Products and Resources Catalog

Cultural Intersections Across the Continuum of Care Southeast TTC’s Collaborative Virtual Summit   Join the Southeast TTC’s Collaborative Virtual Summit! Are you a professional or practitioner in the field of prevention, treatment, recovery, or mental health services within the southeastern United States? If so, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Southeast Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs) invite you to our illuminating event: "Cultural Intersections Across the Continuum of Care." The Technology Transfer Centers (TTC) play a crucial role in developing and fortifying the specialized workforce that provides prevention, treatment and recovery support services for substance use disorder and mental health. The Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center (SE ATTC), Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (SE MHTTC), and Prevention Technology Transfer Center (SE PTTC) will lead discussions, share insights, ideas, and best practices within their specialized areas. This regionally relevant summit will focus on the intersection of culture and illuminate the challenges and approaches experienced across the continuum of behavioral health.   Supplemental Resources: Presentation Slides - Cultural Intersections SE TTC Collaboration   Key Themes: Equity Across Borders: Explore how cultural intersections impact prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts in diverse communities across the southeastern United States. Continuum of Care: Examine the continuum of care and the role of equity in prevention, addiction science, and mental health services. Challenges and Opportunities: Engage in thought-provoking discussions on the challenges and opportunities faced in ensuring health equity in substance use prevention and mental health services.   Presenters: CAPT Michael King, PhD, MSW, Regional Director Albert Gay, MS, CPC Lucy Cannon, EdD, LCSW, CCDP-D, MATS Pierluigi Mancini, PhD  

  There is growing concern among prevention specialists and public health officials regarding older adults and substance use, misuse, and increasing substance use disorders. Substance use in older adults is complicated and is often overlooked, especially when individuals are experiencing other aging related health conditions. While the number of older adults experiencing substance use disorders dramatically increased in the last 20 years, prevention services have not been tailored to the needs of older adults. This webinar will highlight the growing problem, approaches to understanding the older adult population in your community, and available strategies. Additionally, we will hear directly from preventionists who are implementing programming with this population.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Describe how to assess the prevention needs of older adults in your community. Identify strategies to prevent substance misuse and promote the health and well-being of older adults. Understand approaches and barriers to engaging older adults in prevention efforts. Develop new partnerships that can work across sectors to engage older adults.   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS: Presentation Recording, April 25, 2024 Presentation Slides, April 25, 2024   PRESENTER: Chuck Klevgaard, CSPS  Chuck Klevgaard is a nationally recognized expert in substance misuse prevention, public health, and school-based health. Drawing on his experience in collective impact and prevention-focused partnerships, he builds the capacity of states, tribes, schools, communities, and cities to use evidence-based substance misuse prevention and intervention strategies. He specializes in behavioral health support; training and technical assistance; and evidence-based alcohol, opioid, and substance misuse programs and policies. Nationwide, he provides trainings to prevent opioid overdose, including working with first responders to administer naloxone. As a consultant to Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, Klevgaard provides training and technical assistance to substance misuse prevention entities within the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. Klevgaard, a Certified Senior Prevention Specialist through the Illinois Certification Board, Inc., holds a BSW from Minnesota State University Moorhead.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.  

