Past Events

Date: September 7 & 21, 2023 Format: Webinar   Time: 10:00 AM—12:30 PM EST Cost: FREE   ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION   The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and AdCare Educational Institute of Maine are bringing to you in September, a two-session seminar series focusing on cannabis prevention. The first session will feature the latest science on the impact of high-potency cannabis products on physical and mental health and the second session will focus on cannabis policy and how it should shape our approaches to cannabis prevention. Each seminar will feature a 90-minute keynote presentation with Q&A and be followed by panels of Maine prevention professionals sharing the cannabis prevention work they are doing at the community level.

Date: September 5, 2023 Time: 1:00 PM—2:30 PM ET Format: Webinar Cost: FREE Contact Hours: 1.25 (Certificate of Attendance) Target Audience: Prevention Professionals Developed for: SAMHSA Region 3 SERIES DESCRIPTION Substance use prevention is one of many human service fields that seek to improve the overall health and wellbeing of populations and communities. Collectively, these fields are known as public health. There are many areas of overlap across public health fields— from the types of issues that service providers seek to address, to the kinds of interventions they implement, to the community metrics they use to assess success, among others. However, despite these similarities, many public health professionals—including substance use prevention professionals—are unfamiliar with the work other professionals are doing in their communities or the opportunities for collaboration that exist. This two-part webinar series will discuss these topics. Part one of this two-part webinar series will describe what public health is, the importance of it to reducing health disparities, and what can be the role of substance use prevention within it. While part two of the series will discuss how prevention professionals can better implement a public health approach to prevention.   COURSE DESCRIPTION This webinar will provide a broad overview of public health and what can be the role of the substance use prevention field within it. It will describe the idea of public health and the similarities that exist across its service fields, such as: a focus on preventing issues before individuals require clinical services, seeking to address environmental factors and the social determinants of health, reducing health disparities, and implementing population-level services, among others. The webinar will also explain how substance use prevention should be and is a critical part of public health. As part of this, it will describe the best practices from public health that prevention professionals can incorporate into their work. Lastly, it will define what a “culture of prevention” is and how prevention professionals can take lessons learned from other public health fields to expand it.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to: Describe the concept of public health and the similarities that exist across service fields. Identify how substance use prevention is a part of public health. Explain what is meant by a public health approach to prevention. Define a “culture of prevention” and its importance.   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 (T/TA) in substance use, having overseen the development of hundreds of T/TA 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 T/TA, 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.     *CONTACT HOUR ELIGIBILITY In order to be eligible for the 1.25 contact hours/certificate of attendance, you must join the live webinar in the Zoom platform. Certificates must be requested within one week of the event and will be processed within 30 days. If you are having issues accessing the room/application at the time of the event: Please email [email protected] at the start of the webinar so that we can assist you.   ACCOMMODATIONS If you are in need of any special accommodations, please notify the Central East PTTC Webinar Team three weeks in advance of the event, or as soon as possible, by emailing [email protected].

Words have power and the way in which we do our work as prevention professionals relies greatly on how we communicate and engage with the audience we are trying to reach.  Our language - from the words we use in our communication tools and events, to terminology, framing and representation – can have an immense impact on the communities we serve.  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.  At the end of this 1.5-hour webinar, participants will be able to: • Define “equitable language” to support prevention efforts to reach their intended audience • Learn about the benefits of using equitable language in communication tools and events • Identify strategies for using equitable language as part of a community engagement approach when building partnerships and sharing information with communities of focus Presenter: 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.

DESCRIPTION: This is the third webinar in the three-part series focused on implementing prevention strategies across the continuum of care. This 90-minute webinar will provide insight and information on how prevention professionals can plan for and implement indicated prevention strategies. Indicated prevention strategies are delivered to populations/groups of individuals who have exhibited high risk behaviors but have not been diagnosed with a substance misuse disorder. It is essential for prevention professionals to understand how to plan for, select, and implement indicated prevention strategies. Indicated prevention strategies can be a part of a comprehensive approach to prevention in your community to help reach desired outcomes.   This is a 3-part webinar series. View the recordings of past sessions using the following links: Recording: Prevention Across the Continuum, August 10, 2023  Recording: Understanding and Implementing Selective Prevention Strategies, August 23, 2023     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants will be able to: Define indicated prevention Explain indicated prevention to existing and potential partners Identify effective indicated prevention strategies that can support their comprehensive approach to prevention Understand the importance of delivering/implementing indicated evidenced-based strategies with fidelity     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this webinar will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks.      PRESENTER:  Ashley Bodiford, MPH, MS, CSPS, ICPS Ashley Bodiford, MPH, MS, CSPS, ICPS, is the Director of Prevention at LRADAC in which she develops, implements and maintains effective prevention services for Richland and Lexington counties in South Carolina. In her previous role at LRADAC, she served as the Alcohol Enforcement Team Coordinator in which she developed and implemented evidence-based programs to reduce underage drinking and impaired driving. Mrs. Bodiford has worked in the field of substance use prevention since 2010 and is skilled in universal, selective, and indicated prevention strategies. Mrs. Bodiford has served on the South Carolina Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates (SCAPPA) board for several years, and served as the organization’s president from 2018-2020. Mrs. Bodiford holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Developmental Psychology, a Master in Public Health and a Master in Human Services.        The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

