Past Events

Date: September 28, 2021 - September 29, 2021 Format: Webinar   Time: 8:30 AM—4:30 PM EST Cost:  $15 - One-day $25 - Two-days   ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION The Maternal and Child Health and Substance Exposed Infant Virtual Conference 2021 offers two days of educational and networking opportunities related to Maternal and Child Health, with a focused attention on substance exposed infants and families living with substance use disorder. Participants will gain knowledge while exploring and discussing strategies and ideas about how to optimize maternal and child health in your community. National, regional and local keynote speakers and presenters will share evidence-based information and guide us to new thinking about how to best support healthy pregnancies (prenatal and postpartum) which lead to healthier outcomes for infants and young children and families. Find inspiration in recovery stories and learn about innovative programs and resources for families, including for those living with substance use disorder and those who support them. Presented in partnership with Maine CDC, AdCare Maine, & the New England PTTC. Supported by the AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc.   About the webinar: About the webinar: This webinar was developed in response to a need identified in HHS Region 1 (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT) to address skills for substance misuse prevention professionals.The New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center program is funded by SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of New England PTTC products are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by SAMHSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

The Great Lake 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. Fidelity is the degree to which a program is implemented as intended. Prevention program teams should measure fidelity because nothing will change if the program is not implemented as intended. Despite this need, resources for collecting data to determine if a program is being implemented with fidelity are often limited. Paradoxically, a common problem is that programs waste a lot of time and resources collecting too much data. This training will focus on using Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) to increase implementation fidelity and reduce unnecessary data collection. Learning Objectives Discuss fidelity and its relationship to program outcomes. Define Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). Identify CQI strategies. Apply CQI strategies to evidence-based programs. Design your own CQI strategies for selected evidence-based programs.   Certificates Certificates of attendance will be emailed to all participants who attend the training in full.   Presenter: Kyle Barrington, PhD Kyle Barrington, Ph.D., has over 30 years of experience in substance misuse prevention and treatment. His experiences include being a substance abuse counselor, counseling director for a juvenile prison, director of a dual-diagnosis hospital unit for adults and youth, director of an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youth, and evaluator for local and statewide organizations. Dr. Barrington has five published, peer-reviewed articles, has been a technical writer for two books, has been quoted in several scholarly articles, and has conducted over 300 program evaluations. Since 2015, he has been the principal investigator on five SAMHSA-funded programs to reduce co-occurring disorders in rural communities. As of March 2021, Dr. Barrington and his team at Zajonc Corporation are actively working with 14 different school districts in six states to help them implement and evaluate the effectiveness of 12 various evidence-based programs and practices    

Community Engagement during COVID-19: A Webinar for Substance Misuse Prevention Practitioners    Webinar Overview and Objectives While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused restrictions on many options for face-to-face meetings, events, and workshops, community engagement in substance misuse prevention efforts remains essential. This interactive webinar will provide substance misuse prevention practitioners with tools and strategies to increase community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Both digital and non-digital strategies will be presented as options for increasing community engagement.  By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:  •    Define community engagement •    Describe the spectrum of community engagement •    List at least three non-digital strategies to engage their community in prevention under COVID-19 restrictions •    List at least three digital strategies to engage their community in prevention under COVID-19 restrictions   Webinar Dates and Times States and American Samoa September 22, 2021      Time Zone 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. Pacific (including Arizona) 12:00 p.m. – 01:00 p.m. Hawaii 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. American Samoa Pacific Jurisdictions September 23, 2021      Time Zone 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Republic of the Marshall Islands 09:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Pohnpei and Kosrae 08:00 a.m. – 09:00 a.m. Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Chuuk, and Yap 07:00 a.m. – 08:00 a.m. Republic of Palau (view in your time zone)   Audience Community, tribal, jurisdiction, and state-level prevention practitioners and allied health partners and community members located in the Pacific Southwest states and jurisdictions of American Samoa, Arizona, California, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.   Presenter Kristen Gabrielsen, MPH, has worked in substance misuse prevention for nearly 30 years. She served as the Associate Director of the Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), co-authored the first Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training curriculum, and co-authored the textbook, Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice. She currently works with states and communities across the nation to bridge the gap between research and practice by assisting prevention professionals in maximizing their effectiveness.            Certificates of Attendance Participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance for 1.0 hour for participating in the live event.   Registration Register for Community Engagement during COVID-19: A Webinar for Substance Misuse Prevention Practitioners   Cost is Free!   Questions? Please contact Karen Totten ([email protected]) for any questions related to registration. For any other questions, please contact Janet Porter ([email protected]).

