Past Events

Title: Strategies to Effectively Select and Implement Evidence Based Prevention Programs Course Description: This course will discuss the steps necessary to identify and successfully implement an Evidence Based Prevention Program (EBPP).  It will provide guidance in the selection of prevention programs that have shown to be effective with strong conceptual and practical fit.  The course will discuss the concept of maintaining fidelity ensuring adaptations are carefully planned and executed. Objectives: Increase knowledge of the benefits in strategic planning to identify and implement EBPPs Increase understanding of strong conceptual fit and practical fit Discuss adaptations and how to ensure program fidelity

Dr. Smid will provide an overview of evidence-based interventions for pregnant women using stimulants, including methamphetamine. Included in her presentation will be a brief overview of the epidemiology of stimulant-use disorder. She will also review sex and gender differences in methamphetamine use and development of stimulant-use disorder.

This 90-minute webinar, part 1 of a 2-part series, will define stigma for prevention practitioners and the various levels at which it can occur. Presenter Phillip Babour will address common myths about substance use disorders that can perpetuate stigma. He will also describe changes in terminology and attitude that emphasize "person-first" rather than the de-humanization of people with substance use disorders. Phillip Barbour has worked in the field of substance use disorder counseling since 1990, beginning his career in the field as a counselor in a methadone clinic on the west side of Chicago. He joined Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) in 1991, and has worked in a number of the agency’s criminal justice programs, including several years as administrator with TASC’s Corrections Transition Programs. Mr. Barbour has provided training throughout the United States on numerous topics, including clinical supervision, reentry management, criminal thinking, motivational interviewing, and many other related subjects. Mr. Barbour’s expertise is shaped not only by his professional experiences, but also by the fact that he once came through the treatment and criminal justice systems that he now helps to improve. Please join us for the second webinar in the series:  Preventing the Spread of Stigma Part 2 Examples of State-wide Stigma Campaigns Engaging Prevention September 17, 2019 10:00-11:30am CT Register here  

The National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology transfer Center (NHLPTTC), invites you to our webinar on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis C, and Substance Abuse among the Latino Community. This seminar will be offered free of charge and in Spanish. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), substance abuse, and the growing number of new cases of Hepatitis C are causing a severe health problem in Latino communities in the United States. During this webinar, we will discuss why this is a problem, the statistics, the advances in the area of ​​medicine to reduce and prevent new cases, the barriers faced by Latinos in trying to access medical and mental health care and the prevention efforts that are taking place. Save the date and join us. --------------------------------------------------------- El Centro Hispano Latino de Capacitación y Asistencia Técnica en Prevención (Centro Hispano Latino PTTC), le invita a nuestro seminario web sobre el El virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), La Hepatitis C y el Abuso de Sustancias en la Comunidad Latina. Este seminario se ofrecerá en forma gratuita y en español. El virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), el abuso de sustancias y el número creciente de nuevos casos de Hepatitis C está causando un grave problema de salud en las comunidades Latinas en los Estados Unidos. Durante este seminario web discutiremos porque esto un problema, las estadísticas, los avances en el área de la medicina para reducir y prevenir los casos, las barreras que enfrentan los Latinos al tratar de recibir cuidado médico y de salud mental y los esfuerzos de prevención que se están llevando a cabo. Esperamos contar con su participación. Presenter Clotilde “Coti” Perez-Espinoza Clotilde “Coti” Perez-Espinoza, nació en Lima, Perú y emigro a los Estados Unidos en 1986, se graduó en la Universidad de Alabama en Birmingham con un bachierato en Estudios Internacionales y Español. Mrs. Pérez se especializa en planificar e implementar programas de prevención y educación de HIV en comunidades Latinas y Afroamericanas. Ha trabajado como directora del programa ¡VIDA/LIFE¡ de VHI, Hepatitis C y Abuso de Sustancias en CETPA una organización sin fines de lucro que ofrece educación, tratamiento y prevención de las adicciones a la comunidad Latina. También ha trabajado con Positive Impact, El Departamento de Salud del Condado de Fulton, el Centro Medico de la universidad de Alabama como Interprete Medico, y en este momento trabaja para la organización de prevención de violencia domestica PAV. Mrs. Pérez es parte de la Junta Directiva de Latino LinQ, una organización sin fines de lucro que provee enlaces y referidos a la comunidad Latina en áreas de salud y asistencia legal.

