Past Events

Summary: Part 2 of 2. This session will build upon MI’s fundamental concepts and continue development of the necessary skills to access motivation and strengthen commitment to change. Presenter: Laura Saunders MSSW, MINT Laura A. Saunders, MSSW, is the Wisconsin state project manager for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.  Her position is housed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she’s worked since 1988. Since 2001, Laura has provided SBIRT and Motivational Interviewing training to physicians, nurses, medical students, psychologists, specialty addiction treatment providers, social workers, physical therapists, health educators, and staff who work in correctional settings. She has provided feedback and coaching to hundreds of social workers, correctional staff  and other human service providers who are interested in using evidence-based practices with fidelity. Laura joined the International group of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in 2006 (Sophia, Bulgaria) and is an active member of the Wisconsin MINT group.

This webinar will discuss prevention efforts for students who are at risk or currently use substances or have mental health issues. Topics will include therapeutic options ranging from group therapy, individual counseling, and are informed by screening and progress monitoring of pertinent data.

This course provides six credit hours of ethics for prevention for professionals that have completed at least one Ethics in Prevention course and are hoping to deepen their understanding of Ethics as it relates to the practice of prevention. This course meets the requirements for ethics for IC&RC certification. Trainers: Sandra Puerini Del Sesto, M.ED, ACPS Sandra Del Sesto has worked in prevention for over 35 years, though her work spans the continuum of care from prevention to treatment to recovery. In her home state of Rhode Island, Sandra was the founder and past executive director of Initiatives for Human Development, the only statewide prevention agency; a founder and current board chair of CODAC, a statewide treatment program specializing in opioid treatment services, and a member of several state boards and committees with behavioral health agendas. She has worked extensively at both the community and state levels developing strategic prevention/behavioral health care plans and has also developed curriculum and programs for high-risk youth and families as well as instructional guidelines for substance abuse and mental health education. Ms. Del Sesto also founded the Rhode Island Teen Institute and was a co-developer of Parents Are Teachers, a program targeting low-literacy immigrant parents, both SAMHSA Service to Science projects. She was also the founding director of the Institute for Addiction Recovery at Rhode Island College. She is a member of the faculty and board of directors of the New England School of Addiction Studies and has taught at numerous schools of addiction studies throughout the US. Ms. Del Sesto is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), the international organization that certifies professionals working in behavioral health, and is co-chair of its Prevention Committee. Julie Stevens, MPS, ACPS, ICPS Julie Stevens is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist and was a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor for 20 years.  She has served as Director of Prevention for the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and Training Specialist for the University of Oklahoma’s Southwest Prevention Center, and most recently as Executive Director of LifeSteps Council on Alcohol and Drugs.  She is currently chair of the Prevention Specialist Committee of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium.  Ms. Stevens serves on the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals and is chair of the Prevention Subcommittee.  She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baylor University and a Masters of Prevention Science from the University of Oklahoma. In addition, Ms. Stevens is an adjunct professor for the University Of Oklahoma College Of Liberal Studies.   

The New England PTTC introduces an Advanced Prevention Training Curriculum to the New England School of Best Practices.   Registration is now open! The annual New England Best Practices School, held at the Waterville Valley Conference Center in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, is a four-day school that has given addiction professionals the opportunity to combine in-depth study of an area of special interest with the opportunity to learn in a wilderness setting. The program has traditionally included advanced clinical and administrative skilled-based treatment in best practices and evidence-based practices treatment approaches, as well as a current and emerging best opioid treatment practices, clinical supervision and management training.   Starting in 2019, the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center is collaborating with AdCare Educational Institute of New England to add an advanced prevention training curriculum to this annual school.  The New England PTTC has picked content areas that have emerged as needs through the New England prevention workforce assessment process. Topics for the inaugural advanced prevention training curriculum will include: Advanced prevention ethics, Creating effective and engaging prevention presentations, Prevention organization supervision and management skills, Teen Culture   Click here to go to the New England School of Best Practices website to learn more about the school and to register.  

