcement Slide Deck Preventing and Reducing Stigma in Law Enforcement Two-Pager Related resources Web Page: Preventing and Reducing Stigma         

While mental health and SUDs affect people from all walks of life and all age groups, people with these disorders interact disproportionately with members of the police force, fire department, and emergency medical services. Individuals with severe mental illness generate no fewer than 1 in 10 calls for police service.  Police transport an estimated 1 in 3 individuals in psychiatric crisis to hospital emergency rooms.  Frequent and repeated encounters with individuals struggling with mental health, substance use, and related behavioral health problems can produce compassion fatigue in first responders and perpetuate the misconceptions that individuals with mental illness are dangerous and/or that SUD is a moral failing. Training and education in substance use and mental health disorders can help first responders understand how stigmatizing attitudes and language can interfere with quality of care.    Click the "download" button above to access:  Slide Deck: Preventing and Reducing Stigma–First Responders  Two-Pager: Preventing and Reducing Stigma–First Responders   Related Products Podcast: Listen to Spotlight on Stigma Episode 1: The Role of First Responders Web Page: Preventing and Reducing Stigma     

Most Americans are part of a religious institution, which is often the first point of contact for those seeking help with a mental health or substance use problem. Religious institutions offer support for these individuals in an environment that respects their culture and values, with some studies finding that religious involvement is a protective factor for mental health and substance use. At the same time, religious beliefs about mental illness and substance misuse can lead to stigma, shame, and isolation if the illnesses are viewed as the result of sinful behavior or lack of faith.   Click the "Download" button above to access: The Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Faith Leaders Slide Deck  The Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Faith Leaders Two-Pager Engaging the Faith Community in Substance Use Prevention: Rationale for Partnering and Resources to Support Your Efforts   Related Products Podcast: Spotlight on Stigma Episode 2: The Role of Faith Leaders Web Page: Visit the Great Lakes PTTC Preventing and Reducing Stigma webpage!            

Few teaching and training programs adequately prepare educators and staff to work with students who have a mental health or SUD.  Many training programs may perpetuate misconceptions about these students' needs. When they do not perform well, students with behavioral health issues can be labeled as "bad," furthering the disconnection. Early intervention and trajectory set the stage for interactions around mental health. Schools are often the first contact for students with SUD/mental illness. De-stigmatizing mental illness and SUD can allow students to get the educational accommodations and supports they need.    Click "download" above to access: The Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Education Slide Deck The Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Education Fact Sheet    Related Resources Web Page: Preventing and Reducing Stigma     

People with mental health and SUDs are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. More than half of all inmates in the U.S. have a mental illness. Individuals with mental illness are more likely to experience multiple arrests and incarcerations. In most states, people with mental illness reside in prisons or jails than in state-operated psychiatric facilities. Perceived and structural stigma plays a specific role in the criminal justice system. Click "download" above to access: The Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Criminal Justice Slide Deck The Preventing and Reducing Stigma: Criminal Justice Two-pager Related Resources Web Page: Preventing and Reducing Stigma