Past Events

Enhanced Prevention Learning Series (EPLS)  This distance learning series offers an interactive forum for participants to explore how to build protection in communities, schools, and families using the Social Development Strategy (SDS). This learning series will build participants’ understanding of shared protective factors and how the Social Development Strategy organizes protection into a strategy for action. Participants will learn and practice using the SDS and its components to design activities that will build protection in families, schools, coalitions and communities.  This EPLS provides online consultation, skill-based learning and practice, group and individual activities, reading assignments, and discussion on topics essential to building protection using key learnings from prevention science.  SESSION - DATE: Session 1 – May 30, 2019 TIME: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Alaska 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Pacific 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Mountain SESSION- DATES: Session 2 – June 6, 2019 Session 3 – June 13, 2019 Session 4 – June 20, 2019 Session 5 – June 27, 2019 Session 6- July 11, 2019 TIME: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Alaska 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Pacific 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Mountain    

EMERGING TOPICS IN PREVENTION SCIENCE MEDIA SERIES Applying Prevention Science to Quell the Opioid Crisis May 30, 2019 Alaska 10:00 am -11:30 am Pacific 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Mountain 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm AUDIENCE Community and state-level prevention practitioners, allied health partners, and community members who are working to prevent substance misuse. DESCRIPTION Although the rate of opioid addiction has risen recently at an alarming rate, many misconceptions have compromised our ability to respond effectively. While trying to respond to this crisis, the public health community has neglected to consider findings from the field of prevention science about addiction and the causal influences that are addressable early in life. This webinar will discuss the research on pathways to addiction and evidence-based practices that address them. It will also offer eight recommendations for the federal government, states, and communities to consider to ensure that our investments in addressing this crisis achieve the greatest return on our dollars.

System transformation training for organizational and clinical leadership on suicide prevention through a cultural competency lens.    

Environmental Prevention Strategies (EPS) are population-based interventions that change the context in which individuals make decisions. This webinar will provide information that prevention leaders working at the state, tribe, jurisdiction, and local levels need to fully understand these approaches.

This half-day course will introduce participants to stigma anddiscrimination around substance use disorders (SUDs). Other disabilities will be discussed, including mental health disorders and HIV. Participants will be able to reflect on their own practice and their agencies. Goal: To increase knowledge about stigma and discrimination and ways to combat them. Have questions or having trouble registering? Please contact Tri Chaple at [email protected] This training meets approval for three renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and three initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS). The NJ Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services offers reciprocity for CADC, LCADC, and LPC.

This session will provide an opportunity for Motivational Interviewing (MI) practitioners to learn more and sharpen their MI skills.  This is a closed session.

Capacity Building & Planning Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 1 to 2:30 pm ET & Tuesday, May 28, 2019 from 1 to 2:30 pm ET   SAMHSA’s five-step Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) offers practitioners comprehensive guidance for addressing the substance misuse and related behavioral health problems facing their communities. This two-part webinar series introduces Steps 2 and 3 of the model: Capacity Building and Planning. Part 1 will highlight opportunities and strategies for strengthening local-level capacity to participate in prevention efforts by increasing the buy-in and support of a diverse range of community stakeholders. Part 2 will prepare participants to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to address identified needs with meaningful involvement from the cultural groups that will be served by our efforts.   These webinars will build on the foundation established during our February webinar series Conducting Community Needs Assessments to Guide Prevention Efforts. Participants will have a chance to discuss challenges they may be experiencing implementing these two steps of the SPF, and provide feedback to one another on strategies for overcoming these challenges.   Questions? Contact Project Coordinator Clare Neary at [email protected]   Wish to Register? Email us at [email protected]

SAMHSA’s five-step Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) offers practitioners comprehensive guidance for addressing the substance misuse and related behavioral health problems facing their communities. This two-part webinar series introduces Steps 2 and 3 of the model: Capacity Building and Planning. Part 1 will highlight opportunities and strategies for strengthening local-level capacity to participate in prevention efforts by increasing the buy-in and support of a diverse range of community stakeholders. Part 2 will prepare participants to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to address identified needs with meaningful involvement from the cultural groups that will be served by our efforts.   These webinars will build on the foundation established during our February webinar series Conducting Community Needs Assessments to Guide Prevention Efforts. Participants will have a chance to discuss challenges they may be experiencing implementing these two steps of the SPF, and provide feedback to one another on strategies for overcoming these challenges.   Trainings take place on: Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 1 to 2:30 pm ET Tuesday, May 28, 2019, 1 to 2:30 pm ET   Questions? Contact Project Coordinator Clare Neary at [email protected]   Wish to Register? Email us at [email protected]