Nearly all adults with substance use disorders began using addictive substances as teens, most commonly with alcohol, nicotine and marijuana. The adolescent brain is hardwired for risk-taking putting teens at the highest risk for problems related to substance use including addiction. Drug use starting in adolescence is especially likely to lead to addiction later in life. Reducing the risk of future substance use problems, including addiction, begins with prevention of youth drug use. As the nation focuses on reducing the devastating opioid overdose epidemic, there is a simultaneous booming marijuana industry that is working to promote the commercialization of legal marijuana. This webinar will explore these key concepts and their implications for youth drug use prevention. Additionally, the webinar will review the new biology of addiction and the recognition “hijacked" addicted brain, discussing their importance in youth drug prevention. New data from two major national surveys of teen substance use will be presented that show youth of any drug greatly increases the risk of using all other drugs. This data shows that the big decision for youth is not whether or not to use individual drugs, but whether or not to use any drug. Further national data show that the percentage of American youth making the decision not to use any drug has been steadily increasing for nearly four decades. Supported by these data, this webinar will present a straightforward and clear prevention message for youth under the age of 21. One Choice: Do not use any alcohol, nicotine, marijuana or other drugs for reasons of health. This unified, clear, simple and powerful prevention message holds the promise of significant reductions in youth drug use.

Nearly all adults with substance use disorders began using addictive substances as teens. The adolescent brain is hardwired for risk-taking putting teens at the highest risk for problems related to substance use including addiction. This webinar will review the new biology of addiction and the “hijacked" addicted brain. New data from two major national surveys of teen substance use will also be presented to discuss the importance in youth drug prevention.

Sustaining Your Positive Prevention Outcomes Sustaining positive prevention outcomes and the processes used to reach them takes planning. This day-long, in-person training offers participants a unique opportunity to engage first-hand in a comprehensive sustainability planning process. Participants will learn the rationale for sustaining prevention processes and outcomes, the core components of sustainability planning, and receive tools and resources to create their own sustainability plan. Education and Entrepreneurial Center 100 N. 72nd Ave Wausau WI 54401 Contact: Melissa Moore, MS [email protected]  

  About the EPLS This six-week distance learning series offers an interactive experience for participants to explore the role of systems change in substance misuse prevention. Participants will examine capacities shown to enable evidence-based interventions to achieve and sustain expected results and learn how to incorporate these into their work. Trainers will share examples from their own systems change experiences and will highlight how leveraging leadership, communications, funding, and data can help participants to achieve their prevention goals. The distance learning series will include skill-based learning opportunities, individual and group activities, reading assignments, and group discussion.   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.   Dates & Times Session 1 – August 14, 2019 Session 2 – August 21, 2019 Session 3 – September 4, 2019 Session 4 – September 11, 2019 Session 5 – September 18, 2019 Session 6 – September 25, 2019 Alaska: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Pacific: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Mountain: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm  

Summary: Part 1 of 2. This session will explore how this evidence-based communication style can increase capacity to effectively engage people in their own care and make changes to support their health. You will develop a few of the necessary skills to access motivation and strengthen commitment to change.  This session will introduce fundamental concepts, and will offer opportunities to improve your communication no matter your current skill level. Presenter: Laura Saunders MSSW, MINT Laura A. Saunders, MSSW, is the Wisconsin state project manager for the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. Her position is housed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she’s worked since 1988. Since 2001, Laura has provided SBIRT and Motivational interviewing training to physicians, nurses, medical students, psychologists, specialty addiction treatment providers, social workers, physical therapists, health educators, and staff who work in correctional settings. She has provided feedback and coaching to hundreds of social workers, correctional staff  and other human service providers who are interested in using evidence-based practices with fidelity. Laura joined the International group of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in 2006 (Sophia, Bulgaria) and is an active member of the Wisconsin MINT group. 

This webinar will use the experience of one prevention services provider as a model to discuss universal prevention strategies and the differences between school-based and community-based universal prevention programs. Participants will explore how the Strategic Prevention Framework can be used to identify needs within the community and to select evidence-based interventions, as well as how to engage the community to participate.