NEW LINK Click the REGISTER button above or the following link to join the webinar:  https://wakehealth.webex.com/wakehealth/j.php?MTID=m3b5d159af03f58d497e731565b4116fc Event number: 2438 906 8962 Event password: 1234 (1234 from phones) Join by phone +1-415-655-0001 US Toll Access code: 243 890 68962   Description: Session 1 begins the conversation of health equity and its importance in the field of prevention.  In this session, we will define terms that are essential to the discussion as well as discuss the roots of how inequities are formed.  We will also discuss what populations are most impacted by health inequities, before ending in what roles those in the field of prevention can play to help lower disparities while promoting a more equitable environment.  Learning Objectives: After participating in this Health Equity Series - Session 1, participants will be able to: Discover how health disparities and other inequities play a role in behavioral health and substance use/misuse Define terminology linked to the discussion of health equity Become aware of their individual responsibility in the goal of attaining equity Describe the overarching role of prevention in moving towards equity Learn the foundational elements of prevention that equip our field for equity work 

This virtual conference is being held in recognition of National Recovery Month, and our goal is to share knowledge and insights to enhance prevention, treatment, and recovery practices of substance use disorders for Pacific Islanders and their communities across the Pacific. The two-day conference will feature four keynote presentations and 24 workshop sessions focused on one of six tracks: Children and Family, Prevention, Mental Health, Clinical Interventions, Emerging Issues and Populations with Specific Service Needs. While largely congregated in the Western US, approximately 1.5 Million Pacific Islanders live in the Mainland US and Alaska, with communities distributed across the country. Many of these communities have limited access to healthcare and demonstrate significant impact of social determinants of health.   The Pacific Southwest PTTC will offer presentations on the following topics: Family-Level Prevention Cannabis Policies and Prevention Social Determinants of Health: How Prevention Builds Healthy Communities The Intersection of Prevention and Recovery Strategic Prevention Framework with Indigenous Values   Conference Dates and Times States and American Samoa September 20-21,2021   03:00 p.m. – 09:30 p.m. Pacific 12:00 p.m. – 06:30 p.m. Hawaii 11:00 a.m. – 05:30 p.m. American Samoa Pacific Jurisdictions September 21-22, 2021 10:00 a.m. – 04:30 p.m. Republic of the Marshall Islands 09:00 a.m. – 03:30 p.m. Pohnpei and Kosrae 08:00 a.m. – 02:30 p.m. Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Chuuk, and Yap 07:00 a.m. – 01:30 p.m. Republic of Palau   View the Conference Agenda (Guam Time Zone), here. View the Conference Agenda Time Zone Conversion, here.   Sponsored By Guam Behavioral Health & Wellness Center Pacific Southwest ATTC, PTTC, and MHTTC UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Integrated Substance Abuse Programs   Registration Register here for Guam's Second Annual Conference on Substance Use Disorders Among Pacific Islanders Cost is Free!  

By collecting data on substance use patterns in our communities, we can learn a great deal about consumption rates and consequences. For example, we can find out how many youth have drank alcohol in the past 30 days, have used marijuana in the past month or are currently using electronic vapor products. But, more often than not, the data do not tell us anything about overlap between these substance misuse behaviors–that is, who is drinking, vaping and using marijuana at the same time, why, and to what end? This results in prevention practitioners implementing effective-but-separate strategies to address each substance when more synergistic and efficient approaches exist. Addressing the use of multiple substance at one time, or polysubstance use, represents an untapped opportunity in prevention, given its prevalence, related consequences and impact on communities. This two-part, virtual learning event featuring a webinar and peer-sharing call, will explore current definitions of polysubstance use, national and regional polysubstance use data trends, challenges around (and possible solutions to) enhancing polysubstance use-related surveillance efforts, evidence-based risk factors for polysubstance use, and ways to maximize efficiency by applying cross-substance best practices in our prevention efforts.

The Great Lakes PTTC in partnership with Mountain Plains 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.   This webinar will help prevention practitioners improve communications around substance misuse prevention in their communities with the Science of the Positive, a framework that promotes protective factors, increases healthy norms, and positively transforms community cultures. This webinar will provide attendees with new communication skills that can be used immediately to harness positivity and hope in their work and messaging.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Design communications using the Science of the Positive Cycle of Transformation Demonstrate integrating hope and concern into strategic communications Develop the Seven Core Principles as a new way of framing community action   SPEAKER                     Sara Thompson  PCN Communications Expert @ The Montana Institute Sara Thompson is a Senior Trainer with The Montana Institute who specializes in training and technical assistance with Positive Community Norms communications. Sara was introduced to Dr. Jeff Linkenbach’s work with the Science of the Positive and Positive Community Norms (PCN) frameworks in 2006; these transformative new approaches challenged her perceptions, reignited her passion for prevention leadership, and renewed her energy for her work.        