Date: May 15, 2019 Time: 1:00pm—2:30pm ET Format: Webinar training Contact Hours: Up to 1.5 NAADAC Event Flyer: click here COURSE DESCRIPTION The National CLAS Standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities. This webinar will discuss how health care organizations need to ensure that awareness, adoption, and implementation of the National CLAS Standards are incorporated to have a more inclusive definition of culture in order to better serve the military community. To familiarize yourself with the CLAS Standards, please watch our Intro webinar (CLAS in BH 101) prior to joining us on this webinar. OBJECTIVES The structure and major components of the U.S. military Common characteristics of the military population and its distinct culture Elements of the military experience and lifestyle that are integral to military culture Using CLAS to inform a person-centered approach to military consumers and their families WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Behavioral Health care professionals and advocates interested in improving cultural competence and humility in the delivery of behavioral health.       PRESENTERS Jacqueline Coleman, MEd, MSM, BA, CPC, is a certified professional coach with extensive experience as a senior program manager. Jacqueline has expertise in workforce development, organizational development and contract management. She is a cultivator and trainer of professionals in multiple sectors. Jacqueline provides strategic consultation on LEADERVATION (gender-tailored programs, equity and diversity initiatives, and systems change processes).   Adreana Tartt is an experienced practitioner who employs person-centered care as a foundational principle in serving humanity. She is currently employed at the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS). She is the Special Populations Program Coordinator for Veterans, Older Adults and Human Trafficking. Adreana is a United States Marine Corps veteran and holds a Masters of Art in Alcohol and Drug Abuse and a Bachelor’s in Social Psychology. Previous CLAS in BH Webinars: LGBTQ Part 1 - Sep. 11 LGBTQ Part 2 - Oct. 24 Children and Caregivers - Nov. 14 Youth and Adolescents - Dec. 5 Aging - Jan. 16 African Americans - Feb. 13 Women - Mar. 13 African and Caribbean Diaspora - Apr. 17

'); //--> //--> //-->National Prevention Week is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental health and/or substance use disorders.

This webinar will provide an overview of youth vaping from what the devices look like, to why vaping is a concern with a specific focus on Latino youth. The webinar begins with a show and tell of commonly used vape products, including the Juul. Sleek, candy flavored, and easily concealed, these devices are the perfect storm for attracting teens. Following the show and tell, participants will learn about the risks of youth vaping; risks like popcorn lung, exploding batteries, and nicotine addiction. Youth are vaping e-juice with flavorings, nicotine, and high potency THC concentrates. This webinar will cover the risks of each of these products. Using data from the Monitoring the Future survey, the webinar will discuss prevalence and trends among Latino Youth. In addition, data from listening sessions conducted with Latino teens and parents in Westchester County, NY will be presented.The webinar will conclude with a discussion of prevention opportunities for parents, professionals, and policy makers. A teen leader will describe his work in vaping prevention such as advocating for laws limiting teen access and educating his peers through an escape the vape activity. Other prevention options including a Hidden In Plain Sight parent education experience and a community mapping project will be presented. Presenters Judy Mezey, MS Director of Community Based Programs @Student Assistance Services, Corp. Judy Mezey graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Psychology and joined the Peace Corps as a health educator in West Africa. Since then, she has worked in the substance abuse field, first counseling teenagers and later directing community-based prevention programs. She completed her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management at Mercy College. Currently, as Director of Community Based Programs for Student Assistance Services Corp., Judy develops and supervises community-based substance abuse and problem gambling prevention programs in diverse communities. Abe Baker-Butler Director of Legislative Advocacy and Expansion @YOUth Decide Abe Baker-Butler is a junior at Blind Brook High School focused on peer-to-peer prevention and legislative advocacy. Abe was instrumental in the passage of Westchester County’s Tobacco 21 legislation and is now working on initiatives at the state and county level. He is the Director of Legislative Advocacy and Expansion for the student-led nonprofit YOUth Decide, which is focused on preventing teen substance use. Abe’s dedication to public health is evidenced by his role as co-founder of the Westchester Student Coalition Against Gun Violence (WSCAGV) and his selection as a 2019 Westchester County Public Health Honoree. Also on the local level, Abe serves as the Student Representative to the Blind Brook Community Coalition and Vice President of the Westchester County Youth Advisory Board. Abe has been featured on MSNBC in connection with his gun safety advocacy, and he was recently selected as one of two New York delegates to the 2019 United States Senate Youth Program.