Free two-day workshop with follow-up coaching calls! This interactive two-day workshop is for any helping professional who works directly with people who may be reluctant to change their attitudes, behaviors and/or thoughts. Presenter Laura Saunders, MSSW, is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and has led MI trainings in a variety of settings since 2001. Join us for a learning and sharing experience! When: Wednesday and Thursday, August 7 and 8, 2019 8:30am-4:30pm (Hour-long lunch is on your own each day.)  Free coaching calls via Zoom for implementation questions and addressing barriers: Tuesdays, Sept.10, Sept.17, & Oct. 1 12:00-1:00pm CDT Download event flyer

The Intersection of Substance Use Disorders, Opioid Misuse, Overdose, and Suicide: Understanding the Connection, Part 2 Part 2 of a two-part series presented in collaboration with the Great Lakes PTTC and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.  This 90-minute webinar will highlight the unique relationship between opioid use disorder and suicidality. Register for webinar   Dr. Kristen Quinlan is lead epidemiologist for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), where she provides recommendations on using suicide-related data for planning, quality improvement, and/or impact   purposes. Dr. Quinlan is the Director of the Outreach Core for the Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention (ICRC-S), where she is responsible for  translating the latest suicide prevention research  into practice. Dr. Quinlan also coordinates and evaluates outreach efforts for the TRANSFORM project for child maltreatment prevention.   Nicole Tirone, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Massachusetts who works as a Senior Project Associate for Health and Behavioral Health Initiatives at the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) at EDC. Her role includes providing consultation to behavioral health organizations, states, emergency departments, and primary care providers that are implementing safer suicide care protocols such as the Zero Suicide framework as well as developing resources for staff and external audiences related to the intersection of substance misuse and suicide. Additionally, she has worked on a suicide risk assessment curriculum to train clinicians who work in substance use disorder treatment settings, virtual trainings on suicide risk assessment and motivating individuals to engage with treatment, and led virtual events and presentations on the overlaps between opioid misuse and suicide risk.

Date: August 1, 2019 Format: Webinar Contact Hours: 1 NAADAC Time: 1 PM—2 PM ET Cost: FREE Event Flyer: click here COURSE DESCRIPTION Preventing drug overdoses in a comprehensive manner requires both expanding capacity to reverse in-progress overdoses and implementing strategies to prevent overdoses from occurring in the first place. Preventionists can make significant progress towards both these goals by working with professional and layperson overdose first responders. This webinar overviews the importance of post-overdose services, walks through the options and key considerations for training first responders about naloxone and post-overdose services, and discusses opportunities for prevention to further collaborate with first responders to prevent overdoses. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Overview the importance of post-overdose services for preventing reoccurring overdoses Describe overdose prevention training options for first responders Discuss other opportunities for prevention to collaborate with first responders PRESENTERS Josh Esrick, MPP is a Senior Policy Analyst with Carnevale Associates. Josh has extensive experience in substance use prevention; researching, writing, and presenting on best practice and knowledge development publications, briefs, and reference guides; and developing and providing training and technical assistance to numerous organizations at the Federal, state, and local levels. He developed numerous SAMHSA Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies’ (CAPT) products on strategies to prevent opioid misuse and overdose, risk and protective factors for substance use, youth substance use prevention strategies, youth substance use trends, emerging substance use trends, the potential regulations surrounding marijuana legalization, as well as numerous other topics. 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.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour evidence-based interactive course that teaches participants a five-step action plan, ALGEE, to support someone developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or experiencing an emotional crisis: Assess for risk of suicide or harm Listen nonjudgmentally Give reassurance and information Encourage appropriate professional help Encourage self-help and other support strategies Like CPR, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person in crisis and connect the person with help. First Aiders do not diagnose or provide any counseling or therapy. Instead, the program offers concrete tools and answers to key questions like, “What do I do?” and, “Where can someone find help?” Special attention and resources will focus on Mental Health First Aid as a support to existing prevention programming. Facilitators Nicole Schoenborn, MA, CPS, provides evaluation services for the South Southwest and Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Centers funded by SAMHSA. Nicole is dedicated to building the capacity of the behavioral health workforce to reduce stigma associated with substance use and mental health issues and make data-informed decisions to improve prevention programs. Prior to joining the PTTC Network, Nicole provided training and technical assistance for SAMSHA’s CAPT as a state/tribal liaison and was the Service to Science Lead for the Southwest Resource Team. For over 10 years, Nicole managed the evaluation and quality improvement services to community-based organizations, clinics, and prisons across Oklahoma working to prevent HIV and care for those living with the disease.  Nicole has a master’s in experimental psychology and is a Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) through the International Credentialing and Reciprocity Consortium. Wanda West is the Product Development and Distance Learning Coordinator for SAMHSA's South Southwest and Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Centers. She ensures that the quality and management of training design and products/services utilize the latest instructional design techniques and technology and are closely aligned with the intended service outcome.  Wanda has more than 25 years’ experience in prevention theory and practice at the community and state levels. Ms. West’s strengths in prevention are in workforce development, program development, community collaboration, policy development, law enforcement, and sustainability practices. 