This webinar will help prevention practitioners improve communications around substance misuse prevention in their communities with the Science of the Positive, a framework that promotes protective factors, increases healthy norms, and positively transforms community cultures. This webinar will provide attendees with new communication skills that can be used immediately to harness positivity and hope in their work and messaging.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Design communications using the Science of the Positive Cycle of Transformation Demonstrate integrating hope and concern into strategic communications Develop the Seven Core Principles as a new way of framing community action   Speaker:  Sara Thompson  PCN Communications Expert @ The Montana Institute Sara Thompson is a Senior Trainer with The Montana Institute who specializes in training and technical assistance with Positive Community Norms communications. Sara was introduced to Dr. Jeff Linkenbach’s work with the Science of the Positive and Positive Community Norms (PCN) frameworks in 2006; these transformative new approaches challenged her perceptions, reignited her passion for prevention leadership, and renewed her energy for her work.    

COURSE DESCRIPTION (2 hour webinar) Coalition member recruitment, retention, and engagement requires intentional efforts to mobilize members to move the community’s prevention work forward. The South Southwest PTTC will deliver a two-part workshop on coalition building. During part two, Sarah Davis and guests will explore how to structure a coalition that aligns with your community’s capacity to address problems and to actively engage members.    PRESENTER Sarah Davis is the associate director for the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center, housed within the Center for Public Health Practice at the Colorado School of Public Health. The Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center is one of 10 HRSA-designated regional public health training centers. Mrs. Davis leads a team of instructional design, evaluation, and training implementation specialists to provide high-quality, primarily distance-based training to professionals addressing public health issues throughout the Region VIII states of Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. She also supports national workforce development efforts as part of the Public Health Learning Network and through previous collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, and the National Network of Public Health Institutes.   Sarah holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management and has spent the past 20 years in the public health field working as a project and team leader, a facilitator and trainer, and a grant writer and manager. Her background includes program planning and implementation, integrating program and policy initiatives, and working with coalitions. Sarah lives in Denver with her husband, high school daughter, and two dogs. In her free time, Sarah is a TRX Trainer and fitness dance instructor, avid reader, fair-weather skier, and craft beer enjoyer.    

The National Hispanic and Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center (NHL-ATTC), the National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center (NHL-PTTC) the National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (NHL-MHTTC) invite you to join us for the 2021 National Latino Behavioral Health Virtual Conference: Envisioning Latino Behavioral Health Equity in the Next Decade, September 16-17, 2021.  The purpose of the 2021 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference is to highlight the latest and most relevant data around Prevention, Treatment, Recovery, Policy, and Research focusing on the Hispanic and Latino communities.  Check out the full Prevention Workshop schedule.   We're presenting on Thursday.  W17— THU 02:30-04:00 pm PST / 05:30 pm - 07:00 pm EST - Accessibility: How a Graphic Novel Combined with Proactive Translation can better Serve ESL, Spanish, and Portuguese Speaking Populations in New England - Sarah Johnson, BA, BS, New England PTTC, ME   Learn more and register.

