This is the first of two introductory courses on substance abuse prevention, providing an overview of the field of prevention and some of its basic principles and concepts. Definitions are offered of the terms “substance”, “abuse”, and “prevention” by presenting classifications of substances, discussing levels of substance use and abuse, and examining what is involved in preventing harmful health behaviors. This course describes the nature and scope of substance abuse as a public health problem in this country. The history of prevention is summarized by describing various approaches that have been utilized over time. Key concepts in prevention are introduced, including risk factors, protective factors, resiliency, the IOM Model, and environmental prevention. The course concludes by introducing SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework, which is then used in the second introductory course to organize course material on the practice of substance abuse prevention.

This is the second of two introductory courses on substance abuse prevention, building on the first course which provided an overview of the field of prevention. As we turn our attention to how substance abuse prevention is put into practice, this course utilizes the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) endorsed by SAMHSA to organize the material covered. The SPF covers five areas in which prevention is practiced: Assessment, Capacity Building, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. Before examining prevention practice in these five areas, the course explores a key concept underlying all areas of the SPF: defining and targeting of groups as audiences and participants in prevention. The course also addresses the importance of cultural competence and sustainability in substance abuse prevention, which are two elements of the Strategic Prevention Framework that also cut across the five areas of practice.

Why is it so hard to change our behavior? This course examines the subject of behavioral change by presenting the Transtheoretical Model of change. The Transtheoretical Model is based on extensive research and combines several theories and approaches to the change process. After looking at the challenges of change and common myths about change, the learner is introduced to nine major processes related to changing behavior. These processes are applied and related to the six major stages of change. While the material in this course is relevant to behavior change in any context, connections to substance abuse are identified and discussed.

Adolescence is generally viewed as a difficult time in a young person’s life. This course will provide information on the challenges and issues that surround adolescents as well as the developmental challenges that are taking place. You’ll get facts and figures about adolescent development and lots of information about the five major developmental challenges adolescents face. You’ll also learn how this information relates to the design and implementation of youth programs.

Needs assessment is a critical step in the practice of substance abuse prevention in a community. This course is a practical guide to conducting needs assessment studies specifically for substance abuse prevention. Assessment is the first of five components in the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) promoted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In this course, the student will learn what is involved in conducting a needs assessment, the purposes fulfilled by assessments, and how to collect and analyze data for a needs assessment study. The course presents a four-step method for conducting an assessment.

When conducting an assessment in a community related to substance abuse, it is important to assess both needs and assets in the community. A useful technique on the assets side of the equation is Asset Mapping. This course explains what is involved in Asset Mapping and provides specific instructions on how to conduct an Asset Mapping project. Examples are provided of prevention initiatives that made use of Asset Mapping as a tool for identifying and mobilizing resources in a community.

The second step in SAMHSA’s five-step Strategic Prevention Framework is Capacity Building. Building capacity for prevention work in a community is critical. In this course, you will learn about the five aspects of Capacity Building: Resources, Collaboration, Information, Skills, and Institutionalization. An approach to assessing the current capacity of a community is provided, along with a “readiness continuum” to help interpret the results of your assessment. The course then suggests how to use the results of a readiness assessment to establish a strategy for Capacity Building activities.

The news media, when used strategically, has profound impact on community norms in telling people what to think. With prevention efforts, the news media is a powerful means to inform and gain public and policymaker support for policy goals. This online course provides the learner with information on how to integrate the news media into their prevention efforts.