E-Cigarettes and Vaping: A Public Health Epidemic  Webinar Overview E-cigarettes were originally developed as a smoking cessation aid, but instead have addicted a new generation of non-smokers at epidemic levels.  Join CASAT and the Truth Initiative® for an informational webinar to learn more about the JUUL/e-cigarette phenomenon sweeping across the nation. We will discuss the evolution of e-cigarettes, JUUL usage patterns and behaviors among young adults, and how professionals can empower the public to know the risks and protect their health.   During this webinar participants will: Identify the components, mechanism of action and iterations of the electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or “e-cigarettes”. Identify trends of e-cigarette use among youth and young adults. Identify the current knowledge on the health effects and potential risks of e-cigarette usage. Identify  current smoking prevention and cessation resources for young e-cigarette users and their parents.  Presenters  Barbara Schillo, PhD, is the Vice President of the Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute. Dr. Schillo assists Truth Initiative's leadership in conducting science and policy-related research to help inform youth and young adult tobacco-related policy and practice. Randall Simpson, MPH, is a Research Associate at Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute. She is responsible for conducting program evaluation activities and contributing to policy research projects.  Truth Initiative is a national public health organization that is inspiring tobacco-free lives and building a culture where all youth and young adults reject tobacco.  Webinar Details Wednesday, May 8, 2019 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm   Mountain                  3:00 pm - 4:30 pm   Pacific                      12:00 pm - 1:30 pm   Hawaii                     11:00 am - 12:30 pm American Samoa       Thursday, May 9, 2019 10:00 am - 11:30 am  Republic of the Marshall Islands 9:00 am - 10:30 am  Pohnpei and Kosrae 8:00 am - 9:30 am   Guam, Northern Mariana    Islands, Chuuk, and Yap 7:00 am - 8:30 am     Republic of Palau Cost:  Free!  Continuing Education:  Participants can request a certificate of participation documenting 1.5 hours of continuing education.   Questions?  Contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) for any questions or difficulty in registering. 

The New England PTTC and New England ATTC present Addressing Substance Use in Rural Areas More than 1 in 5 Americans live within a rural area ... where economic, religious, historical, and geographic factors combine to create a unique culture that influences mental health outcomes, physical health conditions, and health behaviors. During this half-day workshop the following topics will be addressed: Rural Definition and Statistics Rural Culture-Rurality Rural Issues/Barriers Related to Health Substance Use and Opioid Use Substance Use and Opioid Use in Rural Areas Four Factors Explaining Opioid Use Rates in Rural Areas Training Workforce in Rurality