  Sustainability Planning in Prevention   Overview This full-day, in-person training offers an interactive experience for participants to explore how to develop a sustainability plan. Sustainability planning is an intentional process of looking critically at your current prevention infrastructure, strategic planning process, and strategies to sustain meaningful prevention outcomes beyond current funding. Additional steps in sustainability planning include priority setting, resource and feasibility analysis, communication planning, and resource and grant development. The trainer will demonstrate how to use a set of tools to facilitate sustainability planning with community partners and will coach participants to set actionable steps and timelines to complete a plan over the next year.   Objectives By the end of this in-person training participants will be able to: Describe the 5-step sustainability planning process Apply sustainability criteria to examine your prevention processes and strategies Create sustainability goals and objectives Form a short elevator pitch as an “Ask” Develop actionable next steps to plan for sustainability   Audience Prevention practitioners from across Palau   Presenter Alyssa O'Hair, MPH, MA, CPS   Date & Time Thursday, August 31, 2023  08:30 a.m. – 04:30 p.m.    Location Koror, Palau   Cost: Free   Certificates of Attendance Participants will receive a certificate of attendance for 6.5 hours for participating in the live event.   Questions  For questions, please contact Alyssa O'Hair ([email protected]).

Join us to learn and share about Traditional ways to start the school year off in a good way. Having important conversations with Native youth and their families can begin the year on a positive note. Addressing some key ways to support Native youth as they grow is important for both educators and families for healthy outcomes. The 2-part series will provide you with some tools and ideas and allow you to share some of your best practices for prevention, too!

With so many data resources available, how does one know what’s important, useful, and accessible? Participation in this webinar may provide insights into your current interventions, help identify collaborators, and highlight best practices. This webinar will present highlights from the recently published Report to Congress on the Prevention and Reduction of Underage Drinking from the federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD). The presenters will share national and state data on the policies, programs, and practices used to prevent and reduce underage drinking specific to the Great Lakes region (HHS Region 5). Presenters will explore the importance of increased collaboration across sectors in the changing landscape around underage drinking. Guidance will be provided on how to use the resources on the ICCPUD website including individual State Performance & Best Practices (SPBP) Reports.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Identify trends in underage drinking in the Great Lakes region. Describe the importance of cross-sector collaboration. List key resources available to support prevention planning. Access and use online resources to inform their underage drinking prevention efforts.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.      PRESENTERS:  Robert M. Vincent, MS.ED Rob Vincent is Associate Administrator for Alcohol Policy at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where he advises the agency on alcohol policy issues and coordinates alcohol-related prevention and treatment activities. He also chairs the Agency Representatives Committee of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking. Mr. Vincent has worked in the substance misuse field at the local, state, and federal levels since 1988. He has worked in the area of substance misuse prevention, intervention, and treatment for more than 35 years as a nationally certified clinician, and has served as the director for Counseling and Assistance Programs for the U.S. Navy and Public Education. Rob served as the principal investigator of the Olympia Effective Adolescent Grant, and as a consultant specializing in the implementation of school-based prevention and treatment programs for several states. He received his Master of Science in Education Degree from Southern Illinois University. Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH  Alicia Sparks has more than 10 years of experience at the nexus of policy and behavioral health research—including designing, implementing, and evaluating studies, programs, and policies—with a particular focus on systems-level change to prevent alcohol misuse and related harms. She is the current project director for NIAAA’s Alcohol Policy Information System as well as SAMHSA’s STOP Act to Prevent Underage Drinking Report to Congress. She has led the development of numerous publications intended for broad public dissemination. These include comprehensive guides on various substance use and mental health topics for community coalitions; the Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health; and many peer-reviewed manuscripts with accompanying infographics to translate the research into practice.       The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders. 