I am not a photographer by education or formal training. I often describe myself as an “accidental photographer” since most of what I know is self-taught - born out of a pure love of the outdoors and the beauty of creation. My journey into photography began near the end of my career as a federal drug prosecutor where I supervised the Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force – a group of agents, analysts and prosecutors who investigated and prosecuted high-level drug trafficking organizations. During that time, I was an eyewitness to some of the darkest aspects of society. Although my legal career was exciting and challenging, the investigation of these cases put me in direct contact with all forms of greed, addiction, violence, abuse and neglect of children, and the loss of dignity, health, freedom, and even life itself. Without recognizing it, all of those things weighed on my heart, mind and soul in ways that I couldn’t imagine at the time. It took a mid-life crisis to bring me into the world of serious photography when I realized that decades of exposure to the darkest side of humanity had impacted my ability to recognize many of life’s simple pleasures. Up to that point in my life, my wife and I had experienced blessings that are found in a blur of family activities – ballgames, school, church, Scouts, camping, hiking, birthdays, holidays, and occasional vacations. But as our children left home to attend college and raise families of their own, I found myself working longer hours and enjoying life less. After our last child left for college, I reached a turning point with the realization that I needed a hobby, something that would help me focus my attention on more positive thoughts and experiences. My choice at the time was an inexpensive film camera. Although I initially lacked the skills necessary to successfully capture a beautiful image, the simple act of looking through the lens of a camera allowed me to re-discover everything that is wonderful in life – a world full of amazing people, beautiful landscapes, fascinating creatures, and boundless opportunities and adventures. Through the lens of a camera, I rediscovered a sense of joy that I recognized as a gift from childhood when the world was full of wonder and awe. Now, many years later, I am blessed with opportunities to speak and train at local, state, regional and national conferences on a variety of subjects relating to the law, law enforcement, drug education, building strong communities, protecting and nurturing children, and photography. Because of my law enforcement background, many of my presentations require me to describe the grim realities of bad choices that negatively impact children, families and communities, but these opportunities also allow me to provide positive messages and solutions that can overcome feelings of hopelessness, pain, surrender, and despair. This is especially important in working directly with youth (ranging from those who are severely “at risk” to kids who seem blessed with every opportunity in life). At both ends of this spectrum I find that young people are eager to be “seen” AND heard by adults, and when given the right information and encouragement, they become eager to serve AND to lead. Increasingly, my youth workshops include teaching about photography and the great outdoors. My best days involve a photography/nature workshop followed by an outdoor excursion with a busload of kids. The combination of my professional background and love of photography allows me to share real life experiences that provide a stark contrast between choices that bring misery and pain with choices that can lead to a fulfilling and joyful life. By sharing these images, my purpose is to encourage others to make good choices and live happy and healthy lives. By tapping into the sense of wonder we all experienced as little children, we can all rediscover a world that is infinitely more satisfying than anything offered by a popular culture that often leads people in the wrong direction. One of my favorite photographers, Galen Rowell once said: “You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn't waste either.” I hope that you enjoy each sunrise and sunset as you journey through a wonderful life. Website:  https://www.montestiles.com/Keynote-Presentations LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/montestiles/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montestiles/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monte.stiles  

Building Bridges: Fostering Community-Campus Collaboration for Substance Use Prevention, Harm Reduction, & Recovery   Join the Southeast PTTC for a lively discussion on the power of collaboration between college campuses and their surrounding communities to support substance misuse prevention, harm reduction and recovery. Our panel of regional experts shared insights, best practices, and success stories, empowering participants with the knowledge needed to implement successful initiatives.   Supplemental Resources: Presentation Slides   Learning Objectives: Understand the significance of collaborative approaches between college campuses and surrounding communities to support prevention, harm reduction, and recovery among youth and young adults. Identify key strategies for building collaborative college campus and community partnerships to address substance use among youth and young adults. Learn about prevention, harm reduction, and recovery initiatives being implemented on college campuses from regional experts. Identify strategies and tools available to implement effective substance misuse prevention, harm reduction, and recovery initiatives within college campuses and surrounding communities.   Presented by: Dr. Lori Ann Eldridge is an assistant professor at East Carolina University, North Carolina. She is a public health implementation scientist specializing in substance use. Her research is dedicated to examining the accessibility of prevention, treatment, and harm reduction services for substance use in rural and underserved communities. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of Pitt County Coalition on Substance Use Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Opioid and Stimulant Grant funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With this work she is bridging partnerships between the local community and East Carolina University campus to prevent youth and young adult substance use and related harms. She has worked with students to expand access to naloxone and other harm reduction strategies at East Carolina University and is a co-faculty mentor for the Team Awareness Combatting Overdose at East Carolina University. Kayce Matthews is the Director of the Coalition for Healthy and Safe Campus Communities (CHASCo) in Tennessee. In this role she oversees the collection of higher education institutions and professionals in Tennessee who are working to address issues of campus health and safety. The work of CHASCO includes providing professional development & networking opportunities, providing assessment tools to campuses, and providing resources and funding for evidence-based prevention programing. Kayce joined CHASCo with over 10 years of experience in prevention and advocacy work. Before joining CHASCo, Kayce worked for the TN Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. In this role, she founded both the TN Campus Prevention Project and the TN Statewide Sexual Assault Prevention Committee. Previous to the TN Coalition, she served as the Associate Director of the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center at Vanderbilt University. She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling from Trevecca University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Stephens College, and is a Certified Prevention Specialist. Annette Newton-Baldwin is the Assistant Director of the LION UP Recovery Program (Collegiate Recovery Program) and Intervention. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor as well as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She serves the Association of Recovery in Higher Education as the Southeast Region Representative. Currently serves as Project Director for the Louisiana Collegiate Recovery Expansion Grant. Reese Hiatt is an undergraduate student at East Carolina University, North Carolina. She is a marketing major and Co-President of Team Awareness Combatting Overdose. She is dedicated to advocating for those experiencing substance use disorder and making a positive difference in the amount of harm reduction resources available to those in need.  