A Six-Week Enhanced Prevention Learning Series   Event Dates: September 16, 23, 30, October 7,14, and 21, 2021 Time: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Pacific Time   Overview Prevention leaders are dedicated to improving the health of their communities through effective interventions that will reduce substance misuse and its related consequences. Perhaps the most critical decisions prevention staff weigh are what interventions to implement, typically with limited resources. This six-week enhanced prevention learning series (EPLS) offers participants a hands-on, case study-based approach to work through the process of selecting evidence-based interventions that are a strong “fit” for their community. Through a combination of individual, self-study activities (e.g., readings, application activities) and live, synchronous discussion sessions over Zoom, participants will build the skills they need to go through the process of identifying and critically examining interventions that are not just effective but that closely align with their unique community conditions and organizational strengths.   By the end of this EPLS, participants will have: •    Defined Evidence-based Interventions (EBIs) •    Practiced locating EBIs •    Applied three criteria of a “best fit” intervention to a case study community •    Considered evaluation and adaptations of EBIs   Audience This intermediate-level training is designed for substance misuse prevention practitioners who have a role in identifying and selecting various programs, practices, and policies to reduce substance misuse outcomes in their communities. Experience with the Strategic Prevention Framework, Communities That Care, or another data-driven strategic planning/community mobilization process will be helpful.  Participation is limited to those prevention practitioners who work in the Pacific Southwest region, including American Samoa, Arizona, California, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.       EPLS Facilitator Alyssa O’Hair, MPH, MA, CPS. Alyssa O’Hair is a Senior Manager, Workforce Development at the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). With over 12 years of experience providing training and technical assistance, she currently serves as the Principal Investigator and Project Director for the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center, which aims to build the skills of the substance abuse prevention workforce. Alyssa has extensive subject matter knowledge in training design and facilitation; technical assistance and consultation; the Strategic Prevention Framework; public health approach to prevention; conducting needs assessments; data-driven decision-making; risk and protective factors; selecting evidence-based interventions; and evaluation design and methodology. Prior to joining CASAT, she worked at UNR’s Center for Program Evaluation for almost 10 years, conducting evaluations for school districts, non-profit organizations, community coalitions (including SPF and DFC coalitions), statewide education and public health initiatives, and regional public health initiatives. Alyssa has a Master of Arts degree in social psychology and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from UNR. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Nebraska Wesleyan University and is a Certified Prevention Specialist.     Dates and Times States & American Samoa: Thursdays, September 16, 23, 30 & October 7, 14, and 21, 2021 03:00 pm - 04:30 pm Pacific (including Arizona) 12:00 pm - 01:30 pm Hawaii 11:00 am - 12:30 pm American Samoa   Pacific Jurisdictions: Fridays, September 17, 24, October 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2021 10:00 am - 11:30 am Republic of the Marshall Islands 09:00 am - 10:30 am Pohnpei and Kosrae 08:00 am - 09:30 am Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Chuuk, and Yap 07:00 am - 08:30 am Republic of Palau   Cost  Free Certificates  Participants who complete all six sessions will receive a certificate of attendance for 15 hours. No partial credit is given for this course. Participants will need to confirm with their certification board to determine if these certification hours are accepted towards their specific certification requirements.    To Register Register Here Please register early, these courses are limited to 30 people maximum and fill up very quickly!    Questions? Please contact Karen Totten ([email protected]) for any questions related to registration. For any other questions, please contact Alyssa O’Hair at ([email protected]).  

COURSE DESCRIPTION On September 16 and 17, at 10:00 a.m. CT/ 9:00 a.m. MT the South Southwest PTTC will deliver a two-part workshop on coalition building.  Coalition Building Part 1: Recruitment and Retention (2.5 hours) Coalition member recruitment, retention, and engagement requires intentional efforts to mobilize members to move the community’s prevention work forward. During part one of the series, PTTC Associate, Sarah Davis, and colleagues, will guide participants through the process of developing mutually beneficial relationships with coalition members. View Coalition Building Part 2   PRESENTER Sarah Davis is the associate director for the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center, housed within the Center for Public Health Practice at the Colorado School of Public Health. The Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center is one of 10 HRSA-designated regional public health training centers. Mrs. Davis leads a team of instructional design, evaluation, and training implementation specialists to provide high-quality, primarily distance-based training to professionals addressing public health issues throughout the Region VIII states of Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. She also supports national workforce development efforts as part of the Public Health Learning Network and through previous collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, and the National Network of Public Health Institutes.   Sarah holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management and has spent the past 20 years in the public health field working as a project and team leader, a facilitator and trainer, and a grant writer and manager. Her background includes program planning and implementation, integrating program and policy initiatives, and working with coalitions. Sarah lives in Denver with her husband, high school daughter, and two dogs. In her free time, Sarah is a TRX Trainer and fitness dance instructor, avid reader, fair-weather skier, and craft beer enjoyer.    

The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. September 16, 2021 9:00 am– 12:00pm Central 10:00am–1:00pm Eastern Do your presentations inspire and influence your audiences? Do you know how to tackle tough topics and information overload?   We use presentations as one of our primary strategies to share content knowledge, build skills, ignite calls to action and affect culture change. Many of us have attempted to create compelling presentations, however most of us never receive any formal training in presentation design - despite all we expect presentations to do for us. In this three-hour virtual workshop, participants will learn practical skills to plan and deliver exceptional presentations using the tools and resources they already have.   Learning Objectives  After the session, participants will be able to: Apply a four-step process to create brain-friendly presentations List the most common presenter mistakes and understand how to prevent them Use tools and techniques that enhance learning Increase audience engagement and participation Use and display data effectively Design compelling, polished visual aids for presentations   Certificates  Certificates of attendance will be available to participants who attend the training in full.   Speakers   Jamie Comstock and Robin Carr founded Info Inspired in 2014, after many years of designing and giving presentations with no formal training in this area and watching their public health colleagues struggle with the same skills gap.  Both are certified prevention specialists with 30 years’ combined experience in the field.  They’ve spent the last several years researching and testing ways to not only capture and hold an audience’s attention, but to also inspire audiences.  They’ve spent countless hours refining the presentation planning process, identifying free resources, and learning how to maximize the tools they already had. It’s also important to know that they aren’t graphic designers, artists, or especially tech savvy.  Everything they do, you can do too. They’ve presented at the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s Leadership Forum, the Maine Public Health Association Annual Meeting, the New England Institute of Addiction Studies, the New England School of Best Practices, and provided training and technical assistance to non-profit organizations throughout New England. They have been featured on the Organizing for Change podcast and have an on-demand webinar available through the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center.  