The Social Norms Approach is a prevention strategy that corrects misperceptions of risky behaviors and focuses on the healthy behaviors that already exist in groups. Research shows that most people overestimate risky or unhealthy habits and under-perceive normative healthy behaviors, and that decreasing the over-perception of unhealthy or risky behaviors improves health outcomes. Please join us for the two-part interactive webinar series for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 2, Social Norms in Substance Misuse Prevention. During these sessions, participants will explore the fundamental principles and key concepts behind the social norms approach and begin imagining a process in their own communities that uncovers and promotes the positive norms that already exist. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences with planning and implementing the approach in various settings and receive practical guidance for applying social norms theory to creating a culture of health and well-being in their communities. Attending both Session 1 and Session 2 is recommended, but not required. At the end of this 1.5 hour webinar, participants will be able to: Describe what are more and less effective approaches to health communication and social marketing Identify the data needed to build a social norms campaign List elements of a social norms marketing print ad Presenter Bio: Lauri Solomon is a training and technical assistance specialist with the Education Development Center.  She has more than 25 years’ experience in public health working on a variety of initiatives including the prevention of substance misuse, sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy. Lauri has been providing technical assistance and training on the application of the social norms approach since 1999. She also holds a doctorate in social justice education and works to bring an equity lens to all aspects of her work.

The Indigenous Behavioral Health Series The series is designed for providers of substance use treatment and prevention services, peer support specialists, and those working in primary care settings, social services, schools, and mental health settings.     Crisis Intervention This series will provide a review of common crisis situations, an overview of crisis intervention guidelines and strategies, and describe clinical responses to common behavioral health emergencies and crises in clinical practice. Join us to gain skills in handling crisis events.   Topics include:   Tuesday, August 29th: Conceptual Issues of Behavioral Emergencies and Behavioral Crises Tuesday, September 12th: Clinical Response to Trauma Tuesday, September 19th: Case-Illustrations Tuesday, September 26th: Reflections Upon Important Crisis Intervention Topics - Q&A   Our speakers are Dr. Ken Winters, Dr. Jacque Gray, Nelda Huskie, and Dr. Kathy Tomlin. All sessions are Tuesdays from 12-1:30 ET / 11-12:30 CT / 10-11:30 MT / 9-10:30 PT / 8-9:30 AKT.

The Indigenous Behavioral Health Series The series is designed for providers of substance use treatment and prevention services, peer support specialists, and those working in primary care settings, social services, schools, and mental health settings.     Crisis Intervention This series will provide a review of common crisis situations, an overview of crisis intervention guidelines and strategies, and describe clinical responses to common behavioral health emergencies and crises in clinical practice. Join us to gain skills in handling crisis events.   Topics include:   Tuesday, August 29th: Conceptual Issues of Behavioral Emergencies and Behavioral Crises Tuesday, September 12th: Clinical Response to Trauma Tuesday, September 19th: Case-Illustrations Tuesday, September 26th: Reflections Upon Important Crisis Intervention Topics - Q&A   Our speakers are Dr. Ken Winters, Dr. Jacque Gray, Nelda Huskie, and Dr. Kathy Tomlin. All sessions are Tuesdays from 12-1:30 ET / 11-12:30 CT / 10-11:30 MT / 9-10:30 PT / 8-9:30 AKT.

DESCRIPTION: During this 3-hour, interactive training, participants will learn facilitation techniques to engage students, manage participation, and motivate youth. Appropriate classroom management strategies for Generation Z (born in 1996–2010) and Generation Alpha (born in 2011–2025) will be presented. Participants will also learn successful ways to empower and recruit youth and young adults to use their influence and promote prevention strategies within their communities.   Participants must be on camera and using a working microphone to receive a certificate of participation for this training. This training will not be available as a recording.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completion of the training, participants will be able to: Describe facilitation techniques to engage students, manage participation, and motivate youth. Identify appropriate classroom management strategies for Generation Z and Generation Alpha students. Describe ways to empower and recruit youth and young adults to use their influence and promote prevention strategies within their communities.     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.      PRESENTER:  George Hicks George Hicks is an Ohio certified prevention consultant with over 35 years of experience of working with “at promise youth” and communities. George is a high-energy and seasoned professional with a tremendous breadth and depth of experience in program development. He coordinates programs in both school and community settings and works to identify and address the prevention needs of target populations. George also facilitates a variety of presentations and trainings in community settings. Raylette Johnson  Raylette is skilled at developing and implementing culturally sensitive community-based programs and Training/TA services. She is active in the community, particularly interested in working with organizations serving inner-city youth and young adults. In 2015, Raylette joined The TTJ Group, LLC as the Chief Operating Officer to service organizations in specialized training, organization and economic development, and technical assistance. 2007 Raylette co-founded SheRay’s & Associates, LLC in Los Angeles, California. SheRay’s currently operates out of many States throughout the United States.     The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Date: August 28 - September 1, 2023 Format: Virtual Conference   Time(s): See the conference webpage Cost: See the conference webpage   ABOUT THE CONFERENCE Join us for the 31st Annual New England School of Best Practices in Addiction Services! This unique and popular program grew from the New England Summer School, held each June for nearly 55 years. The late summer Best Practices 5-day event gives addiction and behavioral health professionals the opportunity for in-depth study of areas of special interest. The program includes offerings in advanced clinical treatment in best practices and evidence-based practices treatment approaches, a track for psychologists and experienced counselors, an advanced prevention track, current and emerging topics, and clinical supervision.   Select from over 20 courses! Options are available to attend the full program, just one day, or any number of days. Virtual courses will take place by live videoconferencing, allowing for interaction and group work. Earn up to 26 contact hours during the week of the program..   Partial New England State Scholarships are available from most New England states. Designed with the seasoned behavioral health professional in mind, the New England Best Practices School focuses heavily on evidence-based and promising approaches specific to addressing addiction. The courses offered are intended to appeal to a wide array of professionals working in diverse settings. In addition to clinical, clinical supervision, and advanced prevention topics, some course offerings this year will again address the macro area of addiction and behavioral practice such as program or agency oversight. Courses will be offered in the following areas: clinical supervision foundations, clinical supervision recertification coursework, ethics, coursework for established clinicians, the fourth annual advanced prevention track, and the first annual track for psychologists and experienced counselors.   Further course details, registration, and scholarship information to be provided on this website shortly!   Please contact AdCare New England with any questions at 207-621-2549 or [email protected].