  Military-connected youth experience unique challenges that impact their educational and social-emotional learning, putting them at greater risk for substance use and behavioral health challenges. Increasing resiliency by cultivating a culturally competent, supportive environment in schools and communities helps mitigate these challenges. Participants will learn how to enhance existing infrastructure to deliver substance misuse prevention programs to military-connected youth.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Understand the risk factors that make military youth more vulnerable to substance use and behavioral health problems compared to non-military-connected youth. Describe how to increase capacity and readiness to serve military-connected youth. Identify evidence-based practices that support and build resiliency within military-connected youth.   ACCESS OR DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS Presentation Recording, April 11, 2024 Presentation Slides, April 11, 2024   PRESENTER:  Sarah Flowers, CPS Sarah Flowers, CPS, grew up in a military family outside the world’s largest naval base in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As a Gold Star Sibling and military family member, she brings unique perspectives gained from her personal experiences to prevention, empowering individuals, and communities to create and promote healthy environments, lifestyles, and behaviors. She works with state, and national agencies and organizations to develop and coordinate evidence-based strategies to increase resilience within military and veteran families. She specializes in training and consultation on capacity building, community engagement and best practices working with military families.   The Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Kris Gabrielsen is the co-director of the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center. She has worked in the substance misuse prevention field for over 30 years. Kris was the Associate Director of the Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), co-authored the first Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training curriculum, and co-authored the textbook, Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice. As a consultant, she has worked with states and communities across the nation to bridge the gap between research and practice, assisting prevention professionals in maximizing their effectiveness. Web site: https://pttcnetwork.org/centers/content/great-lakes-pttc Website: https://pttcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-pttc/product/risk-factors-youth-substance-misuse-0 Website: https://pttcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-pttc/product/building-protective-factors-using-social-development-strategy-0 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GLPTTC/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/glpttc/ The funder of this project, along with all other products of the Mid-America PTTC is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Although funded by SAMHSA, the content of this recording does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA. Many factors influence a person’s chance of developing a mental and/or substance use disorder. Effective prevention focuses on reducing those risk factors, and strengthening protective factors, that are most closely related to the problem being addressed. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/20190718-samhsa-risk-protective-factors.pdf The Social Development Research Group is a recognized leader in the field of prevention. Their work is guided by the belief that many common behavior, health, and social problems can be prevented. They have studied the causes of these problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, and their research has enriched lives, influenced policy, and strengthened communities across the United States and around the world. https://depts.washington.edu/sdrg/

My guest on this episode is Rikki Barton who has a passion for communicating essential messages to move individuals and communities onward in their goals. She is the Founder/Lead Consultant of Onward Consulting and holds the Missouri Advanced Prevention Specialist certification as well as international IC&RC certification. Rikki has over 14 years of prevention field experience and currently serves as a consultant to assist organizations, coalitions, and state/federal agencies in the areas of substance use prevention, suicide prevention, and mental health promotion. She has extensive experience working with community coalitions, providing training, grant writing, managing funding sources, and leading a team of preventionists. Rikki trains for CADCA in their youth and adult training programs as well as trains for National Council for Mental Wellbeing as an Adult, Youth, and Teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor. She holds a Bachelors degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters degree from Liberty University. In her free time, Rikki loves exploring the outdoors on hikes with her rescue dog, Oreo. Rikki recently returned from an epic adventure trip to Nepal, where she completed the Everest Base Camp trek (unfortunately, without Oreo). Email: [email protected] Web site: https://www.onwardconsulting.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikki-onward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onward_consulting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onwardconsultingllc The funder of this project, along with all other products of the Mid-America PTTC is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Although funded by SAMHSA, the content of this recording does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA. The  National Center of Excellence on social media and Youth Mental Health serves as a centralized, trusted source for evidence-based education and technical assistance to support the mental health of children and adolescents as they navigate social media. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/ The internet has dramatically reshaped how we buy and sell everything – including each other. Social media has been used by traffickers to recruit victims, to proliferate their trafficking operations, and to control victims through restricting their social media access, impersonating the victim, or spreading lies and rumors online. A leader in helping us to understand this issue is the Polaris Project, they are a survivor-centered, justice- and equity-driven movement to end human trafficking.  https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking-and-social-media/   