Date: May 7, 2019 Time: 1 PM—2 PM ET Format: Webinar Cost: FREE Contact Hours: 1 NAADAC Event Flyer: click here COURSE DESCRIPTION MDQuit has developed a training program for behavioral health providers (that includes mental health and substance use providers) titled, “Breaking the Habit in Behavioral Health: New Hope for Clients Who Smoke (BH2)." BH2 trainings are designed to equip behavioral health providers to assist mental health and substance abusing clients to quit smoking. The training program uses a comprehensive approach to address smoking cessation at all agency levels and provides flexible programming to fit the needs and capacity of agencies and providers. In this webinar MDQuit will provide an overview of this behavioral health provider capacity building initiative. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Review information about smoking risks among behavioral health clients Examine data elements that help providers and administrators better understand smoking within the BH population Identify existing beliefs and treatment culture factors impacting the implementation of smoking cessation within substance abuse and mental health agency settings Introduce available tools for conducting brief interventions and using motivational enhancement strategies with clients Provide an overarching view of a four-session smoking cessation treatment program including components that address: Theoretical foundations and understanding the fundamentals of quitting, preparing clients to quit, and executing and strengthening the quit attempt. A look at the training and the program flexibility and what participants can hope to gain from participating will also be included PRESENTER Carlo C. DiClemente, Ph.D. ABPP, is the director of the MDQuit Resource Center, Center for Community Collaboration, and the Home Visiting Training Center at UMBC and is involved in HRSA and SAMHSA funded projects on integrated care and SBIRT training and implementation. In addition, he oversees the HABITS laboratory at UMBC where he and his graduate students conduct projects that include motivation and stages of change for a variety of health behaviors, understanding mechanisms of change in alcohol and substance abuse, creating integrative screening instruments to support client collaboration and integrated care, assessing the process of smoking initiation and cessation, and SBIRT training in medical residency programs.

Session Descriptions Through this training program, school-based professionals, parents, and students will receive the core message that depression and mental health disorder are treatable medical illnesses and that concerned individuals should seek help. This presentation aims to increase awareness and decrease stigma about mood disorders in young people while stressing the need for evaluation and treatment.  Depression affects approximately 5% of today’s teenagers. Of these, a mere 30% receive any sort of intervention or treatment, even though studies show depression can be effectively treated in adolescents. The impact of adolescent depression in teenagers has been found to significantly increase the risk of: Major depression and anxiety disorders Nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence and abuse Educational underachievement, unemployment, early parenthood Suicide attempts and completed suicide Suicide, the most serious risk of depression, is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. It is imperative that high school students, parents, and teachers understand the clear link between depression and suicide. Since depression is the primary cause of suicide, depression education can be effective suicide prevention. Unfortunately, many high schools do not have a formal curriculum to address depression. Among schools that address depression and other disorders in health classes, very few discuss depression as a medical illness. With an estimated 5% of adolescents having depression, this is one of the most common illnesses teenagers face. The high rate of suicide in depressed teenagers underscores the importance of all high school students receiving quality education about depression and learning that depression is a treatable medical illness. Who Should Attend? This event is open to youth and adults involved in Operation Snowball Chapters and outside mental health clinicians and healthcare professionals interested in learning more about teen mental health awareness. Time and Location: Friday, May 3 4:45-7:00pm Elk Grove High School  500 W Elk Grove Blvd Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 ENTRANCE: Athletic Door (Door 24) This training is offered through Operation Snowball, Inc. Operation Snowball, Inc. is funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services Administration.

Is Extension the Missing Piece to your Prevention Puzzle? Maximizing the Impact of Community-Based Prevention through Extension Partnerships DATE AND TIME  May 2, 2019 10:00 am -11:30 am Alaska  11:00 am - 12:30 pm Pacific  12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Mountain    AUDIENCE  Community and state-level prevention practitioners, allied health partners and community members, working to prevent substance misuse.    DESCRIPTION  A central problem in prevention programming is how to implement programs with high quality, sustain them over time, and demonstrate improved outcomes for children and youth. One innovative attempt to solve this issue is to develop and support community-based coalitions that plan and implement these programs. During this webinar, presenters will discuss how to leverage county and regional Extension educators as a key partner on community-based teams. Presenters will offer a real-world example of how this has been done effectively across Pennsylvania. In addition, presenters will share lessons learned and promising practices related to high engagement and sustainability of local prevention coalitions and activities.    PRESENTERS  Janet A Welsh, Ph.D., Research Professor with the Prevention Research Center at The Pennsylvania State University. Janet has been working in prevention research since 1994. Her research interests include the translation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) into community settings and adaptations of EBIs within special populations, including the U.S. military and Native Americans. Janet has been an investigator on the Pennsylvania State University PROSPER study for the past 15 years, studying issues related to the sustainability and dissemination of universal substance abuse prevention programs.  Daniel F Perkins, Ph.D., Professor of Youth and Family Resiliency and Policy and Extension Specialist at The Pennsylvania State University. Daniel has been involved with Cooperative Extension for more than 20 years in three different states. He is Principal Scientist and Founder of an applied research center, the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State. Dr. Perkins’ scholarship involves the integration of practice and research into three major areas: (1) Positive Youth Development (2) Healthy Family Development and (3) Community Collaboration.    QUESTIONS?  Please contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) for any questions related to registration. For any other questions, please contact Louise Parker, PhD ([email protected]). 