COURSE DESCRIPTION In this interactive training session, we will explore the power of Excel to analyze meaningful prevention program outcomes with pre- and post-test surveys.   Excel is a practical and accessible tool for prevention professionals who may be analyzing survey data to demonstrate program outcomes, especially for prevention professionals who may not have access to expensive software packages. Participants will be guided through real-life examples of applying a step-by-step process using Excel to examine pre- and post-test results and interpret significant outcomes.  Certificates of Completion for 1.5 hours and all follow up materials (including the recording) will be emailed to registrants and available in the products section of the SSW PTTC webpage for this service within two weeks of the event. PRESENTER Nicole Schoenborn brings 20 years of award-winning public health experience to the South Southwest Prevention Technology and Transfer Center (SSW PTTC). She currently oversees all evaluation reporting and analysis and manages the evaluation database for the SSW PTTC. She plays a vital role in providing high-impact training and technical assistance (T/TA) services to the prevention workforce, emerging prevention professionals, organizations, and community prevention stakeholders. Ms. Schoenborn develops innovative program evaluation so that state and community-level prevention practitioners can achieve successful outcomes. With a specific focus on addressing health disparities, she works with states and tribes to develop processes and programs that achieve long-term public health impact. Specifically, she collaborates with subject matter experts to guide states and tribes in the design of effective logic models, methods, and evaluation plans. Nicole works to create supportive and responsive research environments that interconnect services for historically underserved populations and reduce adverse public health outcomes. Ms. Schoenborn holds multiple certifications, namely, she is an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist and an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Interface Certified Instructor. She received her master’s degree in experimental psychology and bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.      

DESCRIPTION: During this 3-hour, interactive training, participants will learn effective group facilitation skills to use during their substance misuse prevention work. Participants will learn how to identify the stages of group development, along with practical communication skills. Time will be spent learning a preventionist’s role in group decision-making, as well as learning to apply interventions during activities in prevention settings.   Participants must be on camera with a working microphone in order to receive a certificate of participation for this training. This training will not be available as a recording.     LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completion of the training, participants will be able to: Define facilitation in prevention settings Identify the stages of group development Understand practical communication skills while learning a preventionist’s role in group decision-making Apply interventions during activities in prevention settings Describe a five-step structured experience process Recognize facilitation techniques to engage and manage participation Identify appropriate strategies to manage training groups and meetings     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.      PRESENTER:  Raylette Johnson Raylette is skilled at developing and implementing culturally sensitive community-based programs and training/technical assistance services. She is active in the community and is particularly interested in working with organizations serving inner-city youth and young adults. In 2015, Raylette joined The TTJ Group, LLC as the Chief Operating Officer to service organizations in specialized training, organization and economic development, and technical assistance. Raylette co-founded SheRay’s & Associates, LLC in Los Angeles, California. SheRay’s currently operates out of many States throughout the United States Tasha Wilkerson  Tasha Wilkerson holds an MA in Training and Instructional Design and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Preventionist with over 29 years as a professional trainer and community activist. Tasha has a broad knowledge of organizing, coalition building, and staff capacity building. Tasha has focused her efforts on strategic planning and community capacity building for many years, spending many hours working with adults and faith leaders to help build a safer community.     The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