In this Issue: Substance Misuse Through the Lens of Black History Month Alcohol Availability is a Social Justice Issue Epi Corner: The Syndemic Framework: Enhancing Understanding of the Root Causes of Disease What's Happening Around the Region? Free Logic Model TA Webinar: Alcohol, Equity, and Social Justice: Breaking the Silence What's New?

Webinar Recording and Follow-Up Materials  January 23, 2024   Webinar Description According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the college years are a time when students may experiment with drugs for the first time. This is why college is the ideal setting for innovative, campus-wide programming aimed at preventing and reducing drug use among college students. This session will include an overview of current drug use rates among college students; the DEA’s updated strategic planning guide for preventing drug misuse among college students; successes and challenges experienced by colleges and universities applying the Strategic Prevention Framework to their efforts; seven keys to a successful prevention program; and DEA's resources for professionals working to prevent drug misuse among college students.     Webinar Objectives By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: Discuss DEA's updated strategic planning guide to preventing drug misuse among college students Examine campus successes and challenges in applying the Strategic Prevention Framework to preventing drug use and misuse among college students Find DEA’s resources for professionals working to prevent drug misuse among college students   Webinar Recording and Slides Preventing Drug Misuse among College Students Recording Preventing Drug Misuse among College Students Slide Deck (PDF) Preventing Drug Misuse among College Students Planning Guide   Presenters Rich Lucey has more than three decades of experience at the state and federal government levels working to prevent alcohol and drug use and misuse among youth and young adults, especially college students. He currently serves as a senior prevention program manager in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Community Outreach and Prevention Support Section. Rich plans and executes educational and public information programs, evaluates program goals and outcomes, and serves as an advisor to the Section Chief and other DEA officials on drug misuse prevention and education programs. Rich formerly served as special assistant to the director for the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and worked as an education program specialist in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Erin Ficker, MPAff, CPRS, is an expert in substance misuse prevention, an accomplished training and technical assistance (T/TA) provider and a certified senior prevention specialist. She brings extensive expertise in supporting, designing, and delivering engaging professional learning, and providing comprehensive T/TA for states and community level prevention professionals. For over 18 years, she has built the capacity of clients to perform prevention work effectively using the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). She has in-depth knowledge and training experience in the SPF process, including specific work in evaluation, sustainability, assessment, and working with diverse populations. Erin currently serves as a regional director in SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Technical Assistance Center (SPTAC) working to provide training and technical assistance to SAMHSA state and community grantees across HHS Regions 5 and 8. She also serves as a prevention manager for the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) providing services to a wide range of prevention and behavioral health specialists. Erin holds an MPA in Domestic and Social Policy from the University of Texas-Austin and a BA in Sociology from The Evergreen State College. She also holds a certification as a Senior Prevention Specialist through the Illinois Certification Board. Peggy Glider, PhD., has recently retired from the University of Arizona where she served as the Coordinator of Evaluation and Research for the Campus Health Service for 30 years. She has served as Principal Investigator, Project Director and/or Evaluator on multiple federal and state research demonstration grants in the alcohol, other drug, violence and mental health arenas within higher education. Dr. Glider and her team worked to increase evaluation capacity within Campus Health as well as with campus partners to ensure appropriate data was collected and utilized to improve programming and services for students. She has also served as the statewide evaluator for the Arizona Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)-Partnership for Success (PFS) grant. Under this grant, she trained each of the 12 subgrantees across the state in the SPF. She has presented many workshops and presentations at national meetings, focusing on program evaluation, often using the SPF as a guiding tool. Dr. Glider earned three degrees at the University of Arizona: a Doctor of Philosophy, a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.   Questions   Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

