Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse

Welcome to Prevention Science Foundation: Shared Risk and Protective Factors.  This course is a 7 hour, self-paced course for working in the field of prevention and healthy youth development. Learners will watch videos, read information from the surgeon general, and reflect on their learning  using journaling techniques. Participants will apply and test their knowledge through quizzes following each module. The goal of this course is to help participants understand prevention science. Join Kevin Haggerty, the Director of the Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), and John Briney, Research Scientist and Data Manager, for a deeper dive into risk and protective factors for healthy youth development – what they are, why they’re important, and how to measure them at the community level.

This product was funded under a cooperative agreement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (Grant Number: H79SP080995). All material, except that taken directly from copyrighted sources, is in the public domain and may be used and reprinted for training purposes without special permission. However, any content used should be attributed to the Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center. This product should be used for educational purposes only.

Certificate of Completion Available

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This 4 hour self-paced course was created through the National PTTC Implementation Science (IS) Work Group which exists to promote the effective selection and implementation of evidence-based interventions for prevention professionals and stakeholders, in order to provide services with fidelity that are culturally intelligent and result in positive outcomes. Specific to this course is a step wise process for selecting prevention programming and interventions utilizing prevention science. The first module describes the application of prevention science. The second module discusses environmental strategies. The third module discusses behavioral strategies. The forth module covers conceptual and practical fit that aligns the intervention to the community/local issue. 

This training was developed under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Prevention Technology Transfer Center task order. Reference # 1H79SP081018.  For training use only.

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This 4 hour course is intended to provide Community Health workers with an understanding of substance use prevention and the role of Community Health Workers in substance use prevention. 

Training Objectives:

• Understand the foundations of substance use prevention utilizing the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF).
• Identify a minimum of 3 shared Risk and Protective factors for substance use and mental health prevention.
• Identify a minimum of 2 strategies for substance use prevention that I can implement in my work as a community health worker.

This course was developed by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center, which is funded by cooperative agreement 6H79SP081020-05M005 from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and covers the HHS Region 1 (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT).

Certificate of Completion Available

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Data collection is a critical and ongoing component of prevention, especially when following a data- informed evidence-based process like SAMHSA’ s Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) . Data are relevant in some way to every step of the SPF. The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency created many  challenges in implementing effective prevention, including data collection. While much of our work in prevention has returned to pre-pandemic approaches, there are some advantages to online data collection methods and it is worth considering when collecting data virtually might better meet data  collection needs.

This 1.5 hour self-paced online course will provide a general overview of evaluation and best pra ctices for collecting primary data virtually , focusing on both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods.  The course will review online surveys, including surveys with youth and ethical considerations; focus groups and listening sessions; interv iews; and other methods. The course will use case study examples and provide additional resources.

The Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) developed this course with support from SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through SAMHSA Cooperative Agreement #H79SP081015-01. 

Certificate of Completion Available

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As we plan and work toward improving the overall wellness of the communities we serve, it is important that we understand the social determinants of health (SDOH). The SDOH are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. Understanding SDOH and how prevention work intersects with them is essential to providing a comprehensive approach in your community. In this course you will have the opportunity to examine the SDOH and how prevention professionals can use this framework in developing innovative prevention strategies and build partnerships across multiple disciplines in your community.

The course consists of an interactive content module and a completion quiz. It is estimated that the course may take up to 1 hour to complete.

This course was developed by the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and covers the HHS Region 5(IN, IL, MI, MN, OH, WI).

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Harm reduction is increasingly emphasized as an important approach when working across the continuum of care. While many in the prevention field remain focused on primary prevention, opportunities exist for preventionists to support and augment local harm reduction efforts. This online course focuses on steps prevention practitioners can take to support harm reduction efforts, including promoting community readiness, addressing stigma, and linking harm reduction to more traditional “upstream” prevention efforts. 

The course consists of an interactive content module and a completion quiz. It is estimated that the course may take up to 2 hours to complete.

This course was developed by the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and covers the HHS Region 5 (IN, IL, MI, MN, OH, WI).