DESCRIPTION: This is the second webinar in the three-part series focused on implementing prevention strategies across the continuum of care. This 90-minute webinar will focus on the selection and implementation of selective prevention strategies. Selective prevention efforts are more targeted than universal strategies and are focused on populations identified as having risk factors that put them at greater risk for developing substance use disorders. In this webinar we will focus on how implementing selective prevention strategies can be a key component of helping you reach your prevention outcomes. It is essential for prevention professionals to understand the components of selective prevention as they work to identify focus populations and matched strategies.   This is a 3-part webinar series. View the session one in the series and register now for the session three using the following links: RECORDING: Prevention Across the Continuum August 10, 2023  Understanding and Implementing Indicated Prevention Strategies, August 31, 2023, 9:30-11:00 AM CT      LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants will be able to: Define selective prevention Discuss the importance of selective prevention strategies with potential partners Identify effective indicated prevention strategies that can support their comprehensive approach to prevention Understand the importance of delivering/implementing evidence-based selective strategies with fidelity     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this webinar will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks.      PRESENTER:  Ashley Bodiford, MPS, MS, CSPS, ICPS  Ashley Bodiford, MPH, MS, CSPS, ICPS, is the Director of Prevention at LRADAC in which she develops, implements and maintains effective prevention services for Richland and Lexington counties in South Carolina. In her previous role at LRADAC, she served as the Alcohol Enforcement Team Coordinator in which she developed and implemented evidence-based programs to reduce underage drinking and impaired driving. Mrs. Bodiford has worked in the field of substance use prevention since 2010 and is skilled in universal, selective, and indicated prevention strategies. Mrs. Bodiford has served on the South Carolina Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates (SCAPPA) board for several years, and served as the organization’s president from 2018-2020. Mrs. Bodiford holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Developmental Psychology, a Master in Public Health and a Master in Human Services.        The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Prioritizing Equity in Prevention Series: The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military   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. This Learning Session will be formatted as a 45-minute presentation followed by a 45-minute facilitator-led discussion. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 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   Who Should Attend HHS Region 9: 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.    Dates and Times States and American Samoa Tuesday, August 22, 2023           Time Zone 03:00 p.m. – 04:30 p.m.               Pacific (including Arizona) 12:00 p.m. – 01:30 p.m.               Hawaii  11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.                American Samoa   Pacific Jurisdictions Wednesday, August 23, 2023      Time Zone 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.               Republic of the Marshall Islands  09:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.               Pohnpei and Kosrae 08:00 a.m. – 09:30 a.m.               Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Chuuk, and Yap 07:00 a.m. – 08:30 a.m.               Republic of Palau (view in your time zone)   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.     Certificate of Attendance Participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance for 1.5 hours for participating in the live learning session.   Registration Register for the learning session: The Role of Prevention in Addressing Alcohol Use in the U.S. Military   Cost is Free!   Questions? Please contact Karen Totten, [email protected] for any questions related to registration. For any other questions, please contact Britany Wiele, [email protected].

The Social Norms Approach is a prevention strategy that corrects misperceptions of risky behaviors and focuses on the healthy behaviors that already exist in groups. Research shows that most people overestimate risky or unhealthy habits and under-perceive normative healthy behaviors, and that decreasing the over-perception of unhealthy or risky behaviors improves health outcomes. Please join us for the two-part interactive webinar series for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 2, Social Norms in Substance Misuse Prevention. During these sessions, participants will explore the fundamental principles and key concepts behind the social norms approach and begin imagining a process in their own communities that uncovers and promotes the positive norms that already exist. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences with planning and implementing the approach in various settings and receive practical guidance for applying social norms theory to creating a culture of health and well-being in their communities. Attending both Session 1 and Session 2 is recommended, but not required. At the end of this 1.5 hour webinar, participants will be able to: Describe the social norms approach List elements of an effective social norms process Identify the data needed to build a social norms campaign Presenter Bio: Lauri Solomon -Is a training and technical assistance specialist with the Education Development Center.  She has more than 25 years’ experience in public health working on a variety of initiatives including the prevention of substance misuse, sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy. Lauri has been providing technical assistance and training on the application of the social norms approach since 1999. She also holds a doctorate in social justice education and works to bring an equity lens to all aspects of her work.