Advancing Health Equity through the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF): A Lunch & Learn Series   The Southeast & Central East PTTCs are pleased to present this week-long Lunch & Learn Series in collaboration with the Southeast Regional SPTAC Team. This interactive webinar series offers new and experienced prevention professionals an opportunity to explore comprehensive prevention planning with a Health Equity lens. Sessions include dynamic breakout room discussions, resource sharing, and networking opportunities between prevention professionals from regions 3 and 4.   Supplemental Resources: SPF and Health Equity: Lunch & Learn Series Workbook   Learning Objectives: Describe the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and its key components Explain the importance incorporating health equity into the SPF process Identify strategies for assessing community needs and health disparities Develop a plan to build capacity for implementing the SPF with a focus on health equity Apply the SPF to develop and implement a comprehensive prevention plan that addresses health disparities Evaluate the effectiveness of prevention efforts and their impact on health equity Identify strategies for sustaining prevention efforts that prioritize health equity   Presenter: Nicole M Augustine, MPH, MCHES, PS Region 3 and 4 SPTAC Director   Watch Sessions On-Demand Session 1 – Assessment & Health Equity Download Session 1 Presentation Slides This session provided an overview of the SPF and its key components, with a particular focus on the assessment phase. Participants learned how to conduct a community needs assessment that identifies health disparities and inequities that need to be addressed in prevention planning.   Session 2 – Capacity & Health Equity Download Session 2 Presentation Slides In this session, participants learned how to build capacity for implementing the SPF with a focus on health equity. Topics covered included developing partnerships, engaging diverse stakeholders, and building a culture of health equity within organizations.   Session 3 – Planning & Health Equity Download Session 3 Presentation Slides This session focused on the planning phase of the SPF and how to incorporate health equity considerations into prevention planning. Participants learned how to prioritize prevention strategies that address health disparities and involve diverse communities in prevention planning.   Session 4 – Implementation & Health Equity Download Session 4 Presentation Slides In this session, participants will learn how to implement prevention strategies that prioritize health equity. Topics covered will include adapting evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of diverse communities, addressing social determinants of health, and building community capacity for prevention. Session 5 – Evaluation and Health Equity Download Session 5 Presentation Slides This session will cover the evaluation phase of the SPF and how to assess the impact of prevention efforts on health equity. Participants will also learn how to assess the cultural appropriateness of evaluation tools, use data to monitor progress, evaluate outcomes, and adjust prevention efforts as needed.

Kurt Larson has been representing personal injury clients as a Missouri lawyer for more than 20 years. He graduated in the top of his class from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1992, and thereafter spent the summer working with trial attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D. C. Prior to law school, Kurt graduated from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, receiving a BA in English, with distinction. One of Kurts greatest projects is founding Safe and Sober Prom Night in 2004 in Springfield, Missouri. The program has evolved from an impaired-driving focus to preventing substance misuse in all its forms. The program today is simply known as Safe and Sober and has reached over 1 million students in 41 states, and schools as far away as Kiev, Ukraine and Queensland, Australia have downloaded their content. Safe and Sober provides an innovative way to combat substance misuse through a free program which features prevention-focused videos and curriculum that are used by schools, homeschool groups, and community organizations. Safe and Sober uses engaging and educational content, to encourage dialogue and preventative action between youth, educators, and parents. To Learn more visit www.safeandsober.org https://www.facebook.com/SafeandSoberOrg https://www.instagram.com/safeandsoberorg/ The funder of this project, along with all other products of the Mid-America PTTC is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Although funded by SAMHSA, the content of this recording does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA. Know the facts, about 1 in 4 teen car crashes involves an underage drinking driver. Talk with teens about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Impaired driving is entirely preventable. A link to a SAMHSA resource that gives tips for talking to kids about drunk and drug-impaired driving is available here - https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/parent-resources/impaired-driving

  The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), in partnership with ACF, developed a youth facing/youth developed digital platform resource.   Help young men develop good mental health practices. Share the latest resource from We Think Twice™, designed to encourage self-awareness and offer a set of tools for managing mental health. Please adapt the background information and social media posts to connect this mental health resource with those who need it.  