The Great Lakes MHTTC and PTTC offer this training for behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. All 45 minutes sessions will be from 12:30-1:15 PM CST. You will need to register for each session you want to attend. The Great Lakes MHTTC and PTTC will host a series of interactive calls for people who want to broaden and enhance their use of Motivational Interviewing skills in their role of leader or supervisor. This learning opportunity provides supervisors with a no-cost, easy to access opportunity to continue to build their practice skills towards fidelity. All sessions will be geared towards multiple levels of learning.  Supervisors may choose to attend all sessions or select from the menu of options. Dates and topics are listed below. Learning Objectives: Observe and practice fundamental skills: Listening, open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarization Describe Motivational Interviewing: purpose, benefits and limitations Prepare to apply the spirit of Motivational Interviewing to supervision interactions   Dates and Topics:  1/20/21: Motivational interviewing and supervision: The evidence base REGISTER 2/17/21: REALLY listening to understand REGISTER 3/17/21: The spirit of MI in supervision REGISTER 4/21/21: Let your employee know you’re working hard to understand them REGISTER 5/19/21: Guiding others towards change with your open mind REGISTER 6/16/21: Taming your inner cheerleader- Increasing confidence and importance to change in your staff REGISTER JULY: NO SESSION 8/18/21: Encouraging change while handling being stuck with care REGISTER 9/15/21: A big clue that you and the employee aren’t on the same page REGISTER 10/20/21: Growing and supporting change in your employee REGISTER 11/17/21: Planning for change REGISTER DECEMBER: NO SESSION

2021 Northwest PTTC Virtual Prevention Leadership Academy   Date and Times  September 14, 23, 24 & 30, 2021  October 7, 2021 View Time Schedule Online   About the Prevention Leadership Academy The goal of the Northwest PTTC Prevention Leadership Academy is to engage leaders in the prevention workforce to identify and build upon their strengths in creative problem-solving, strategic planning, and charismatic communication.   The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged leaders of local substance misuse prevention efforts to keep communities engaged. Given the uncertainties around face-to-face meetings, many of us are looking for new ways to re-energize our connections. The Virtual Northwest Prevention Leadership Academy creates an opportunity for participants to learn and experience online tools that create energy and empowerment to engage leaders, coalitions, and community members in our collective prevention efforts.   The Virtual Leadership Academy will explore both leadership principles using a set of Liberating Structures customized for prevention and online delivery. Liberating Structures is a set of practical methods and tools designed to foster active participation and create innovation among team members, collaborators, and communities. Their use facilitates trust-building and shared commitment to group values and outcomes. Northwest PTTC staff is excited to be collaborating with facilitators of Liberating Structures to present the academy.   Cost The Leadership Academy is free-of-charge to participants.    Primary Audience The primary audience is community-level and prevention practitioners representing states and tribes throughout HHS Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Individuals that did not participate in the Leadership Academy will be given first priority for participation. The Academy registration will be limited to 100 participants.   Participation Requirements Complete a brief online Leadership Assessment as part of registering for the event. 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 or improve skills. Commit to attend all sessions of the Academy on scheduled series days/times. Complete up to 1.5 hours of independent learning activities between each session   Registration Registration for the Prevention Leadership Academy will open on August 4 until September 1, 2021. Prior to registering for this event, individuals will first need to create an account on the PTTC Learning website. Individuals that have participated in a Northwest PTTC Enhanced Prevention Learning Series will use the same user-name and password to register for the Prevention Leadership Academy. Step 1: Create an account here: https://www.pttclearning.org/create-account Step 2: Register for the Prevention Leadership Academy: https://www.pttclearning.org/courses/r10-prevention-academy-online/   Continuing Education In order to receive 15 continuing education hours, participants are expected to complete up to 1.5 hours outside of the live sessions, join each live session, and be on-camera for the live sessions. Participants will need to confirm with their certification board to determine if these certification hours are accepted towards their specific certification requirements.   Questions Please contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) for any questions related to registration.  For any other questions, please contact Michelle Frye-Spray ([email protected]@casat.org).    

