Training at Prevention First

Join us for an innovative four-day, in-person training that will equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to implement effective, data-driven prevention strategies that reduce behavioral health disparities and promote overall wellness. This training is perfect for entry-level prevention specialists, individuals seeking certification, public health professionals, and health educators.

What Does The SAPST Prepare You To Do?

• Improve Practice: Develop a comprehensive approach to prevention guided by SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework.
• Reduce Disparities: Identify the needs of vulnerable populations and enhance cultural competency to reduce behavioral health disparities.
• Sustain Prevention: Collaborate effectively across sectors to address shared risk factors and improve community health and well-being.

Certified Prevention Specialist Hours:

• IC&RC's Prevention Specialist Credentialing Approved: This training offers 31 hours that can be applied toward meeting the education/training requirement.
• Continuing education hours (CEUs) are only available to participants who complete the online and in-person training components.

Note: Although some of the content is similar, the SAPTS training does not meet the IDHS SUPP New Worker training requirements of IISUP I, IISUP II, and IISUP III.

The SAPST includes a self-paced online component and face-to-face training, totaling 31 training hours. Before registration for the in-person training can be approved, SAPST participants MUST complete the online course Introduction to Substance Abuse Prevention: Understanding the Basics.

During this course, you will learn how to support young people in your life and your work.

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adolescents ages 12-18. You will build the skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to young people who are struggling. You will also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

After the course, you will be able to:

• Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
• Recognize common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges.
• Understand how to interact with a young person in crisis.
• Know how to connect a young person with help.
• Better understand trauma, substance use, self-care, and the impact of social media and bullying.

TGFD is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce the risk factors and enhance the protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among students. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the core curriculum while acquiring essential prevention education teaching strategies. The trainer will familiarize participants with the research, theory, and concepts behind the program and provide an opportunity for facilitation practice.

The Too Good for Drugs Program has a developmentally appropriate and separate curriculum for grades K-12. This training is designed to prepare facilitators to implement the Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) Program successfully for 4th/5th grade students and with fidelity within a classroom setting.

Too Good for Drugs Program manuals/materials are NOT included with this training program. Participants may bring all Teachers Manuals for the Too Good for Drugs Program for grades they facilitate or at the least, participants should bring a minimum of one Teacher’s Manual as well as one Student Workbook.

Participants who do not have the most up-to-date materials may obtain them from the Mendez Foundation at https://toogoodprograms.org/collections/too-good-for-drugs

Prevention First will have training materials on hand for viewing only.

TGFD is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce the risk factors and enhance the protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among students. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the core curriculum while acquiring essential prevention education teaching strategies. The trainer will familiarize participants with the research, theory, and concepts behind the program and provide an opportunity for facilitation practice.

The Too Good for Drugs Program has a developmentally appropriate and separate curriculum for grades K-12. This training is designed to prepare facilitators to implement the Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) Program for either MS or HS grades successfully and with fidelity within a classroom setting. It is most applicable to those that facilitate TGFD in both the MS and the HS settings. However, it will meet the IDHS training requirements for those implementing TGFD in either middle school or high school.  

Too Good for Drugs Program manuals/materials are NOT included with this training program. Participants may bring all Teachers Manuals for the Too Good for Drugs Program for grades they facilitate or at the least participants should bring a minimum of one Teacher’s Manual as well as one Student Workbook.

Participants who do not have the most up-to-date materials may obtain them from the Mendez Foundation at https://toogoodprograms.org/collections/too-good-for-drugs 

Prevention First will have training materials on hand for viewing only.

TGFD is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce the risk factors and enhance the protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among students. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the core curriculum while acquiring essential prevention education teaching strategies. The trainer will familiarize participants with the research, theory, and concepts behind the program and provide an opportunity for facilitation practice.

The Too Good for Drugs Program has a developmentally appropriate and separate curriculum for grades K-12. This training is designed to prepare facilitators to implement the Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) Program successfully for 4th/5th grade students and with fidelity within a classroom setting.

Too Good for Drugs Program manuals/materials are NOT included with this training program. Participants may bring all Teachers Manuals for the Too Good for Drugs Program for grades they facilitate or at the least, participants should bring a minimum of one Teacher’s Manual as well as one Student Workbook.