Empowering Prevention Professionals: A Deep Dive into Certification, Equity, and Essential Resources   Join the Southeast PTTC for this transformative webinar that unravels the pivotal role of certification for prevention professionals. In this session, we addressed the stark realities of pay equity and the hurdles many face in the path to certification. Dive deep into the state-specific requirements and arm yourself with the tools to make your journey smoother. As a highlight, we were joined by Nicole M Augustine, who shared a comprehensive study guide tailored for aspirants and introduced the Southeast PTTC’s enriching online course available on HealtheKnowledge that encapsulates the foundational performance domains integral to the certification test. This session also included a robust Q&A session where attendees clarified their questions and began a successful career trajectory in prevention.   Supplemental Resources: Webinar Workbook Presentation Slides Community Coalition Alliance Training Worksheet   Learning Objectives: Recognize the significance of certification in shaping a prevention professional’s career and its implications on pay equity. Identify the common challenges faced by professionals in obtaining certification and strategies to overcome them. Gain clarity on the varying certification prerequisites and procedures across different states. Familiarize oneself with the newly released study guide tailored to assist professionals in their certification journey. Understand the structure and content of the HealtheKnowledge online course which provides an overview of the pivotal performance domains essential for the test. Engage in a Q&A session to address individual concerns, doubts, and curiosities regarding the certification process and the resources available.    Presenter: Nicole M. Augustine, Founder & CEO of RIZE Consultants, Inc. Nicole M Augustine is the founder and CEO of RIZE Consultants. With nearly 15 years of experience in the industry, Nicole is a seasoned strategist and advisor who has helped numerous companies across various sectors achieve their goals and grow their businesses. Her expertise includes business planning, strategic management, financial analysis, and organizational development, all while centering health equity and ensuring vulnerable communities have the resources they need to thrive. Nicole is a dedicated and driven leader who is passionate about helping her clients succeed. In addition to managing RIZE Consultants, Nicole serves as an Advanced Implementation Specialist with the Opioid Response Network and a consultant to the Prevention Technology Transfer Center.

In this Issue:   The Power of Community Advocacy Additional Policy and Advocacy Resources Epi Corner: Using "Big Data" and other Digital Methodologies to Monitor Substance use Disorders (SUDs) What's Happening Around the Region

In this Issue:   September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month Additional FASD Resources Epi Corner: Reducing the Incidence of FASD: What Have We Learned? What's Happening Around the Region? What Else?

    Considering the Associations Between Substance Use and Suicide September 7, 2023   Webinar Description September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. For this month's Monthly Media Series webinar, the Pacific Southwest PTTC would like to raise awareness on this preventable issue and highlight the important intersection between substance use and suicide.  In this webinar, we will consider alcohol-related risk factors for suicide, including ways in which alcohol use can impact decision making when a person is experiencing distress. We will also review the recent literature on cannabis, focusing on mental health concerns associated with the use of high-potency cannabis, as well as associations between cannabis use disorder and suicide risk. Implications for prevention, intervention, and public health will be discussed   Objectives By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: Define “alcohol myopia” and how this relates to suicide risk. Identify a screening measure for cannabis use disorder. Describe at least one potential unwanted outcome associated with the use of high-potency cannabis. Discuss at least one implication for prevention, intervention, and public health.   Webinar Recording and Presentation Handout Considering the Associations Between Substance Use and Suicide Recording Considering the Associations Between Substance Use and Suicide Presentation Handout (PDF) *This presentation and all information contained within it is proprietary information of Dr. Jason Kilmer, Ph.D., and may not be adapted, modified, or disseminated without prior written consent of Dr. Kilmer. This presentation is intended to be used by prevention professionals for learning purposes only. This presentation is not ADA compliant.   Presenter Dr. Jason Kilmer, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Psychology at UW. Jason serves as an investigator on several studies evaluating prevention and intervention efforts for alcohol, cannabis, and other drug use by college students. In addition to research and teaching, he has worked extensively with college students and student groups around alcohol and other drug prevention programming and presentations throughout his career (including student athletes, fraternity and sorority members, residence life, and first-year students), both at UW and on over 125 campuses across the nation.    As faculty in the School of Medicine, Jason continues his direct work with students through presentations for intercollegiate athletics and residence life. Jason also serves as the chairperson of Washington state's College Coalition on Substance misuse, Advocacy, and Prevention (CCSAP)   Questions Contact Britany Wiele ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

Preemption is a judicially created principal based on the proposition that a lower governmental authority cannot act contrary to a higher level of government. Click on each state to download PDF handouts that detail additional information on alcohol regulation and policy.     DOWNLOAD RESOURCE   The information provided does not constitute legal advice. All content is for informational purposes only. This resource may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.