Certificate of Completion Available

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Health equity matters in prevention and has always mattered.  It is and should always be at the core of everything we do. This means understanding the role of structural and institutional inequality in creating disparities. With health equity in the front of mind we can ensure that we are providing the best prevention interventions possible to meet community needs. Take this course to uncover why health equity matters and how we can prioritize equity in action.

The course consists of an interactive content module and a completion quiz. It is estimated that the course may take up to 2 hours to complete.

This course was developed by the Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and covers the HHS Region 5 (IN, IL, MI, MN, OH, WI).

Certificate of Completion Available

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This course is part three of a 3-part series found in category Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse. Other courses are titled (part 1) Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs) Overview, and (part 2) Identifying & Selecting Evidence Based Practices for the Local Community: A Closer Look.

In the capstone segment we'll bring all our learning from the previous sessions, with emphasis on fidelity (how to plan against pitfalls), sustainability, and learn how to monitor our EBP implementation for maximum impact on your identified substance use/misuse prevention efforts.

In this course we will cover:

• What are some fidelity pitfalls?
• Unpack EBP adaptations.
• How can we monitor implementation?

This course was developed by the Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Certificate of Completion Available

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The aspects of life that influence a person’s health, including their likelihood of engaging in risky behavior such as substance use, are numerous and varied. They range from very immediate, personal characteristics to overarching societal trends and conditions. The social determinants of health are these larger social or environmental aspects that influence us, such as the economic status of the neighborhoods in which we live, our access to quality health care services, and the amount of discrimination we face. This three-part, 3 hour, self-paced course will provide a comprehensive overview of the social determinants of health and examine the influence they have on substance use. It will also discuss the impacts a public health approach can have on them, review how to turn prevention knowledge into actionable processes, and provide recommendations on how to address them through the principles of prevention science and using environmental and other strategies.

This course was developed by the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center.

Certificate of Completion Available

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Logic Models: Mapping Your Prevention Efforts is a course for prevention practitioners to help them understand logic models, and provide guidance for building a logic model for their prevention program.

The course consists of an interactive content module and a completion quiz. It is estimated that the course may take up to 2 hours to complete.

This course was developed by the Great Lakes Prevention Technology transfer, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and covers the HHS Region 5 (IN, IL, MI, MN, OH, WI).

Certificate of Completion Available

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This course is part two of a 3-part series found in category Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse. Other courses are titled (part 1) Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs) Overview, and (part 3) Evidence Based Practices: Implementation with Fidelity and Sustainability.

In our second segment on Evidence Based Practices we'll look at what must happen for intervention success and share how to select the best options, plus unpack the core elements of an intervention.

In this 1 hour course we will cover:

• What must happen for intervention success?
• What happens after searching for EBPs?
• What parts of an intervention are the most important to deliver with fidelity?

This course was developed by the Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Certificate of Completion Available

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As the landscape of medicinal and adult personal use of cannabis change across the country, prevention practitioners are left with mixed messages about how to address youth cannabis use. Research is catching up to this changing landscape, and new information about how perception of harm and related factors impact youth cannabis use are emerging. This two-module, 2.5 hour, webinar course will focus on the research behind those factors, as well as evidence-informed strategies for addressing them.

This publication was prepared by the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network under a cooperative agreement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Award No. 3H79SP081006-04S1.

Certificate of Completion Available

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What Does Not Work in Prevention is a course for prevention practitioners designed to help them identify interventions that have been shown through research to NOT be effective in preventing substance misuse, understand evidence-based approaches that can be used as effective alternatives to the ineffective/counterproductive strategies, and engage in strategies to address resistance to discontinuing ineffective and/or counterproductive prevention strategies.

The course consists of an interactive content module and a completion quiz. It is estimated that the course may take up to 2 hours to complete.

This course was developed by the Great Lakes Prevention Technology transfer, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and covers the HHS Region 5 (IN, IL, MI, MN, OH, WI).

Certificate of Completion available

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This course is part one of a 3-part series found in category Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse. Other courses are titled (part 2) Identifying & Selecting Evidence Based Practices for the Local Community: A Closer Look, and (part 3) Evidence Based Practices: Implementation with Fidelity and Sustainability.