Participants who do not have the most up-to-date materials may obtain them from the Mendez Foundation at https://toogoodprograms.org/collections/too-good-for-drugs

Prevention First will have training materials on hand for viewing only.

TGFD is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce the risk factors and enhance the protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among students. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the core curriculum while acquiring essential prevention education teaching strategies. The trainer will familiarize participants with the research, theory, and concepts behind the program and provide an opportunity for facilitation practice.

The Too Good for Drugs Program has a developmentally appropriate and separate curriculum for grades K-12. This training is designed to prepare facilitators to implement the Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) Program for either MS or HS grades successfully and with fidelity within a classroom setting. It is most applicable to those that facilitate TGFD in both the MS and the HS settings. However, it will meet the IDHS training requirements for those implementing TGFD in either middle school or high school.  

Too Good for Drugs Program manuals/materials are NOT included with this training program. Participants may bring all Teachers Manuals for the Too Good for Drugs Program for grades they facilitate or at the least participants should bring a minimum of one Teacher’s Manual as well as one Student Workbook.

Participants who do not have the most up-to-date materials may obtain them from the Mendez Foundation at https://toogoodprograms.org/collections/too-good-for-drugs 

Prevention First will have training materials on hand for viewing only.

During this course, you will learn how to support young people in your life and your work.

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adolescents ages 12-18. You will build the skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to young people who are struggling. You will also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

After the course, you will be able to:

• Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
• Recognize common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges.
• Understand how to interact with a young person in crisis.
• Know how to connect a young person with help.
• Better understand trauma, substance use, self-care, and the impact of social media and bullying.

TGFD is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce the risk factors and enhance the protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among students. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the core curriculum while acquiring essential prevention education teaching strategies. The trainer will familiarize participants with the research, theory, and concepts behind the program and provide an opportunity for facilitation practice.

The Too Good for Drugs Program has a developmentally appropriate and separate curriculum for grades K-12. This training is designed to prepare facilitators to implement the Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) Program for either MS or HS grades successfully and with fidelity within a classroom setting. It is most applicable to those that facilitate TGFD in both the MS and the HS settings. However, it will meet the IDHS training requirements for those implementing TGFD in either middle school or high school.  

Too Good for Drugs Program manuals/materials are NOT included with this training program. Participants may bring all Teachers Manuals for the Too Good for Drugs Program for grades they facilitate or at the least participants should bring a minimum of one Teacher’s Manual as well as one Student Workbook.

Participants who do not have the most up-to-date materials may obtain them from the Mendez Foundation at https://toogoodprograms.org/collections/too-good-for-drugs 

Prevention First will have training materials on hand for viewing only.

In this training, participants will learn to establish and lead a youth advisory committee to support local substance use prevention efforts. Participants will learn best practices for engaging youth in advisory roles, establishing an advisory committee structure and strategies for recruitment and retention of youth advisors. Participants will also learn appropriate roles for youth committee members in substance use prevention activities.

During this course, designed by the Search Institute and delivered by Prevention First Reimagine Youth Development Trainers, you will learn how to support young people in your life as well as engage the family and communities of the youth connected to your work as a youth development professional.

Everyone’s an Asset Builder (Part I)

Developmental Assets are listed under all prevention-focused, youth development areas of services around which the RYD program is designed, including improving academic performance, life skills education, caregiver involvement, recreation, sports, cultural and artistic activities, positive adult mentors, service learning, and STEM Learning.

The first day of the two-day training introduces the Developmental Assets® framework and the powerful role of individual asset builders in the lives of youth. This workshop will help participants:

• identify the characteristics of effective asset builders and their own personal strengths and challenges
• understand “circles of influence” and identify those circles in which there is potential for asset-building
• make and share a personal commitment to asset-building action

Sharing the Asset Message (Part II)

The second day of the training will prepare community members and groups to deliver a variety of asset-building messages to multiple audiences. This workshop will help participants:

• discuss how the assets relate to other positive youth development efforts
• develop engaging presentation strategies to meet the unique needs of any audience
• download free curriculum materials to use in their program presentations

* Note: This is a two-day training; to receive credit, participants must attend both days of the training.