An interactive, self-paced course for practitioners new to the field of prevention. Introduces basic terminology and facts, the history of substance use and prevention in the U.S., the effects of addiction on the brain, and the effects and health risks of substance use. This course can stand alone; it is also a required component of the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST).

Audience: Entry-level prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 5 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 5 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements.

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from the date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

Course Modules

Each module contains practical information and interactive exercises designed to help you apply course content to your work. This course also contains numerous resources—including summaries, tools, and links to external sites—to supplement the online course experience.

The opioid crisis is galvanizing individuals across disciplines to reduce the number of lives lost to overdoses. This award-winning online course is designed to help practitioners understand and address this pressing public health problem. Through engaging activities, reflections, and videotaped interviews with prevention leaders, participants will explore the range of factors associated with opioid overdose and promising strategies to address it.

This course is the proud winner of a 2018 eHealthcare Leadership award, winning platinum in the categories of best healthcare content and best interaction.

Audience: Prevention practitioners and others working to prevent opioid overdose and overdose death

Course Length: 5 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 5 hours of participation.

This training has been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements.

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from the date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the scope of the opioid overdose crisis in the U.S and the role of prevention in addressing it
• Describe factors associated with opioid overdose
• Describe strategies that have shown promise in reducing opioid misuse and/or overdose
• Describe strategies that have shown promise in preventing overdose death and disability
• Describe the characteristics of a comprehensive prevention approach and the benefits of adopting one

Course Modules

• Module 1: Overview of the Problem and the Role of Prevention examines the scope of the opioid overdose crisis in the U.S. and types of opioids involved, trends that are driving the current crisis, and the role of prevention in addressing it.
• Module 2: Factors Associated with Opioid Overdose explores six categories of factors associated with opioid overdose, including opioid use and misuse, physiological changes, chronic pain and mental health, opioid access and supply, overdose knowledge and perceptions, and non-fatal overdose.
• Module 3: Strategies to Reduce Opioid Overdose Risk examines six strategies that have shown promise in reducing opioid misuse and/or overdose, including education, prescription drug disposal program, prescription drug monitoring programs, prescribing and dispensing regulations, law enforcement actions, and treatment and recovery support services.
• Module 4: Strategies to Prevent Overdose Death and Disability describes the benefits of naloxone access and promotion legislation and programs, and 911 Good Samaritan legislation.
• Module 5: The Value of a Comprehensive Approach explores three characteristics of a comprehensive approach to opioid overdose prevention and four benefits of taking this type of approach.

This course offers practitioners new to the field of prevention a “just in time” opportunity to learn about the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)—SAMHSA’s five-step, data-driven planning process. Using a case-based approach, this course engages practitioners in each step of the model, following five communities as they work to assess local needs, build capacity to address prevention priorities, plan prevention activities, implement evidence-based strategies, and evaluate their prevention efforts.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 4 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 4 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements. 

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the purpose of the Strategic Prevention Framework
• Describe the steps and guiding principles of the SPF
• Define the purpose and key concepts associated with each step of the SPF
• Identify ways to demonstrate cultural competence during each step of the SPF
• Identify ways to promote sustainability during each step of the SPF
• Access additional resources to enhance your understanding and application of the SPF

Course Modules

• Module 1: Introduction to the SPF explores the steps of the SPF with guiding principles and cultural competence.
  
• Module 2: Assessment walks participants through the process of by assessing problems and related behaviors, risk and protective factors and the capacity for prevention.
  
• Module 3: Capacity engages diverse stakeholders and raising community awareness.
  
• Module 4: Planning prioritizes risk and protective factors, how to ensure a comprehensive approach and how to build and share your logic model.
• Module 5: Implementation provides an overview of how to connect with key partners, consider fidelity and adaption, maintain core components adapt with care and establish implementation supports.
• Module 6: Evaluation discusses the benefits and types of evaluation as well as evaluation tasks and principles.

All the modules discuss how cultural competence and sustainability work with that step in the SPF.

Each module contains practical information and interactive exercises designed to help you apply course content to your work. This course also contains numerous resources – including tip sheets, tools, and links to external sites – to supplement the online course experience.

This interactive, self-paced course provides an overview of sustainability within the context of prevention— including how it’s defined, different sustainability approaches, and factors that contribute to success. It is appropriate for practitioners working at both the state and local levels.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 2 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 2 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements.

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Define sustainability within the context of prevention.
• Describe the importance of sustaining both effective prevention processes and interventions.
• Identify three ways to sustain effective prevention practices at the local level.
• Identify three sustainability keys to success.
• Define and describe an effective sustainability planning process.