  Emerging Topics In Prevention Science Media Series Date & Time: July 31, 2019 Alaska: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Pacific: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Mountain: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM   Audience: Community and state-level prevention practitioners, allied health partners and community members, working to prevent substance misuse.   Description: Substance misuse prevention efforts are often under-funded and under-resourced. Prevention practitioners are often forced to stretch limited resources and implement programs with extremely tight budgets. Additionally, prevention practitioners may find themselves continually advocating for prevention in order to maintain existing funding and/or avert additional budget cuts. This webinar will discuss the current federal funding trends and funding landscape related to substance misuse prevention. Participants will be able to identify potential partners and champions to engage in their local community who have the power to influence the allocation of resources supporting prevention programs. The webinar will discuss the five key steps in strategic finance planning and will highlight specific tools to support finance planning in their sites.  

The Intersection of Substance Use and Suicide: Understanding the Connection Part 1 Part 1 of a two-part series presented in collaboration with the Great Lakes PTTC and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. This webinar is part one of a two-part series presented in collaboration with the Great Lakes PTTC and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.  Part 1 will present the complicated relationship between substance use disorders and suicidal thinking and behaviors. Presenters will explore the implications of this information for prevention and early intervention, including opportunities for collaboration.  Dr. Kristen Quinlan is lead epidemiologist for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), where she provides recommendations on using suicide-related data for planning, quality improvement, and/or impact   purposes.  Dr. Quinlan is also the Director of the Outreach Core for the Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention (ICRC-S), where she is responsible for translating the latest suicide prevention research  into practice. Dr. Quinlan also coordinates and evaluates outreach efforts for the TRANSFORM project for child maltreatment prevention.   Nicole Tirone, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Massachusetts who works as a Senior Project Associate for Health and Behavioral Health Initiatives at the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) at EDC. Her role includes providing consultation to behavioral health organizations, states, emergency   departments, and primary care providers that are implementing safer suicide care protocols such as the   Zero Suicide framework as well as developing resources for staff and external audiences related to the intersection of substance misuse and suicide. Additionally, she has worked on a suicide risk assessment curriculum to train clinicians who work in substance use disorder treatment settings, virtual trainings on suicide risk assessment and motivating individuals to engage with treatment, and led virtual events and presentations on the overlaps between opioid misuse and suicide risk.  

Free two-day workshop with follow-up coaching calls! This interactive two-day workshop is for any helping professional who works directly with people who may be reluctant to change their attitudes, behaviors and/or thoughts. Presenter Laura Saunders, MSSW, is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and has led MI trainings in a variety of settings since 2001. Join us for a learning and sharing experience! When: Thursday, July 25 and Friday, July 26, 2019 8:30am-4:30pm (Hour-long lunch is on your own each day.) Free coaching calls via Zoom for implemention questions and addressing barriers:Tuesdays, Sept.10, Sept.17, & Oct. 1 12:00-1:00pm CDT

1-2 EDT 12-1 CDT 11-12 MDT 10-11 PDT 9-10 ADT

Participants will learn what SBIRT stands for and what each component means as well as understand why SBIRT is relevant and important for use with adolescents and young adults. Additionally, participants will learn how alcohol use is measured—what constitutes one drink. Furthermore, they will understand the prevalence of substance-use among adolescents and how using SBIRT can prevent longer-term problems.

Participants will learn what SBIRT stands for and what each component means as well as understand why SBIRT is relevant and important for use with adolescents and young adults. Additionally, participants will learn how alcohol use is measured—what constitutes one drink. Furthermore, they will understand the prevalence of substance-use among adolescents and how using SBIRT can prevent longer-term problems.

CGTI is a youth leadership and adult volunteer conference that trains youth and adults in leadership skills to implement  alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs prevention initiatives within their school, community, and local government. This is a closed event. However, you can learn more about our upcoming training and technical events on the under Great Lakes PTTC webpage - Upcoming Events. If no upcoming events are taking place near you, please contact your nearest state project manager to inquire about future training opportunities in your region.  Include location and host organization.