By collecting data on substance use patterns in our communities, we can learn a great deal about consumption rates and consequences. For example, we can find out how many youth have drank alcohol in the past 30 days, have used marijuana in the past month or are currently using electronic vapor products. But, more often than not, the data do not tell us anything about overlap between these substance misuse behaviors–that is, who is drinking, vaping and using marijuana at the same time, why, and to what end? This results in prevention practitioners implementing effective-but-separate strategies to address each substance when more synergistic and efficient approaches exist. Addressing the use of multiple substance at one time, or polysubstance use, represents an untapped opportunity in prevention, given its prevalence, related consequences and impact on communities. This two-part, virtual learning event featuring a webinar and peer-sharing call, will explore current definitions of polysubstance use, national and regional polysubstance use data trends, challenges around (and possible solutions to) enhancing polysubstance use-related surveillance efforts, evidence-based risk factors for polysubstance use, and ways to maximize efficiency by applying cross-substance best practices in our prevention efforts.

The Great Lakes PTTC offers this training for prevention practitioners in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This training is provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.   This second in a two-part series on sustainability of prevention will focus on planning for the future.  We will discuss the stages of sustainability planning, including the tasks associated with developing a dynamic sustainability plan throughout the Strategic Planning Framework process.  Participants will have the opportunity to explore examples of community sustainability efforts and practice using tools for sustainability planning.  Register for Part 1: Understanding Sustainability in Prevention Learning Objectives Identify and discuss why sustainability is important throughout the SPF process Describe the role of partnerships and collaborations provide the foundation for sustainability Apply the 5 stages of sustainability planning Become familiar with sustainability planning tools Certificates of attendance will be emailed to all participants who attend the session in full. Presenter: Erin Ficker Erin serves as a prevention manager for the Great Lakes PTTC. For more than 14 years, Erin has been supporting communities to use evidence-based strategies and data-driven processes in substance abuse prevention planning and implementation.  She works with community-level prevention practitioners and schools to develop, implement, evaluate, and sustain prevention interventions.             

Date: September 9, 2021  Format: Webinar   Time: 12:00 PM—1:30 PM EST Cost: FREE   ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION The landscape of cannabis prevention has changed dramatically as states across the country continue to pass laws decriminalizing or legalizing cannabis possession and establishing commercial markets for cannabis. In New England, all states allow medical use of cannabis while Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont also allow adult use. Substance misuse prevention professionals must be able to adjust their approach to cannabis prevention to adapt to changing public perception of cannabis, respond to changing policies, and be aware of new products and trends in cannabis use and misuse across the lifespan. Through this New England PTTC Project ECHO, we will seek to provide support and education for substance misuse prevention professionals to address the changing landscape of cannabis prevention in their state and communities.  The overall goals of this ECHO are to increase use of evidence-based approaches to cannabis prevention, policy and communication in New England.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES   At the conclusion of the Project ECHO, participants will be able to: Identify current research on cannabis effects and trends in use Identify current evidence-based strategies to prevent youth and young adult cannabis use and mitigate problematic adult use Describe the trends of how commercial cannabis markets are emerging and evolving in New England states Discuss environmental and policy approaches that may be effective for cannabis prevention Use effective communication strategies to educate adults and youth about cannabis risk   Project ECHO® Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) is an evidence-based distance learning method developed by researchers at the University of New Mexico, in which a group of faculty experts meets regularly with a participant cohort to engage in case-based discussion and learning. Using this format, this group will meet for 1.5 hours via Zoom videoconference on a monthly basis for 10 months consecutively. Each session will include a brief expert-led educational segment and an extended participant-led case discussion.   This webinar is intended for professionals in HHS Region 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).   Read the full details about the program.