The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The August 2023 issue honors International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31), opioid overdose prevention training on HealtheKnowledge, and the newest NIATx in New Places series blog post written by Lynn Madden, PhD, MPA.  And as always, you will find links to all upcoming events and trainings hosted by the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC!      

Prevention Spotlight: What Does & Does Not Work in Prevention May 17, 2023   Webinar Description Many trainings and resources focus on what research has shown to be effective to prevent substance use. We also know through research what is NOT effective and sometimes harmful in preventing substance use. Yet communities across the nation continue to implement these ineffective and sometimes counterproductive strategies. The focus of this webinar will be on identifying these ineffective approaches and alternative evidence-based strategies to replace these ineffective strategies. We will also spend time discussing strategies prevention professionals can use to address the resistance often expressed by individuals and organizations reluctant to change long-standing, well-liked, but ineffective prevention practices.   Objectives In this webinar, participants will: Identify interventions that have been shown through research to not be effective in preventing substance use. Identify evidence-based interventions that can be used as effective alternatives to the ineffective strategies. Describe strategies to address resistance to discontinuing ineffective prevention strategies.   Webinar Recording and Slides What Does & Does Not Work in Prevention Recording What Does & Does Not Work in Prevention Slide Deck (PDF)   Additional Resources SAMHSA-SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment Alcohol Tax Tool Pre-Emption Tool Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity The Community Guide Reducing Vaping Among Youth and Young Adults Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health Cannabis: Moving Forward, Protecting Health SAMHSA - Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth National Academies of Science and Engineering: Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility STOP Act Report to Congress   Presenters Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH, is the Chair of the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance and a Senior Principal at Synergy Enterprises, where she serves as the Project Director for NIAAA’s APIS contract, as well as SAMHSA’s STOP Act contract. Dr. Sparks served as Project Director for CDC’s alcohol advertising monitoring project, for which she directed a team of researchers in conducting analyses of Nielsen data to determine alcohol industry compliance with self-governed rules on advertising alcohol to youth audiences. She has more than 12 years of experience in alcohol policy research, including designing, implementing, and evaluating studies, programs, and policies. Dr. Sparks has led the development of numerous publications on alcohol policy, including the 2022 Implementing Community-Level Policies to Prevent Alcohol Misuse evidence-based resource guide and the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has presented at more than a dozen conferences. She is co-chair of the Alcohol Policy conference series and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Global Alcohol Policy Conference.   Rick Collins is a Cincinnati, OH native who has resided in Hawai‘i since 2003. He specializes in public health policy on alcohol and other drugs. He is the co-founder of the Hawai‘i Alcohol Policy Alliance and the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth, and he currently serves as Coalition Director for three community coalitions across Hawai‘i. His experience includes building new community coalitions, community organizing, and building coalition capacity to implement community-level policy strategies that reduce the harms of substance use. Rick currently serves as a board member for the US Alcohol Policy Alliance. He is a Certified Prevention Specialist and holds an MS in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University   Questions Contact Kathy Gardner ([email protected]) if you have additional questions about the content related to this webinar.

This webinar will explore common risk factors for mental health and substance use disorders.   The presentation is roughly divided into two evidence-based approaches to stigma-reduction and education:  Part 1 includes a personal testimony of co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health diagnoses.  Part 2 details the common risk factors and provides context for preventing and treating co-occurring disorders   Learning Objectives:  To compare risk factors for mental health and substance use disorders To apply research-informed approaches to preventing and/or supporting recovery from mental health and/or substance use disorders   About the Presenter:   Dr. Alex Elswick joined the Department of Family Sciences at the University of Kentucky in 2020 as an Assistant Extension Professor for Substance Use Prevention and Recovery.  He began his journey with the department as a graduate student in 2015, where he earned his Master’s and PhD and later served Family and Consumer Sciences Extension as an Extension Associate and as an Extension Specialist. Alex Elswick is a tireless advocate for people who use drugs and people with substance use disorders.  He currently serves the University of Kentucky as an Assistant Extension Professor for Substance Use Prevention and Recovery. He is a trained researcher and therapist, but most importantly, Alex is himself a person in long term recovery from the chronic disease of addiction.          