Course Modules

• Module 1: What is Sustainability? explores the meaning of sustainability in the context of prevention and how the concept of sustainability can be integrated into each step of SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework.
  
• Module 2: What to Sustain? highlights the importance of sustaining both prevention processes and prevention outcomes, and looks at what comprises each.
  
• Module 3: Sustainability Approaches leads participants through three sustainability approaches: adoption, guidelines and norms, and revenue and resources.
  
• Module 4: Keys to Success introduces the three keys to sustainability success: effectiveness, internal capacity, and community support.
  
• Module 5: Sustainability Planning provides an overview of key planning tasks: prioritizing prevention approaches, selecting sustainability approaches, and developing a communications plan.

This interactive, self-paced course builds on the foundation of its introductory companion course Prevention SustainAbilities: Understanding the Basics by walking practitioners through a step-by-step process for developing a written plan to sustain successful prevention practices.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 3 hours

Certification. This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 3 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements.

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the steps involved in developing a sustainability plan in prevention.
• Describe and use a systematic process for setting sound sustainability goals in prevention.
• Describe and use a systematic process for selecting feasible fiscal strategies to achieve sustainability goals.
• Describe and use a two-phased approach for communicating with potential supporters to move selected fiscal strategies forward.
• Identify four ways to support ongoing sustainability efforts at the local level once a written plan is in place.
• Identify opportunities for individuals with varied expertise and experience to participate in the development and implementation of a sustainability plan in prevention.

Course Modules

• Module 1: Introduction to Sustainability Planning explores the importance of planning, who should develop the plan, building a planning team and developing a sustainability plan.
  
• Module 2: Setting Sustainability Goals walks participants through the process of establishing guidelines and why we establish them, the task force role, examining processes, how strategic planning records can help, filling information gaps, examining interventions, applying intervention guidelines, setting goals and the characteristic of sound sustainability goals.
  
• Module 3: Selecting Fiscal Strategies leads participants through writing concrete objectives, identifying resources, focusing on the essentials, resources shared across goals, from objectives to costs, as well as projecting and documenting costs, tips for selecting fiscal strategies, applying for grants and earning and raising money.
  
• Module 4: Developing a Communication Plan highlights establishing a guiding framework, the benefits of exploring before asking, developing a case statement, what should the case statement include, holding exploratory conversations, identifying initial contacts, developing talking points, holding exploratory conversations and sharing and recording findings
  
• Module 5: Working the Plan Over Time provides an overview for monitoring progress, providing updates, responding to changes, responding to changes in action, celebrating success and how success breeds success.

This interactive, self-paced course for practitioners engaged in the process of assessing the substance abuse needs of their communities. Participants will explore a step-wise process for identifying and finding the data they need, engaging partners in the data-gathering process, overcoming challenges obtaining the data they’re looking for, and managing and interpreting the data they collect.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 2 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 2 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements. 

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Define existing data and explain why it is a vital part of an assessment effort.
• Develop a plan to identify and obtain existing data.
• Engage partners in the data-gathering process.
• Recognize and address potential challenges to getting data.
• Store and record the data you gather.

Course Modules

• Module 1: What is Existing Data? explores the benefits of using existing data and how it can be used across SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework.
  
• Module 2: How to Begin walks participants through the process of identifying data needs and gaps, and developing a data inventory.
  
• Module 3: Where to Find Data leads participants through a treasure hunt of important local, state, and national data sources.
  
• Module 4: Why Won't People Share? highlights the importance of identifying data keepers, and offers tips for recognizing and overcoming common barriers to accessing data, such as confidentiality, limited time and resources, trust, and ownership.
  
• Module 5: Managing the Data provides an overview of issues to consider once the data is on-hand, such as data storage, record-keeping, and determining data quality.

This interactive, self-paced course engages practitioners in the process of assessing the substance abuse needs of their communities. Participants will explore a step-wise process for creating focus groups, identifying and preparing staff to lead them, recruiting participants, and organizing and analyzing the data and the qualitative data these groups produce. It is appropriate for practitioners working at both the state and local levels.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 2 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 2 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements. 

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• List the defining features of a focus group
• Recognize opportunities for using focus groups across SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework
• Develop a research question and related discussion guide for your focus groups
• Select appropriate staff to lead and capture data from your focus groups
• Identify key factors to consider when composing and scheduling focus groups
• Design an effective process for recruiting focus group participants
• Identify key steps and effective techniques for conducting a focus group
• Identify strategies for understanding and using focus group data

Course Modules

• Module 1: Introduction to Focus Groups explores what a focus group is, as well as how to find a focus group and key elements and the benefits of focus groups  as well as how it can be used across SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework
  
• Module 2: Developing a Protocol walks participants through the process of developing a protocol, creating a discussion guide as well as what types of questions are appropriate.
  