Vermont Cornerstone Webinar Series: Current Cannabis Trends and Impacts    These webinars are foundational and provide an opportunity for people across state to get up-to-date information on the latest cannabis trends and impacts on youth.    Consequences Of Cannabis Use and Legalization on Youth Thursday, September 9, 2021, 9:30 - 11:30 am    Through a panel discussion, the physical consequences and mental health impacts of adult and youth cannabis use on today’s Vermont youth will be explored. Topics that will be discussed include the consequences and impact of family use on youth, the consequences of lack of perceived risk and normalization by society, media and messaging on youth and their use, and the impact of youth cannabis use on families.   Panelists  Michelle Bos-Lun, MA. Educator, Parent and Vermont Legislator  Alan J. Budney, Ph.D. Professor Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health  Jill Rinehart, MD, Pediatrician and Director of Pediatric Residency Program, University of Vermont Children’s Hospital  Moderator: Scott Gagnon, Director of the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC)    Who Should Attend?  These webinars are intended for and open to people across the state of Vermont interested in getting up-to-date information on the latest cannabis trends and impacts on youth. This includes parents, school staff, local and state-level decision-makers and other community members seeking more information on cannabis and youth.    This training is offered at no charge through the Vermont Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs (ADAP). 

Enhanced Prevention Learning Series (EPLS): The Ripple Effects   Series Description 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 you 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 Discover reporting best practices for REM data   Audience Prevention practitioners, coalition coordinators, and allied partners working to prevent substance misuse in communities and tribes located in 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 Session 1 – September 7, 2021 Session 2 – September 14, 2021 Session 3 – September 21, 2021 Session 4 – September 28, 2021   Session Time 12:30 p.m. – 02:00 p.m. Alaska 01:30 p.m. – 03:00 p.m. Pacific 02:30 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. Mountain   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. Hansen has a master’s degree in Adult Education from Penn State.         Rebecca Sero, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Evaluation Specialist for Washington State University Extension, responsible for increasing the organization’s capacity to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of its programs and services. Rebecca 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. Rebecca has a Ph.D. from Purdue University and a M.S. from Miami University.         Participant Commitments View a 20-minute zoom video tutorial prior to the first session on Tuesday, September 7 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 or improve skills. Commit to attend four sessions of training, for 1.5 hours on scheduled series days/times. Complete up to an hour of independent learning activities between each session.   Continuing Education In order to receive 11 continuing education hours, participants are expected to view the 20-minute video tutorial, complete individual pre-session learning assignments, join each session; and actively engage in discussions. Certificates will only be distributed to those who complete the entire series.   Registration Register for the EPLS: The Ripple Effect 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? Please contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) for any questions related to registration. For any other questions, please contact Michelle Frye-Spray ([email protected]).

Vermont Cornerstone Webinar Series: Current Cannabis Trends and Impacts    These webinars are foundational and provide an opportunity for people across state to get up-to-date information on the latest cannabis trends and impacts on youth.    Latest Trends in Cannabis and Youth Tuesday, September 7, 2021, 1:30 - 3:00 pm    This session covers street-level trends and influences that have arisen with the arrival of cannabis legalization. Officer Galloway will cover new forms including, dabs, wax, oils, shatter, THCA crystals, edibles and more. Also, highlighted will be Delta 8 and Delta 10 THC. He will show examples from different states that have legalized cannabis, including:  New products Trends Cannabis-related items    Presenter  Officer Jermaine Galloway, known as the “Tall Cop”, is a nationally and internationally recognized presenter, national award winner and resource for those involved with prevention, education, treatment and enforcement.    Who Should Attend?  These webinars are intended for and open to people across the state of Vermont interested in getting up-to-date information on the latest cannabis trends and impacts on youth. This includes parents, school staff, local and state-level decision-makers and other community members seeking more information on cannabis and youth.    This training is offered at no charge through the Vermont Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs (ADAP). 

  The Great Lakes ATTC/MHTTC/PTTC are 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.     Register to join us on the first Tuesday of each month from 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Central (11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Eastern). Each session will feature a new expert presenter.     DESCRIPTION  Alcohol is STILL a drug.  The opioid crisis, increase in stimulant misuse, and marijuana legalization dominate the news— yet alcohol remains the number one substance causing health, social, legal and financial problems throughout the US.    While this series will focus on the hopefulness of recovery from alcohol use disorder, we’ll also take a deep dive into what we know about the full impact of alcohol overuse and the ways it affects every person in the US.   Kris Kelly, a peer recovery expert, will launch the series by highlighting September as National Recovery Month and specific resources related to recovery from alcohol use disorder.     SERIES LEARNING OBJECTIVES These are the overall learning objectives for the full 10-session series:  Summarize the current impacts of problematic alcohol use in various/special populations, including pregnant women, youth, rural, and minority populations.  Assess and prioritize alcohol reduction efforts in targeted settings.  Describe the current efforts to curb problematic alcohol use, including best practices in providing treatment.      CERTIFICATES Certificates of attendance will be emailed to all participants who attend the sessions in full.     TRAINING SCHEDULE All sessions in this series will be held on the first Tuesday of each month from 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Central (11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Eastern). There will be a new expert presenter for every session.  September 7, 2021 October 5, 2021  November 2, 2021  December 7, 2021 January 4, 2022 - NO SESSION February 1, 2022 March 1, 2022  April 5, 2022  May 3, 2022  June 7, 2022     PRESENTER - September 7, 2021   Kris Kelly, BS Kris Kelly is a project manager for the Great Lakes Addiction, Mental Health, and Prevention Technology Transfer Centers, a woman in long-term recovery, and subject matter expert on peer-based recovery support services. Kris is also leads the Recovery Community Organization Capacity Building core area for the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence. She has worked with state and local government, recovery community organizations, treatment courts, withdrawal management/detoxification, and clinical treatment developing best practices for integrating recovery supports into systems and services. As a former executive director and director of programs of a Minnesota-based recovery community organization, Kelly is a leader in the peer support movement in Minnesota. Kelly has presented at state and national conferences on topics ranging from supervision in peer-based recovery support services and integrating peer support services into behavioral health organizations to recovery-oriented systems of care.  