Ripple Effects Mapping An Enhanced Prevention Learning Series   Series Overview This four-session distance learning series offers participants an interactive opportunity to explore and experience Ripple Effects Mapping (REM), a participatory evaluation tool designed to identify the outcomes and impact of complex community work. REM provides the ability to collect stories of the direct and indirect impacts of your work, while simultaneously being a reflective and engaging process for participants. The series will include skill-based learning opportunities, individual and group activities, reading assignments, and group discussions. By the end of the series, participants will have increased their capacity to: Understand the flow (from start to finish) of a Ripple Effects Mapping event by observing a peer organization participate in a REM session Discover the benefits of using this technique to identify the intended and unintended outcomes of your work Explore the theory behind the core components Learn how to develop Appreciative Inquiry questions and appropriate prompts for effective mapping Participate in Appreciative Inquiry conversations; followed by a mind-mapping exercise Develop a communications plan to hold your first event Discuss coding frameworks and qualitative analysis processes that would be relevant to a prevention/public health framework SAMHSA’S Northwest (Region 10) Prevention Technology Transfer Center Discover reporting best practices for REM data   Audience Community-level prevention practitioners and allied partners working to prevent substance misuse in the Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center HHS Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Prevention professionals interested in this course but who work outside of Region 10 are encouraged to contact their region’s PTTC to learn what opportunities for similar courses are available to them.   Session Dates and Time August 22, 29 and September 5, 12, 2023 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Alaska 12:00 pm – 01:30 pm Pacific 01:00 pm – 02:30 pm Mountain (View in your time zone here)   Facilitators: Debra Hansen, M.Ed., is a professor and county Extension Director with Washington State University, focusing on community and economic development in rural Stevens County. Debra was one of the original architects of Ripple Effects Mapping, developed in 2008 to discover poverty reduction outcomes in individual communities that participated in the Washington’s Horizons Program. She continues to map programs and train others to use this engaging tool. Debra has a master’s degree in Adult Education from Penn State.         Rebecca Sero, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Methodologist at a federal agency, where she works with engagement teams to help select and implement methodologies that will effectively evaluate and analyze data in order to answer proposed research questions. Rebecca also helps conduct and train on “in-depth” Ripple Effects Mapping and is most often engaged with determining how to best analyze the rich data that is produced from REM evaluations. She received a Ph.D. in Human Development from Purdue University and a M.S. in Family Studies from Miami University.         Participant Commitments and Expectations View a 20-minute video tutorial on Zoom if unfamiliar with the technology, and complete the Session 1 prep packet prior to the first session on Tuesday, August 22, 2023.  Attend each of the four (1.5-hour) sessions in the series. Complete up to an hour of independent learning activities between each session. Use a web-camera and have appropriate technology to join the online videoconferencing platform (i.e., internet connection, built-in or USB webcam, laptop/tablet, built-in/USB/Bluetooth speakers & microphone). Actively engage and be on camera 90% of the time during each session since this is not a webinar series, and active participation is essential to gain/improve skills.   Continuing Education To receive 10 continuing education hours, participants are expected to view the 20-minute video tutorial, complete individual pre-session learning assignments, join and actively engage in each session.    Registration Details Register for Ripple Effects Mapping Due to limited enrollment, if you cannot commit to the full participant requirements, please defer this registration opportunity to others. Space is limited. Enroll now!   Cost is Free!   Questions?  Contact Holly Simak ([email protected]) with any questions or difficulty registering for this course.

Date: August 17, 2023 Format: Webinar   Time: 10:30 AM—12:00 PM EST Cost: FREE     View the 2023 products.   ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION   Join the New England PTTC and the 2023 Fellows to learn about the six new research-based tools and resources created for the New England substance misuse prevention workforce to support their work through practical resources to address the root causes of substance misuse in New England.   Resources include: -A guide to Social Stories which focus on trauma and behavioral health. These stories cultivate conversations about community health and inclusion and focus on the experiences of Black and African Americans. - A parent handbook to address root causes of substance misuse that advocates for the health and wellness of people across the lifespan and is rooted in knowledge of mental health, behavioral health, addiction, prevention theory, evidence-based practices, and cultural responsiveness. -An expanded toolkit on cannabis-related policy improvement in New England to support prevention and public health at a community level. -A guide for non-traditional community leaders, such as faith-based leaders, which highlights the importance of community organizing, partnership development, and authentic community engagement in preventing, reducing and intervening on trauma and ACES. - A toolkit for practitioners working with LGBTQIA+ youth to address minority stress, stigma, and discrimination. - A practical resource for clinicians working with families which will educate about various levels of clinical and peer supports for prevention available in the community. Join us to learn about the RAD Fellowship program, learn about these new products, and ask the Fellows questions.   About the program: The New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center Research and Design (RAD) Fellowship program is an opportunity for professionals who have been in the field of prevention for five or more years to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team to develop an innovative piece of research and accompanying tool for the benefit of the workforce at large. This program will support a seven-month term, during which the Fellows will each create a tool or product around a central, priority subject area. At the end of the program, the Fellows will present their products to the workforce in a symposium meant to demonstrate how the products should and can be used.  Priority Subject Area for 2022: Practical Resources to Address The Root Causes of Substance Misuse in New England. To see 2021 and 2022's Fellowship Products on Diversity and Intentional Inclusion in New England, CLICK HERE and HERE. To read about the 2023 Fellows and their work, CLICK HERE.

