Training at Prevention First

Join us for an innovative four-day, virtual classroom 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.

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

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.         

During this course, participants will discuss how to establish the function and purpose of community coalitions and collaborations, and identify strategies for recruiting a diverse group of stakeholders. To maximize learning opportunities, participants should have a specific collaboration in mind when completing training activities.

*This course is 3 hours, and an additional 30 minutes of prework is required.*

During this course, participants will discuss how to establish the function and purpose of community coalitions and collaborations, and identify strategies for recruiting a diverse group of stakeholders. To maximize learning opportunities, participants should have a specific collaboration in mind when completing training activities.

*This course is 3 hours with an additional 30 minutes of prework required.*

The Co-occurring Disorders Program helps organizations deliver evidence-based integrated care to clients living with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions. The full series provides a proven, effective treatment protocol which places equal emphasis on addressing all diagnoses, yet each piece of the program can be used effectively as a stand-alone curriculum. This training will cover the complete curriculum, which includes.

• A Leader’s Guide to Implementing Services for People with Co-occurring Disorders
• Screening and Assessment
• Integrating Combined Therapies
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Family Program
• A Guide to Living with Co-occurring Disorders (DVD)

Objectives:

1. Demonstrate core components of the Co-occurring Disorders Program.
2. Recognize value of addressing presenting concerns in an integrated manner.
3. Explore protocol-driven screening tools that consider each client’s symptoms, history, and motivation for change for best treatment planning practices.
4. Describe differences between the evidence-based skills of motivational Interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and twelve step facilitation.
5. Prepare learners to integrate components of the Co-occurring Disorder Program to provide comprehensive, stage-based programming.
6. Demonstrate delivery of key sections within the curriculum.
7. Use experiential practice of new skills and interventions in person and/or virtually.

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

During this course, participants will discuss how to structure and organize a community coalition or collaboration for success and infuse cultural respect and responsiveness into their processes. To maximize learning opportunities, participants should have a specific collaboration in mind when completing training activities.

*This course is 3 hours; an additional 30 minutes of prework is required.*

During this course, participants will discuss how to structure and organize a community coalition or collaboration for success and infuse cultural respect and responsiveness into their processes. To maximize learning opportunities, participants should have a specific collaboration in mind when completing training activities.

*This course is 3 hours with an additional 30 minutes of prework required.*

Join us for an immersive and transformative workshop that delves into the dynamic interplay between peer coaching and clinical treatment in the roles of prevention and addiction recovery. Designed for professionals across the spectrum of services, including clinicians, coaches, and peer support specialists, this comprehensive session will provide valuable insights and strategies to promote prevention and support individuals on their recovery journey.

We will explore how both peer coaching and clinical treatment aim to improve lives, each offering unique perspectives and tools. You'll gain a clear understanding of the distinctions between these approaches, including who is considered “the expert in the room” and how they uniquely address the challenges their clients face. Learn how clinicians' and coaches' tools can complement each other to provide a holistic support system to bolter prevention efforts or better support those in recovery. Through real-world examples, we’ll illustrate how peer coaching and clinical treatment can work together to create a comprehensive prevention or recovery plan. 

What to expect from the session: 

Explore various intervention strategies, from structured clinical interventions to self-guided peer coaching techniques like the Person-Activity Fit Diagnostic and the elements of The Warrior Reset to foster resilience. 

Understand the importance of building resilience through coaching to prevent relapse and navigate the landscape of certifications and credentials for peer support specialists.

Participants will leave with a robust toolkit of strategies and insights, enhanced by Garret Biss’s unique perspective as a retired Marine Corps Pilot, addiction recovery coach, and TEDx Speaker. 

Empower yourself to participate in an integrated coaching-clinician team and provide more comprehensive and effective support for individuals in recovery. 

Whether you are deepening your understanding or seeking practical tools to enhance your practice, this workshop will provide valuable knowledge and inspiration to make a lasting impact on those you support. 

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to identify the roles and responsibilities of both clinicians and peer coaches in developing and supporting recovery plans.

Participants will be able to explain the differences between peer coaching and clinical treatment in the addiction recovery process.

Participants will be able to discuss the complementary nature of peer coaching and clinical treatment and how they can work together.

Participants will be able to utilize various coaching tools and interventions in their life and practice.

Participants will be equipped with practical coaching tools to build resilience in individuals recovering from addiction.

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, suicidal ideation, substance use, self-care, and the impact of social media and bullying.

During this course, participants will discuss best practices for coordinating and facilitating community coalition or collaboration meetings, keeping stakeholders engaged, and evaluating the group’s effectiveness in making improvements. To maximize learning opportunities, participants should have a specific collaboration in mind when completing training activities.