• Module 3: Identifying Staff leads participants through the qualities of an effective facilitator as well as how to choose one, as well as note-taker/recorder, recording the session and taking notes.
  
• Module 4: Composing and Scheduling Groups highlights the importance of groups: how many groups, the complexity, size, and diversity as well as removing barriers and establishing incentives.
  
• Module 5: Recruiting Participants provides an overview of issues to consider such as screening criteria, recruitment strategies, inviting participants, confirming in writing as well as following up with a phone call.
  
• Module 6: Conducting a Focus Group provides an overview of issues to consider including how to get ready, open the session, asking key questions, facing challenges, veering off course, and closing remarks.
  
• Module 7: Dealing with the Data highlights the importance of analyzing your data, confirming your findings, writing everything down and taking action.

Each module contains practical information and interactive exercises designed to help you apply course content to your work. This course also contains numerous resources – including tip sheets, tools, and links to external sites – to supplement the online course experience.

Key informant interviews are often considered the easiest and most straightforward of the data collection methods used in prevention. Yet the apparent simplicity of this approach can be deceiving, leaving many well-intentioned practitioners without much useful information once their interviews are over. This interactive, self-paced online course offers practitioners user-friendly guidance for planning and conducting interviews that produce the valuable information they need to inform their prevention efforts.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 2 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 2 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements. 

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Define the characteristics of key informant interviews
• Recognize opportunities for using key informant interviews across SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework
• Describe the main tasks involved in planning key informant interviews
• Identify appropriate key informants based on the purpose of the interview
• Recognize the different types of questions to include in an interview guide
• Identify strategies for overcoming common interview challenges
• Explain how to compile and use collected data

Course Modules

• Module 1: Introduction is about the key informant interview: what it is, how to find it, characteristics of it, who is the right person, benefits of the interview, common challenges and key informant interviews across the SPF.
  
• Module 2: Planning Your Interviews walks participants through the process of identifying the scenario, clarifying the purpose, identifying appropriate organizations, how to choose the right key informants, selecting the interviewer, being persistent, determining the format, and tips for documenting the interview.
  
• Module 3: Developing an Interview Guide leads participants through the process of developing the introduction, the questions, and the follow-up.
  
• Module 4: Conducting Interviews goes through an interview and all the challenges that can arise including late starts, less time than anticipated, vague uninformative answers, defensive responses, speculative answers, and ending the interview abruptly.
  
• Module 5: Using the Data provides an overview of issues to consider once the data is on-hand, such as how to summarize the interview, main points, interviewer comments, how to ensure confidentiality, how to compile and interpret the data.

Contains the information and tools practitioners need to involve youth in all aspects of their prevention programs. It describes the many benefits of involving youth in prevention programming, as well as strategies for recruiting young people and creating meaningful activities that will keep youth engaged, over time.

Audience: Prevention practitioners working at the state level or in communities

Course Length: 5 hours

Certification: This course has been endorsed by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Individuals who receive a passing grade on the course self-assessment (80% correct) will receive a certificate for 5 hours of participation.

This training has also been approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to satisfy CASAC renewal requirements and CPP/CPS initial/renewal credentialing requirements. 

Education Development Center is a NADAAC-approved vendor.

Length of Access: Registered participants will have access to course materials for 30 days from date of purchase.

Learning Objectives

• Describe youth involvement as a youth development approach
• Understand the benefits of youth involvement—for young people, your prevention program, and your prevention organization, as a whole.
• Describe ways to involve youth in meaningful ways
• Describe the nature of adultism and tips for preparing youth and adults to work together
• Implement effective recruitment and retention strategies

Course Modules

• Module 1: Making the Case explores the benefits of youth, as well as the benefits to programs, organizations and in action, in the community and key strategies
  
• Module 2: Involving Youth in Positive Ways discusses connecting activities to program goals and prevention strategies, determining levels of responsibility and tapping into social media skills.
  
• Module 3: Youth and Adults Working Together leads participants through how to overcome stereotypes, self-assessment, youth-adult relationships, what adults can do and what youth need to learn.
  
• Module 4: Recruiting Youth highlights the importance of recruiting: how to get ready, casting a wide net and things to be aware of in your own community.
  
• Module 5: Keeping Youth on Board talks about training for adults and youth, how to supervise youth, and tips for building relationships.
  
• Module 6: Overcoming Barriers to Youth Involvement discusses breaking down barriers, things to be aware of in your community and key strategies to put into place.