News & Events 

On July 16, 2024, Penn State News featured an article highlighting the Evidence2Success framework and the Q&A session with the Penn State Research Professor, Sarah Chilenski, who is leading the research and development of the Action Guides to support these efforts across communities. Click the link below to access the article and to learn more about Evidence2Success.

The sudden rise of heroin and prescription opioid deaths, both nationally and throughout the Commonwealth, has presented a unique challenge to local communities. Opioid Threat in the Community, designed for educators, community organizers, and healthcare personnel, focuses on national, statewide, and local trends relating to heroin, prescription opioids, synthetic opioids, and newly emerging drug trends. Opioid Threat in the Community outlines the current opioid epidemic that our nation is currently facing, generating an advanced understanding of how opioids work, how this epidemic has exploded, and what can be done to combat this growing threat.

Dates the Training is Offered:

March 28, 2024; May 2, 2024; June 18, 2024; July 9, 2024; August 8, 2024

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze the history of opioid usage and how it relates to today’s issues
2. Assesses the currently identified trends in the manufacturing, distribution, and overdose death data on a national and statewide level
3. Understand the pharmacology of prescription opioid medication, heroin, and other synthetic opioid compounds
4. Analyze both the physical and psychological effects of opioids
5. Understand the importance, availability and usage of Naloxone to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose
6. Describe how to recognize an opioid overdose
7. Show the step by step process in responding to an overdose
8. Perform the essential first aid responses and the administration of Naloxone on a training mannequin
9. Summarize and evaluate the latest medications used for opioid use disorders in treatment and prevention programs as well as be able to identify current available resources in the treatment field

Prerequisites: None

Course Length: 1 day / 6 hours

Who May Attend: Educators, Counselors, School Staff Members, Law Enforcement, Corrections, Military, Health Care Professionals and Community Based Organizations

Certifications: Act 48 credits for Educators (6 hours)

The 2024 National Prevention Network Conference will be held from August 13th through the 15th in Phoenix, AZ. The theme for this year's conference is, 'Shining a Light on Prevention: Connecting Research, Practice, Innovation, and Equity'.

The purpose of the NPN Conference is to highlight the latest research in the substance use prevention field. Prevention professionals, coalition leaders, researchers, and federal partners come together to focus on integrating research into prevention practice.

For more information and to register, use the link provided below.

Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Prevention Alliance (CPA) is hosting a FREE in-person workshop in Harrisburg, PA on Transformative Storytelling. This workshop is being provided by Joseph Green. Joseph Green is a seasoned expert in narrative disruption, leveraging storytelling to challenge narratives and drive meaningful change. His approach combines evidence-based frameworks with practical storytelling techniques, ensuring workshop participants leave with actionable skills and new perspectives.

This FREE workshop will be held from 9:00am-4:00pm EST on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. There is space for 50 attendees and a complimentary lunch will be provided. There is an optional filming session from 4:00-6:00pm EST for those interested in filming their story.

Who should attend? This workshop is tailored for prevention professionals, community leaders, and anyone who is passionate about leveraging storytelling to for a positive impact!

For more information and to register, please visit the link provided below.

The Central East PTTC serves the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 3, which includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. They are offering a FREE virtual training series on LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Risk Reduction.

This 3 part series includes:

1. LGBTQ+ Youth and the Self-Harm Continuum on Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.
2. Trauma-Responsive Risk Assessment on Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.
3. Community-Centered Healing and Resilience on Thursday, September 26, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.

At the conclusion of this three-part series, participants will be able to:

• examine the dynamics of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, including prevalence, disparities, trends, psychosocial challenges, and help-seeking behaviors.
• Explore unique risk and protective factors for self harm among LGBTQ+ youth.
• Identify methods to provide sensitive risk assessment and safety planning, and boost LGBTQ+ resilience to self-harm and suicide.

For more information and to register, use the link provided below.

The Central East PTTC serves the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 3, which includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. They are offering a FREE virtual training series on LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Risk Reduction.

This 3 part series includes:

1. LGBTQ+ Youth and the Self-Harm Continuum on Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.
2. Trauma-Responsive Risk Assessment on Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.
3. Community-Centered Healing and Resilience on Thursday, September 26, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.

At the conclusion of this three-part series, participants will be able to:

• examine the dynamics of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, including prevalence, disparities, trends, psychosocial challenges, and help-seeking behaviors.
• Explore unique risk and protective factors for self harm among LGBTQ+ youth.
• Identify methods to provide sensitive risk assessment and safety planning, and boost LGBTQ+ resilience to self-harm and suicide.

For more information and to register, use the link provided below.

The Central East PTTC serves the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 3, which includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. They are offering a FREE virtual training series on LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Risk Reduction.

This 3 part series includes:

1. LGBTQ+ Youth and the Self-Harm Continuum on Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.
2. Trauma-Responsive Risk Assessment on Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.
3. Community-Centered Healing and Resilience on Thursday, September 26, 2024 from 1:00-3:00pm EST.

At the conclusion of this three-part series, participants will be able to:

• examine the dynamics of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, including prevalence, disparities, trends, psychosocial challenges, and help-seeking behaviors.
• Explore unique risk and protective factors for self harm among LGBTQ+ youth.
• Identify methods to provide sensitive risk assessment and safety planning, and boost LGBTQ+ resilience to self-harm and suicide.

For more information and to register, use the link provided below.

The Social Development Strategy (SDS) is an easy-to-use strategy that offers a model for achieving healthy behaviors among young people. The SDS promotes positive youth development from before birth through every stage of development. This strategy has been tested and proven effective and it is a foundation of the Communities that Care Model.

The next SDS Workshop for Pennsylvanians will be held across two days in the fall:

• Monday, September 30, 2024 from 9:00am-12:00pm
• Tuesday, October 1, 2024 9:00-11:00am

During the SDS Workshop, participants will learn what the SDS is and dive deeply into the five key components while developing examples of how to apply them in their own community. Participants will also be provided with opportunities in utilizing action planning tools designed to help implement the SDS. Those participants who attend that are leaders of local community coalitions will be provided with tools on increasing coalition member bonding.

Intended Audience:

This workshop is intended for anyone working with youth across Pennsylvania. 

SDS Trainers:

Jeff Hogan, Systems Change Specialist at Penn State EPIS

Heather Roberts, Systems Change Specialist at Penn State EPIS

The 34th Annual National Dropout Prevention Conference is being held from October 13th through the 16th in New Orleans, LA.

This three-day event is dedicated to advancing systemic solutions for student success. It aims to provide professionals who are serving at-risk students with best practices, latest research, and strategies across various settings.

Join colleagues, statewide, and national experts at the 2024 Paving the Way to Educational Success Conference. This unique opportunity awards collaboration and education to support children and youth experiencing homelessness and students experiencing foster care. 

This year's conference themes include:

• Educator and staff wellbeing.
• Foundational core competencies.
• Outreach and collaboration.
• Program and service sustainability.
• Student connection and belonging.

*This conference is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education programs Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) and Educational Stability for Children and Youth in Foster Care and is held in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and Center for Schools and Communities.