*This course is 3 hours, and an additional 30 minutes of prework is required.*

During this course, participants will discuss best practices for coordinating and facilitating community coalition or collaboration meetings, keeping stakeholders engaged, and evaluating the group’s effectiveness to make improvements. To maximize learning opportunities, participants should have a specific collaboration in mind when completing training activities.

*This course is 3 hours with an additional 30 minutes of prework required.*

Foundations of Youth Prevention Education prepares direct service providers to implement evidence-based Youth Prevention Education (YPE) programs. Participants will obtain a basic understanding of the components and best practices related to implementing any YPE model program. This training will increase participants’ knowledge and skills related to planning, managing, facilitating, and evaluating a Youth Prevention Education program.

All SUPP providers reporting hours for youth prevention education are required to complete this course.

Virtual Classroom Training Note: Regular classroom time for this course is 12 hours. Since the classroom time for this modified course is only 9 hours, participants must complete 3 hours of individual work to obtain credit for the course. Prework will be assigned for each session.

This two-day, application-focused training will provide participants with an in-depth look at some of the significant changes and improvements in the Fourth Edition. Participants will have opportunities to apply and practice key components of the Criteria, including but not limited to; the six dimensions, level of care assessment, application of Risk Ratings to each of the Five Dimensions, Dimensional Admission Criteria Decision Rules, shared decision-making and an overview of Service Characteristic Standards, Discharge and Transition Criteria.

All participants receive an in-depth electronic training journal to guide the training experience and as a resource for continuing skill application, as part of the training.

Books are not required, but highly recommended.

The Illinois Department of Human Services funds this training and is only open to license-funded treatment professionals in the state of Illinois.

Participants will understand the relationship between the treatment plan and the use of
admission, continued stay, and transition criteria. In addition, participants will learn how to
write measurable, individualized treatment plans based on the Dimensional Drivers and
individualized needs and preferences of the person served. Participants will also have the
opportunity to explore ways in which the patient’s stage of change impacts and drives a
person-centered treatment plan and a cursory review of core motivational interviewing skills
for treatment planning conversations, shared-decision making and to support readiness for
and engagement in treatment.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is defined as “a particular way of talking with people about change and growth to strengthen their own motivation and commitment” (Miller & Rollnick, 2023, p. 3). MI is designed to evoke and enhance the individual’s own motivation to change, using strategies that are empathetic and non-confrontational. While it has long been recognized as an effective way to promote behavior change within individuals in substance use treatment, MI has a wide range of applications beyond the clinician-client interaction. MI is designed to help draw out the individual’s own strengths and resources to help them make the behavioral changes needed to reach their goals. In this introductory training, participants will learn about spirit of MI and its basic skills and strategies, and will have the opportunity to apply and practice those core skills in an experiential skill-development training.

Objectives:

1. Describe key aspects of the spirit of motivational interviewing as well as its relation to the transtheoretical model and the importance of effective engagement
2. Describe the core skills of motivational interviewing, including open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries
3. Generate effective responses consistent with motivational interviewing to draw out and highlight the individual’s own desire, ability, reasons, and need to change
4. Demonstrate application of concept as well as use of core motivational interviewing skills in practice activities

The goal of this presentation is to describe Seeking Safety, an evidence-based model for trauma and/or addiction (clients do not have to have both issues). By the end of the training, participants can implement Seeking Safety in their setting if they choose to. Seeking Safety teaches present-focused coping skills to help clients attain safety in their lives.  It is highly flexible and can be conducted in any setting by a wide range of counselors and also peers. There are 25 treatment topics, each representing a safe coping skill relevant to both trauma and addiction, such as “Asking for Help,” “Creating Meaning,” “Compassion,” and “Healing from Anger.” Topics can be done in any order and the treatment can be done using as few or many of them as time allows. Seeking Safety strives to increase hope through an emphasis on ideals; it offers exercises, emotionally evocative language, and quotations to engage patients and provides concrete strategies to build recovery skills.  In this training, we cover (a) background on trauma and addiction (rates, presentation, models and stages of treatment, clinical challenges); (b) an overview of Seeking Safety, including its evidence-base; and (c) clinical implementation, such as the use of the model with specific populations. Assessment and treatment resources are provided. The training is highly experiential, with role-plays and exercises to “learn by doing”; methods also include PowerPoint, video, and discussion.

Objectives:

1. To describe current understanding of trauma, addiction, and their combination.
2. To increase empathy and understanding of trauma and addiction.
3. To describe Seeking Safety, an evidence-based model for trauma and/or addiction.
4. To identify how to apply Seeking Safety for specific populations, such as homeless, adolescents, criminal justice, HIV, military/veteran, etc.
5. To discuss adaptation based on setting, provider, and client factors (e.g., age, socioeconomics, culture, gender).
6. To provide assessment and treatment resources.