The advent of the medical marijuana movement has given way to an avalanche of business opportunities that many states have adopted as a means of increasing tax revenues. Ten states have fully adopted the legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational use (Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington). Nineteen other states, and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have legalized medical marijuana. These developments present many challenges for those who educate youth and parents on prevention approaches to drug use. This virtual learning community session will highlight one of the states that has vigorously developed policy and public education efforts that address the need to educate youth and the broader community about the dangers of marijuana use by children and youth: Colorado. It will also present the latest research and epidemiological data that has a bearing on issues faced by Hispanic/Latino communities. The session also includes examples of public health education efforts targeting Hispanic/Latino youth and parents and will delineate successful evidence-based prevention approaches.  Moderator: Ivette A. Torres, MEd., M.S. Former Associate Director for Consumer Affairs at the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Presenters: Ruben Baler, Ph.D. Dr. Ruben Baler received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Biology from the University of Miami in 1993. He carried out his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development where he specialized in Molecular Chronobiology. He then moved to the National Institute of Mental Health, where he conducted basic research on the molecular basis of circadian gene expression in vertebrates. In October 2004 he joined the Science Policy Branch in the Office of Science Policy and Communications at the National Institute on Drug Abuse as a Health Scientist. His early publications have focused on the temporal regulation of gene expression in the brain’s clock. Since joining NIDA, he has written and lectured about the Neurobiology of Drug Abuse and Addiction. Dr. Baler has gathered critical insight from diverse disciplines, which he combines to advance NIDA’s scientific mission. These include cellular and molecular biology, genetics, immunology, bioinformatics. Henny Lasley, B.B.A. Henny Lasley, is one of the co-founders of Smart Colorado. Founded in 2013, Smart Colorado is the only citizen led non-profit, non-partisan organization focused solely on protecting the public health and safety of Colorado youth as marijuana is commercialized and increasingly available. Smart Colorado provides information to policy makers, parents and adults, educators, youth-serving organizations and the media about the impacts of commercialized marijuana. Henny was appointed to the role of Executive Director in 2016. She has been appointed by the State Marijuana Enforcement Division to serve on the stakeholder group focused on rulemaking for labeling and warning statements of marijuana products. Additionally, Henny serves on the State Health Department’s Advisory Committee for the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey and is an active member of the Denver Partnership for Youth Success coalition. Ray Lozano, PC, CADC Ray Lozano’s varied experience professionally has equipped him to become the unique speaker that he is today. His career started out in the Teen Challenge Ministry Institute, where he saw firsthand the ravages of drug use in young adults. Having not used drugs or alcohol, this was an eye-opening experience to see firsthand the deleterious effects that drugs have on a young person. He saw how drugs stripped away a person’s chance for an extraordinary life. From working with people fighting their way back from addiction, he realized he wanted to work with kids before they got involved in drugs and alcohol, which led him to his work in prevention. As a Vice Principal for a private elementary school, he launched an after-school program with an emphasis on promoting a family-oriented, drug-free philosophy. This gave him an understanding from an educator’s perspective that schools are looking for the best for their students. Ray was the Program Specialist for a very successful youth prevent

The 32nd Annual National Prevention Network conference will be held August 27-29, 2019 at the Hilton Chicago. The conference is 3 days, complete with keynotes, breakouts, and networking opportunities. The conference theme for 2019 is: Building on Evidence-Based Prevention to Connect Communities. The Great Lakes PTTC will be there--hope to see you, too!   Read more about the 32nd Annual NPN Conference.  

This informational webinar will give an overview of the Ohio Masters Series: Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health. This learning collaborative is designed to help Ohio organizations prepare the behavioral health workforce to serve individuals from diverse backgrounds. The four-month training and learning collaborative will give participants the skills they need to improve service delivery, enhance treatment outcomes, and integrate cultural and linguistic competence into their organizational structures.   Webinar Slides  This is a closed event. However, you can learn more about our upcoming training and technical events on the Great Lakes PTTC website under 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.

  Current Trends in Substance Use in ME, VT, and NH --- from Opioids to Marijuana and Electronic Cigarettes   Presenter: Karen E. Simone, PharmD, Director of the Northern New England Poison Center The New England PTTC is offering a webinar series featuring the three poison control centers covering the New England states.  Our first webinar features the Northern New England Poison Center, based in Portland, Maine, which covers the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.  What are the substance-related poisoning being reported in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont? The webinar will review the data of the Northern New England Poison Center and highlight the newer substances, such as fentanyl analogs, electronic cigarettes and today’s marijuana products as well as substances that continue to be a problem, such as stimulants, sedatives and other opioids.    Objectives: List the most common substances of abuse managed by the Northern New England Poison Center. Describe the most frequent or serious toxic effects of the substances of abuse commonly reported to the Northern New England Poison Center. Choose the most relevant and critical poison information to relay to those who may or do use substances of abuse, or those who advise them.   Program Description:   What are the substance-related poisoning being reported in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont? The webinar will review the data of the Northern New England Poison Center and highlight the newer substances, such as fentanyl analogs, electronic cigarettes and today’s marijuana products as well as substances that continue to be a problem, such as stimulants, sedatives and other opioids.    Contact hours: 1 hour   Karen E. Simone, PharmD. Dr. Karen Simone is the Director of the Northern New England Poison Center, which serves the States of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. She is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. Karen began poison center-related work at the Cincinnati Drug & Poison Information Center in 1989. She became a Certified Specialist in Poison Information in 1993, received her Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati in 1994, and joined the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT) before becoming a Diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology (ABAT) in 1998 and a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology in 2011. Registration is Now Open!!!   Note: Webinars featuring poison control centers covering Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are in development!  

This day-long training of trainers is for state and community level trainers who have completed an Ethics in Prevention course within the past two years and would like to become an Ethics trainer to support the prevention workforce. 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. 

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.