Archived Events

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 was Offered:

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

The 2024 National Prevention Network Conference was held from August 13th through the 15th in Phoenix, AZ. The theme for this year's conference was, '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, use the link provided below.

Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Prevention Alliance (CPA) hosted a FREE in-person workshop in Harrisburg, PA on Transformative Storytelling. This workshop was 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 was held from 9:00am-4:00pm EST on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. There was space for 50 attendees and a complimentary lunch was provided. There was an optional filming session from 4:00-6:00pm EST for those interested in filming their story.

For more information, please visit the link provided below.

Did you know that September is National Suicide Prevention Month? Throughout the year and this month specifically, we can remember the lives lost to suicide and acknowledge those individuals, families, and communities that have been impacted by suicide. We can also raise awareness about this public health problem and share messages of hope.

SAMHSA provides many tools and resources to help educate yourself and others about suicide prevention. Please visit their website to learn about their initiatives and how you can incorporate the information into your own work and practice.

This free, virtual workshop was held from 10:00-11:00am on September 11, 2024. Craig Bowman, President of Common Ground Consulting, presented on powerful strategies to amplify your voice and drive change against substance misuse. An unveiling of the PaStart Advocacy & Education Toolkit took place along with CPA's plans for Prevention Month (October). This session was tailored for prevention professionals, community leaders, and anyone passionate about advocating for positive impact.

Workshop Learning Objectives:

1. Master Core Advocacy Strategies
2. Leverage Social Media for Advocacy
3. Develop Effective Messaging
4. Empower Youth Voices

Registration was required.

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 offered a FREE virtual training series on LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Risk Reduction.

This 3 part series included:

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 were 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, use the link provided below.

A national study conducted by CASEL and RAND found that more school leaders are prioritizing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as part of critical academic efforts in their schools. One of the findings revealed that more than 8 out of every 10 schools are now implementing an SEL curriculum! To view the full report on all of the research findings, click 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 offered a FREE virtual training series on LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Risk Reduction.

This 3 part series included:

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 were 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, 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 offered a FREE virtual training series on LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Risk Reduction.

This 3 part series included:

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 were 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, 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.

Did you know that October is Substance Use Prevention Month? Throughout the year and this month specifically, we can come together and showcase prevention efforts and their positive effects on your community as well as communities across the country.

SAMHSA provides many resources to help inspire action, strengthen conversations, and feature prevention science behind substance use prevention. Please visit their website to learn about their offerings and how you can incorporate the available toolkit into your own work and practice.

While the holiday season can be filled with joy and celebrations, it can also trigger difficult emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. SAMHSA offers a toolkit that you can use to make sure all individuals know that confidential support is available 24/7 for both mental health and substance use. 

Please visit their website to learn about their initiatives and how you can incorporate the information into your own work and practice.

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

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

The University of Boulder (CU Boulder) is pleased to announce a three-year grant available to Pennsylvania schools and educational agencies to implement the Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) Middle School Program with grades 6-8 or 7-9 starting fall 2025. Schools already implementing the program are eligible for this grant. Botvin LST promotes healthy youth development by presenting substance use, violence, and other high risk behaviors through building personal self-management skills, social skills, and refusal skills. The grant covers all costs for training, ongoing support, and curriculum materials. Applications are being accepted October 3, 2024 - February 3, 2025. CU Boulder has been providing grants and assistance to implement the Botvin Middle School program for over a decade. Applications received by December 3, 2024 are non-competitive; all expect to be funded as long as the program can be taught with fidelity. 

For more information and to apply, visit their link provided below.

This conference allowed for collaboration and education to support children and youth experiencing homelessness and students experiencing foster care. 

The conference themes included:

• 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.

The Prevention Learning Portal (PLP) was recently featured in a Penn State news article! The article highlights the PLP's free online courses  and how they are geared towards supporting all individuals who are striving to having a positive impact on the youth and families throughout their community. To read the full article, click the link below.

This year's Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice was be held at the Hilton Harrisburg from November 6-8. The theme of the conference was 'Maximizing Impact, Minimizing Footprint: Success Strategies'. Training workshops focused on crucial practices, program and initiatives that address trauma and related issues. Sessions were offered and designed to provide practical strategies to overcome challenges and enhance work across the Juvenile Justice System in Pennsylvania.

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

The U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) and their Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) for the National Student Privacy & Data Security held a Fall Webinar Series in November 2024.

Day 1: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 101 and Data Security Best Practices

• November 6, 2024 2:00-4:00pm ET

Day 2: FERPA 201 and Transparency

• November 13, 2024 2:00-4:00pm ET

Day 3: Incident Response and Vetting Educational Technology

• November 20, 2024 2:00-4:00pm ET

The U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) and their Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) for the National Student Privacy & Data Security held a Fall Webinar Series in November 2024.

Day 1: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 101 and Data Security Best Practices

• November 6, 2024 2:00-4:00pm ET

Day 2: FERPA 201 and Transparency

• November 13, 2024 2:00-4:00pm ET

Day 3: Incident Response and Vetting Educational Technology

• November 20, 2024 2:00-4:00pm ET

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) hosted the 2024 Bureau of Alcohol Education Conference for free at the Penn Harris Hotel and Conference Center. The purpose of this annual event was to provide information about current programs and successful strategies to lower underage and dangerous alcohol consumption. The intended audience of the conference included law enforcement, educators, and alcohol education professionals.