This workshop will train participants in using the Social Norms Approach to prevent teen substance use. The training will contrast a positive social norms approach to traditional approaches, explain the basic theory, and identify many case studies of effective application. There will be an introduction to marketing and especially social norms marketing and how it has been successfully used for substance abuse prevention. The remainder of the morning will be used to describe a five-step implementation plan. In the afternoon, participants will have an opportunity to discuss the implementation plan in further detail, complete an exercise in message development, and observe a demonstration showing how to conduct focus groups. Other data collection methods will be described, as well as examples of media from actual community and school-based projects.    Participants in this training will: Be able to describe positive social norm prevention theory Identify at least two examples of successful application of the theory List the four Ps of marketing and how they apply to social norms marketing Identify at least three data gathering methods Describe elements of positive message development for social norms marketing Identify at least three media channels for social norms marketing  in schools and communities  

Completion of a SAPST training is required to register for this training. Three-day training: Tuesday,  April 30- Thursday, May 2 Combine your current knowledge of the SAPST with the updated version of the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training curriculum in this Training of Trainers! The SAPST curriculum was recently updated to streamline the trainer notes, address areas that needed corrections or revisions, fix the flow of the last two days so the content is more coherent and include information on important areas not addressed in the older version including more emerging issues.  Specifically, the updated SAPST includes an expanded Epidemiology section with updated data and a focus on behavioral health disparities, an updated Cultural Competence section that integrates with the updated information on health disparities and the addition of protective factors and information on non medical use of prescription drugs throughout. If you have taken the SAPST TOT or taught a SAPST TOT within the past 1-2 years, it is not necessary to take this course. The PTTC will provide a virtual update of all revisions at a later date. Instructor: Dodi Swope, MEd, LMFT Dodi Swope recently joined the Southwest Prevention Center as a Training and Technical Assistant for the Region 6 Prevention Training and Technology Transfer Center.  In this role Dodi provides training and technical assistance to clients throughout Region 6 to assist them in achieving their substance misuse prevention outcomes.  Dodi brings over 35 years of experience to this role, with a career that spans education, counseling psychology and public health.  Most recently Dodi served as a training and technical assistance specialist at SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), working with states and tribes on their efforts to prevent substance misuse and substance use disorders. Dodi provided expertise on interventions across the lifespan and throughout the continuum of care to address the consequences of opioid misuse for the individual and their family and community.   Dodi provided research and implementation expertise that included evidence based programs for infants and toddlers in homes where opioid misuse is present, programs for affected children of elementary and middle school ages as well as more traditional high school prevention programs.  Dodi also provided consultation on opioid overdose prevention, including harm reduction strategies and post overdose interventions to community leaders working on the ground to stem the tide of fatal opioid overdoses.  Dodi’s passion is teaching others about the wonders of human development and assisting individuals, families and communities in developing systems, programs and interventions that support healthy people in healthy communities.  Dodi holds Bachelors in Education from Wheelock College with major in Early Childhood Education, with a concentration in Special Needs. She also earned a Masters in Education; Major in Counseling Psychology, Family Therapy Program, from the University of Massachusetts,  Amherst. She is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Massachusetts. Dodi’s background includes teaching in regular and special education settings and a clinical practice serving children and families impacted by substance use disorders in the Boston area for over ten years.