Date: August 16, 2023 Time: 1:00 PM—3:00 PM ET Format: Webinar Cost: FREE Contact Hours: 1.75 (Certificate of Attendance) Target Audience: Prevention Professionals Developed for: SAMHSA Region 3   COURSE DESCRIPTION LGBTQ people, particularly youth, gender diverse folks, and individuals of color, are often labeled both “high-risk” and “hard to reach” populations. Taking the time to understand the medical mistrust dynamics within the community is essential to an embracing welcome. Often, what makes the difference in reaching out to LGBTQ communities with prevention messages is a well-considered, community-designed, targeted campaign featuring high-impact images and culturally-responsive text. This webinar will describe some of the threats that LGBTQ community members may be concerned about in treatment, discuss impactful ways to communicate safety and respect, and give practical examples of prevention messages that have been effective with these populations.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: 1. Describe common experiences of safety and threat for LGBTQ people accessing services. 2. Define signals and dynamics in agency messaging that may impact engagement and retention with LGBTQ clients. 3. Identify at least 3 evidence-based outreach strategies that can be effective with LGBTQ community members   PRESENTER   Maryland native Randall Leonard is a licensed clinical social worker who has specialized in the care of LGBTQ individuals for four years. They currently serve as a Staff Therapist at the Center for LGBTQ Health Equity, a Center of Excellence of Chase Brexton Health Care, providing individual therapy as well as assessments for gender-affirming surgery. They also facilitate “Identity Talk”, a group for trans and gender-diverse people of color to process intersectionality between culture and gender. Before joining the Chase Brexton team, Randall served survivors of intimate partner violence at Family and Children’s Services, where they provided individual therapy and a weekly support group. In addition, they worked as a Behavioral Specialist in the Emergency Department of Union Memorial Hospital. They started their social work career working with people with severe and persistent mental illness at Sheppard Pratt Health Systems. Randall holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work with a concentration in clinical behavioral health.   *CONTACT HOUR ELIGIBILITY In order to be eligible for the 1.75 contact hours/certificate of attendance, you must join the live webinar in the Zoom platform. Certificates must be requested within one week of the event and will be processed within 30 days. If you are having issues accessing the room/application at the time of the event: Please email [email protected] at the start of the webinar so that we can assist you.   ACCOMMODATIONS If you are in need of any special accommodations, please notify the Central East PTTC Webinar Team three weeks in advance of the event, or as soon as possible, by emailing [email protected].

Description: The urgency of the opioid crisis that began in 2019 has not abated and fentanyl continues to fuel the overdose rates. More recently, an emerging trend has been identified. Yet another dangerous substance called Xylazine has been found more frequently in various illicit substances and is worsening outcomes for people who use opioids. This webinar is intended to provide the latest information available on Xylazine, including associated effects on the body and long-term impacts on opioid users, and review current organizational strategies to help prevent exacerbated and related harm. Trainer: 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. Credits: This training meets the requirements for 1.5 renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and 1.5 initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses are granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offer reciprocity - please check with your accrediting agency.

Date: August 10, 2023 Time: 1:00 PM—2:30 PM ET Format: Webinar Cost: FREE Contact Hours: 1.25 (Certificate of Attendance and Social Work/Counseling CEUs provided by the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Training Institute) Target Audience: Prevention Professionals Developed for: SAMHSA Region 3   SERIES DESCRIPTION Opioid use and its consequences continue to be a serious problem across the United States. The opioid landscape has experienced several recent shifts due to changes in demand and supply, the social determinants of health, and other risk and protective factors. The introduction of fentanyl into the ongoing epidemic was one such change. Due to its extreme potency, fentanyl is responsible for an ever-increasing number of fatal overdoses each year. Another change has been the spread of xylazine (“tranq”) use. Xylazine is a non-opioid sedative that is frequently used in conjunction with opioids to amplify and extend their effects. Use of each of these substances can occur intentionally or unintentionally, and both present challenges to prevention professionals.   COURSE DESCRIPTION This webinar will discuss evidence-based prevention interventions for addressing opioid use and review lessons learned from years of research on the epidemic. It will summarize use and overdose prevention best practices, including the role of harm reduction efforts beyond naloxone distribution. The webinar will also discuss strategies for polysubstance use prevention and the need for further studies. Additionally, it will overview the importance of collaboration and the ways key stakeholders can support opioid prevention efforts. Lastly, the webinar will provide a small group discussion peer learning opportunity for participants.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this training, participants will be able to: Assess evidence-based and promising practices for preventing opioid use and overdoses.  Describe opportunities for improving polysubstance use prevention. Compare strategies for expanding opioid prevention collaborative activities. Identify other lessons learned from the opioid epidemic.   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 (T/TA) in substance use, having overseen the development of hundreds of T/TA 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 T/TA, 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.     *CONTACT HOUR ELIGIBILITY In order to be eligible for the the contact hours/certificate of attendance, you must join the live webinar in Zoom. If you are having issues accessing the room/application at the time of the event: Please email [email protected] at the start of the webinar so that we can assist you.   ACCOMMODATIONS If you are in need of any special accommodations, please notify the Central East PTTC Webinar Team three weeks in advance of the event, or as soon as possible, by emailing [email protected].