Did you know…studies have shown that in communities where no organized efforts were done to reduce sales to underage persons, individuals who looked younger than age 21 were able to buy alcohol without showing ID in 45-50% of their attempts? Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) has been shown to lower the number of underage youth who are served alcohol as well as decrease the number of intoxicated patrons at bars and liquor stores. This course will provide participants with background information on RBS, the elements of effective RBS practices, and the importance of RBS as part of a community's efforts to prevent alcohol-related problems

In this course, you'll learn more about why mentoring has become so popular. The growth of mentoring is related to its effectiveness. The more we know about what makes a mentoring relationship effective, the more we can apply this understanding and improve mentoring results. In turn, increased effectiveness will lead to more growth in mentoring programs. As we explore what mentors actually do to help young people, we'll focus on communication skills. You'll get some specific "tips and techniques" for communicating with adolescents along with an understanding of what mentors should be trying to accomplish as they communicate with their mentees.

Starting a mentoring program is hard work. In this training you will learn how to design your mentoring program so that it will be self-sustaining, financially sound and a safe program for the youth you serve. You will learn how to incorporate best practices of mentoring programs in your program design. You’ll learn how to develop mission statements, budgets, policies and procedures, and resource plans. Mentoring activities and relationship guidelines will also be addressed.

The longer you're involved with a mentoring program, the more you'll see that its success is built on the contributions of volunteer mentors. Yet finding those volunteers can be one of the most daunting and difficult tasks you'll face. As you try to recruit mentors you may feel, at times, like you're trying to scale a mountain! Recruiting mentors is a major challenge—but it can be done. This course will provide you with information and helpful hints that will allow you to create an effective mentor recruitment strategy for your program.

There are many types of mentoring programs, with one important type being a program that focuses on improving the academic performance of young people. This course explores the specific characteristics of academic mentoring and how best to design and manage such a program. You’ll learn about the different approaches mentors can take in academic mentoring as well as tips and techniques for making an academic mentoring program successful.

The content of this course has been adapted from the following two resources: Creating and Sustaining A Winning Match by Dustianne North and Jerry Sherk and Designing and Customizing Mentor Training by Elsy Arevalo with contributions by DeVone Boggan and Lynne West. The six areas of mentoring case management presented in this course are related to the Elements of a Successful Mentoring Program recognized widely in the mentoring field.

The mentoring field pays close attention to recruitment, training, matching, and supervising in managing mentoring relationships. Too often, less attention is paid to the end of the relationship. The closure of relationships is an important aspect of mentoring case management. This course identifies three types of match endings: Match Completions, Positive Early Endings, and Terminations. For each type of closure, the course presents guidelines, steps, and activities to bring about a successful match ending. The course concludes by offering recommendations for reducing the incidence of early match endings and by listing additional resources on the subject of mentoring relationship closure Understanding Adolescents and Their Developmental Challenges

In this course, you'll learn more about why mentoring has become so popular. The growth of mentoring is related to its effectiveness. The more we know about what makes a mentoring relationship effective, the more we can apply this understanding and improve mentoring results. In turn, increased effectiveness will lead to more growth in mentoring programs. As we explore what mentors actually do to help young people, we'll focus on communication skills. You'll get some specific "tips and techniques" for communicating with adolescents along with an understanding of what mentors should be trying to accomplish as they communicate with their mentees.

This course is your orientation into the world of mentoring. While participating in this training, you will learn what it means to be a mentor and see how mentoring programs work. In this course, we will cover the basics of mentoring - the history of mentoring, what mentors actually do, and what kind of support you can expect from your mentoring program. You will also be introduced to the dynamics of the mentoring relationship. You can continue your learning on the mentoring relationship in a companion course - "What Makes Mentoring Work?"

Adolescence is generally viewed as a difficult time in a young person’s life. This course will provide information on the challenges and issues that surround adolescents as well as the developmental challenges that are taking place. You’ll get facts and figures about adolescent development and lots of information about the five major developmental challenges adolescents face. You’ll also learn how this information relates to the design and implementation of youth programs.

This online course is your orientation into the world of mentoring! You’ll learn what it means to have a mentor and see how mentoring programs work. Throughout the course you will learn form the experience of others who have had mentors. You will get a good feel for what it’s like to have a mentor and how the whole mentoring process works. Mentee Workbook Included.