When it comes to Evidence Based Programs there are a lot of questions. What are EBP's? Why should we use them? When are they most effective? This introduction course to our series will answer these questions and more; plus we'll introduce how to find the best fit for a community's prevention efforts. 

In this 1 hour course we will cover:

• What are Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs)?
• Why are EBPs so desirable?
• When are EBPs most effective?
• What do we need to know before selecting EBPs?
• How do you find EBPs?

This course was developed by the Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Certificate of Completion Available

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This course will cover the basics of adolescent brain development, how substance misuse can impact brain development and behavior, and how differences in age of initiation, and using other substances may influence brain development. Highlighting findings from the multisite longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study and the University of California San Diego Department of Psychiatry’s Tobacco-Cannabis study, this course provides the latest information on research in this area. By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the basics of adolescent brain development
2. Identify how adolescent substance use impacts brain development and behavior
3. Explain how pre-existing neural differences, age of initiation, and co-occurring substance use may influence neurodevelopment in adolescent substance users
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the ABCD Study
5. Summarize kef findings related to the study of cannabis and nicotine in the brain

This course was developed by the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center.

Certificate of Completion Available 

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In this 1 hour webinar, participants will review major social and biological factors of adolescent development and implications for ways to approach substance use prevention/intervention.

Objectives Include:

• 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 relation between developmental factors and prevention/intervention of substance use

This webinar was presented under the direction of the Mountain Plains Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and covers the HHS Region8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY).

Certificate of Completion Available

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The major focus of this online course is to discuss how opioid misuse and overdose prevention strategies can be coordinated with efforts around infectious disease control in order to improve data collection, align resources, increase access to focus populations, and address shared risk and protective factors. 

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the current intersections between the opioid epidemic and the increases in infectious disease.
• Share evidence-based and promising interventions for addressing the epidemic.
• Identify potential roles for prevention practitioners.

Developed by the South-Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center.

3.0 Hour Certificate of Completion Available

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Cannabis Pharmacology for Substance Misuse Prevention Practitioners is a 4.5 hour self-paced course that provides important information on what prevention professionals need to know about cannabis. Dr. Hayden Center presents the following 3-part series:

• The Effects of Cannabis
• Cannabis and the Adolescent Brain
• Cannabis Pharmacology

The ideal audience for this training is prevention organizations/coalitions and the prevention professionals serving at the local, state, regional and/or national levels that would like to learn and/or review updated and science-based information on cannabis to be better equipped to serve their communities.This can include coalition members, agencies, sector representatives and partners, volunteer staff, and other key partners, stakeholders, and collaborators. This training can also be appropriate for the broader public, with interest in the role cannabis policies is impacting, informing, influencing and shaping changes in their communities.

This training was developed by the PTTC Cannabis Prevention Working Group, with special support from the New England PTTC (1 H79 SP081020-01).

About the PTTC Cannabis Prevention Working Group:The mission of the PTTC Network Cannabis Prevention Work Group is to develop training and technical assistance tools, products, and service, related specifically to cannabis risk education and prevention, that can be deployed across the nation.

Certificate of Completion Available

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In this 1.5 - hour video course, we discuss engaging youth prevention leaders in the virtual setting to address substance misuse prevention. By the end of this course, participants will gain an understanding of tools for communicating safely and effectively with youth, virtual project planning tools and techniques to build youth buy-in and ways to foster youth development virtually.

Developed by the Mid-America Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC). 

Certificate of Completion Available

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The following e-learning course provide an overview of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol for use with adolescents (ages 9 to 22). The content of this e-learning course was designed for prevention professionals, school personnel, social workers, addictions counselors, and other non-medical professionals.

Course Objectives:

1. Describe what SBIRT stands for and what each component means.
2. Identify why SBIRT is relevant and important for use with adolescents and young adults.
3. Demonstrate the ability to recognize the prevalence of substance use among youth and how SBIRT can prevent longer-term problems.
4. Define standard measures of various types of drinks/alcohol to increase knowledge of baseline information and guidelines regarding moderate and high-risk alcohol use.

This e-learning course was developed by the Mountain Plains Prevention Technology Transfer Center (MPPTTC).

Certificate of Completion Available

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