COURSE DESCRIPTION Join us for the release of our new guide, the Prevention Specialist Onboarding Roadmap, designed to support prevention programs in their onboarding process. The guide is intended to support the initial needs of new substance misuse prevention professionals in the South Southwest (SSW) Region. This guide is not specific to any one funding source or program and can be used by new preventionist working in any federal, state, tribal, or locally funded prevention project. All follow up materials (including the recording) will be emailed to registrants and available in the products section of the SSW PTTC webpage for this service within two weeks of the event. Certificates of Completion are not available for this event. PRESENTERS Derrick Newby began his work in prevention in 1997 after working as a veteran's counselor and advocate. Mr. Newby was drawn to the field of prevention in hopes of educating fellow veterans impacted by trauma about the impact of HIV and substance misuse to reduce the potential for negative future consequences.    For the past twenty years, Derrick has continued to work in the private and public sectors in fields affecting public health, family enrichment, community development, and prevention. He is currently serving as a T/TA Specialist with the South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC HHS Region 6).   Sheila Boswell serves as the evaluation and design coordinator for the South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (SSW PTTC). She writes, designs, and analyzes data for training and technical assistance (T/TA) reports and helps publicize services to optimize client relationships, engagement, and success with the center’s grant opportunities and T/TA. Her work plays a vital role in providing high- impact services to the prevention workforce, emerging prevention professionals, organizations, and community prevention stakeholders. During her ten years at the University of Oklahoma, Ms. Boswell has worked as an evaluator for state and federal programs that concentrate on mental health and substance misuse prevention. She communicates evaluation findings using graphics and data visualizations to inform decision-making. Through collaboration with her SSW PTTC team and partners, she focuses on creating deliverables that include the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion with a positive message to achieve successful program outcomes.          

DESCRIPTION: This is the first webinar in a three-part series on implementing prevention strategies across the continuum of care. Prevention plays a critical role throughout the continuum of care and understanding this role can prepare prevention professionals to be the most effective in their work. Having a solid understanding of this model is one of the first steps prevention professional should grasp. Join us for an interactive webinar series that outlines each component of the continuum, and the role prevention has throughout, as well as identifying areas that prevention can serve in a supportive role as communities work collaboratively to reduce substance misuse. Information about the other two webinars can be found here:   This is a 3-part webinar series. Register now for the upcoming sessions using the following links: Understanding and Implementing Selective Prevention Strategies, August 23, 2023, 9:30-11:00 AM CT  Understanding and Implementing Indicated Prevention Strategies, August 31, 2023, 9:30-11:00 AM CT      LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants will be able to: Discuss the overall continuum of care and the role in which prevention plays throughout List prevention strategies that can be implemented in each portion of the continuum Identify how and who to connect with when working across the continuum of care     CERTIFICATES: Registrants who fully attend this webinar will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks.      PRESENTER:  Ashley Bodiford, MPH, MS, CSPS, ICP Ashley Bodiford, MPH, MS, CSPS, ICPS, is the Director of Prevention at LRADAC in which she develops, implements and maintains effective prevention services for Richland and Lexington counties in South Carolina. In her previous role at LRADAC, she served as the Alcohol Enforcement Team Coordinator in which she developed and implemented evidence-based programs to reduce underage drinking and impaired driving. Mrs. Bodiford has worked in the field of substance use prevention since 2010 and is skilled in universal, selective, and indicated prevention strategies. Mrs. Bodiford has served on the South Carolina Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates (SCAPPA) board for several years, and served as the organization’s president from 2018-2020. Mrs. Bodiford holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Developmental Psychology, a Master in Public Health and a Master in Human Services.        The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.