This resource is adapted by the Southeast PTTC from a resource created in partnership with the Maine Prevention Workforce Development Workgroup, convened by AdCare Educational Institute of Maine under contract with the Maine Center for Disease Control. It aims to meet universal developmental training needs of the substance misuse prevention workforce in the Southeast. This resource is not specific to any one funding source or program. This resource can be used by new or current prevention professionals entering the field working in any federal, state, or locally funded prevention coalition, organization, or initiative. The purpose of this resource is to provide an overview of, and orientation to, the field of substance use prevention. We hope that the information will assist new professionals to become successful and productive. It is likely that your specific initiative or organization has its own on-boarding process and tools. This resource is offered as a supplement to your training. This document is a living document that will change as the field of substance use prevention changes. The most current document can be found at the download link above.

  This webinar will cover the products typically utilized in vape devices, such as THC. We will also discuss the components and constituents and associated health risks. Finally, we will discuss available some resources for helping people quit smoking or vaping.   Learning Objectives: Participants will increase their understanding of vape function and product usage. Participants will be able to restate the risks of vaping after the event. Participants will map policy concerns about vaping for their state/region. Participants will be able to find and recommend resources for their clients.   About the Presenter: Dr. Mary Martinasek is an Associate Professor in Public Health at the University of Tampa. She is also a registered respiratory therapist, a certified asthma educator, a tobacco treatment and health education specialist. Mary’s research is focused on hookah smoking and vaping electronic nicotine delivery devices; however, she also conducted a systematic review on the respiratory effects of inhalational marijuana. Her recent manuscripts have focused on the relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences as predictors of vaping and tobacco use, asthma and vaping, and social marketing campaigns for hookah reduction.  

Supplemental Resources: Engaging Youth to Improve Substance Misuse Prevention: Information Guide Series   Youth Engagement (YE) is an approach to prevention in which prevention organizations effectively engage youth as leaders or partners in planning, tailoring, implementing, or evaluating prevention programming. In this webinar, Dr. Ballard will describe different models of YE for prevention, share tips for YE, and provide tools to guide members of the substance misuse prevention workforce through decisions about whether, and how, to incorporate YE into their prevention work.   Learning Objectives: Identify the benefits and challenges of engaging youth voices to improve your substance misuse prevention efforts Understand different models of youth engagement Identify key questions to consider as you prepare to engage with youth to improve your substance misuse prevention efforts Become familiar with tools and resources to help you incorporate youth engagement into your substance misuse prevention efforts   About the Presenter:   Dr. Ballard is an Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine in the Wake Forest School of Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how young people engage with their communities, increasing equitable and meaningful opportunities for youth voice in communities, and understanding how youth engagement can improve community efforts and promote healthy youth development. In one current project, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, she applies ideas from developmental psychology to increase opportunities for youth voice in substance misuse prevention efforts. In another current project, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, she is co-leading a randomized-controlled trial study to understand the effects of a school-based action civics intervention. Outside of work, Parissa spends time exploring mountains, creeks, and playgrounds around North Carolina, with her husband and four young kids.

  The Using Adolescent Development to Inform Prevention Practice: Brain and Behavior provides participants with a review of adolescent development's major social and biological factors and implications for ways to approach substance use prevention/intervention. Objectives: Describe prevalence rates for adolescent substance use in Region 8, including the most frequently used substances. Explain social and biological (brain development) factors of adolescent development in relation to substance use. Analyze the relationship between developmental factors and prevention/intervention of substance use.   Create a FREE HealtheKnowledge.org account to access this course 24/7. Click below to get started: Create Account and Start Course Now or Later Complete the course at your own pace!   A certificate for one (1) contact hours (CEHs) is available upon completion. *See our Continuing Education page for more information   This e-learning course was developed by the Mountain Plains PTTC. Adolescent Development Resources:  Effects of Substances on the Teen Brain (2 minute shareable video)