Enhanced Prevention Learning Series (EPLS): Prevention Ethics EPLS Prevention Ethics Overview This distance learning series offers a unique interactive experience that explores the six principles of the Prevention Code of Ethics using realistic examples designed to strengthen participants’ abilities to manage challenging situations in their work. The learning series is structured to also provide online consultation, skill-based learning and practice, group and individual activities, reading assignments, and discussion on topics essential to application of an ethical decision-making process.  During this EPLS participants will:     Define Ethics and related terms. Describe the six principles in the Prevention Code of Ethics. Use an ethical decision-making process to apply the Prevention Code of Ethics. Audience  The Ethics EPLS is reserved for Substance misuse prevention practitioners located in the Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center HHS Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Prevention professionals interested in this series 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. Enhanced Prevention Learning Series Details DATES: Session 1 - April 30, 2019  Session 2 - May 7, 2019  Session 3 - May 14, 2019  Session 4 - May 21, 2019  TIME 11:00 am -12:30 pm Alaska 12:00 pm -1:30 pm Pacific  1:00 pm - 2:30 pm MountainSpace is limited to 15 participants            Cost:  Free!                                                                                   Register here:   http://www.pttclearning.org/courses/enhanced-prevention-learning-series-epls-prevention-ethics-region-10/ Continuing Education:  In order to receive 7 continuing education hours, participants are expected to view the video tutorial; attend the live technology introductory/orientation session; complete individual readings and learning activities as assigned; be prepared for and join each session; and actively engage in group discussions.  Due to limited enrollment, if you cannot commit to the full participant requirements, please defer this registration opportunity to others. Questions?  Contact Clarissa Lam Yuen ([email protected]) for any questions or difficulty in registering. 

Exhibitor at the Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit

Presenter: Jason Burrow-Sánchez, Ph.D In this webinar you will learn how to determine the scope of a problem for your target population. You will learn where to access and ways to analyze epidemiological data.

Change Leader Academy (CLA) workshop is designed to be… PRACTICAL – Common sense approach to change management; tools you can use tomorrow; easily shared with staff. A SIMULATION – Your table will be a Change Team for the day. Each of you will take turns being the Change Leader for team exercises. You will then use these same tools/techniques with your change team when you start your change project at your organization. A PEER NETWORKING & LEARNING OPPORTUNITY – Connect with peers working on change projects in similar focus areas such as: • Administrative processes • Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) • Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) • Access, Retention and Continuity of Care • Other service delivery processes LEARN BY DOING WITH SUPPORT – Activities include. 1. Do a 3-month change project 2. Participate in three, monthly group follow-up calls/webinars. (A call schedule and details will be emailed following the CLA workshop.) 3. Reach out to a NIATx coach for 1-on-1 technical assistance via email or phone call. Who Should Attend? This event is open to any youth and adults involved in Operation Snowball Chapters and/or prevention specialist, coalition members, and youth advisory board members, or anyone who is interested in learning more about process improvement. This training is offered through Operation Snowball, Inc. Operation Snowball, Inc. is funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services Administration.

This course will identify how the Mental Health First Aid course interventions address prevention at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of service. Presenters: NICOLE SCHOENBORN Evaluator, Regions VI and VII PTTC Nicole Schoenborn serves as the Evaluator for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Prevention Technology Transfer Centers 6 and 7, assisting the centers with training and technical assistance program evaluation activities, as well as providing capacity building to clients in evaluation and data-based decision making. Nicole has a passion for applied research, program evaluation, experimental design, and working with state, tribal and community-based programs to effectively use data. In her prior substance use and misuse prevention work, she worked as the Service to Science Lead for the Southwest Resource Team of the Center for Applied Prevention Technologies, and as a Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Specialist for five years. Nicole also worked for 12 years at the Oklahoma State Department of Health conducting quality management and program evaluation activities for HIV prevention and treatment programs, including mental health and substance use services, and managed the T/TA program for HIV case managers. She has a master's degree in experimental psychology and has experience working with research methods and design, and teaching psychological statistics. WANDA WEST Product Development & Distance Learning Coordinator, Regions VI & VII, Prevention Technology Transfer Center Wanda West 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. She served on the U.S. Counties along the Mexican Border, SPF Workgroup, 2009-2012, and has chaired and co-chaired numerous community and state prevention coalitions. She has served as the chair, and a member of the executive board, of the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals (NMCBBHP) and as a member of the prevention committee of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC & RC) to advocate for prevention certification and workforce development on national and international levels.