Date: September 2, 2021 Format: Webinar   Time: 10:00 AM—11:30 AM EST Cost: FREE   ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION If you are planning to facilitate conversations using the New England PTTC Vaping Prevention Graphic Medicine In the Air, join us to learn how to use the new materials and the tool together to get the most out of your session. New materials include: Spanish and Portuguese translated versions of the Graphic Medicine Facilitator's guide Worksheets for students to use in self-reflection for each chapter Pre and post-surveys.   Facilitators will have a chance to practice facilitation skills using this tool with other facilitators in small groups. If you have any questions, please email Sarah Johnson at [email protected].   Learn more about In the Air, find supporting materials as they become available, and order your PDF or paperback copies.   About the webinar: This webinar was developed in response to a need identified in HHS Region 1 (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT) to address design and data presentation skills for substance misuse prevention professionals. This webinar is hosted through the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The New England PTTC program is supported by SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $750,000 with 100 percent funded by SAMHSA/HHS (SAMHSA Cooperative Agreement #5H79SP081020-03). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by SAMHSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Promoting Engagement and Motivation in The Middle School Classroom 4 Part Series Session 2 - Practices that Create Opportunities and Build Skills   Date & Times Wednesday, September 1, 2021 02:00 pm – 03:30 pm Alaska 03:00 pm – 04:30 pm Pacific 04:00 pm – 05:30 pm Mountain View in your timezone   Series Description Promoting engagement and motivation in the middle school classroom can be challenging, even more so as students are returning to the classroom in person. This four-part webinar series will describe a set of simple yet powerful practices that, when used consistently by teachers, can enhance engagement and motivation in middle school. Teachers and staff will learn simple practices to activate the Social Development Strategy, a proven approach to promoting healthy outcomes, in a school setting. This series will highlight each of the practices described in the practice guide, Promoting Evidence-Based Practices to Promote Agency in Middle School Students: Simple practices to activate the Social Development Strategy in a school setting.   Session 1 - Making the Case for Evidence-Based Practices Session 2 - Practices that Create Opportunities and Build Skills Session 3 - Practices that Promote Bonding and Recognition Session 4 - Practices that Support Healthy Beliefs   Audience Teachers, prevention practitioners and staff who are working directly with middle school students in HHS Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington).   Presenters Sally Chapman M.Ed., is an educational consultant, working with the SDRG for the past 15 years on evidence-based programs for schools. Formerly, she was the executive director of an education company, a director of new product development for the education association ASCD, a curriculum and staff development director for a public school district, and a teacher in elementary and middle school classrooms. She holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in educational policy and administration from the University of Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Buena Vista University.       Kevin Haggerty, MSW, PhD., is a Professor in the UW School of Social Work and the Co-Director of the NW PTTC. He has directed the school-based intervention, the Raising Healthy Children study. Along with colleges in the UW College of Education and the Washington Office of Public Instruction, he has assembled a series of evidence-based practices to promote positive social and emotional development in middle school. Dr. Haggerty is the Director of the Social Development Research Group where he has conducted training for parents, teachers and community members and has focused on interventions to promote well-being and prevent substance misuse for the past 36 years.       Registration Register for Session 2 - Practices that Create Opportunities and Build Skills   Continuing Education Participants will receive a certificate of attendance for 1.5 hours for this live webinar event.   Questions Please contact Karen Totten ([email protected]) for any questions related to registration.  For any other questions, please contact Michelle Frye-Spray ([email protected]@casat.org).