New to Prevention
Welcome prevention professionals! Whether you are new to the field or need a refresher in foundational information, this is the page for you. Below are some of our most highly requested resources that give you a comprehensive base in behavioral health prevention knowledge and practical skills.
New to Prevention Learning Series
Each quarter, ABHPC hosts the New to Prevention series. This series includes four consecutive sessions that give participants the foundational knowledge needed for success in the prevention field:
- Welcome to Prevention! An Introduction to the Primary Prevention Field
- Decoding Prevention: Acronyms, Affiliations, and Alphabet Soup
- Fundamentals of the Strategic Prevention Framework
- Understanding and Navigating the Institute of Medicine’s Continuum of Care in Substance Use Prevention Services.
Please check our Events Schedule page and sign up for ABHPC updates to register.
Prevention Foundations for New and Emerging Professionals Portfolio
This portfolio has been thoughtfully designed for entry-level and newly established prevention professionals. The topics covered in this portfolio provide a roadmap for early success in your behavioral health prevention career and provide introductory knowledge on prevention theories and frameworks, funding for substance use disorder (SUD) primary prevention, prevention partnerships and best practices in prevention.
Common Acronyms in the Prevention Field
The world of prevention is vast – if you’ve attended a coalition meeting or training, you’ve likely heard a variety of acronyms representing different programs, practices, and affiliations. The “Alphabet Soup – Common Prevention Acronyms and Terms” section of the Prevention Foundations Portfolio for New and Emerging Professionals, and the training titled Decoding Prevention: Acronyms, Affiliations, and Alphabet Soup, are available resources to keep you up to date on key acronyms and prevention terms.
Prevention Pathways Monthly Bulletin
The Prevention Pathways Bulletin is a brief monthly publication that shares current information and best practices for prevention professionals. The bulletin covers key prevention learning topics, months of recognition, and community spotlights, as well as upcoming conferences, events and learning opportunities, and updates from DHCS or other national state and local partners. Posts will include links to relevant sources where you can learn more about each topic.
Community of Practice Spaces
We invite you to join us for our Community of Practice spaces! These spaces are intended to use collective learning and incorporate reflection opportunities and facilitate connection for participants. Currently, ABHPC offers two Community of Practice tracks: Prevention Applications and Prevention Pathways.
Prevention Applications Community of Practice
Prevention Applications Community of Practice spaces support the continuing education of prevention professionals in a manner that is engaging, focused on skill building, dynamic, and in line with statewide goals. Together we will “unpack” what has been learned in professional competency training events, thus supporting the application of skills and development of sector partnerships and networking.
Prevention Pathways Community of Practice
Prevention Pathways Community of Practice spaces are centered around best practices in prevention, emerging and empirical research, and evidence-based programs. Each session will be led by an experienced consultant with expert knowledge on the topic and will include ample time for participant engagement and interaction.
National and State Prevention Publications
Below are a few key national and state prevention resources for your reference.
Department of Health Care Services’ Prevention and Youth Branch
The Prevention and Youth Branch (PYB) within the Community Services Division, provides planning, oversight, and technical assistance and training of non-Medi-Cal primary prevention, early intervention, and youth behavioral health services.
Focus on Prevention (SAMHSA)
This manual helps communities plan and deliver substance use prevention strategies. It covers conducting needs assessments, identifying partners, and creating effective strategies for marketing and program evaluation. The manual also offers a sample timeline of tasks.
A Guide to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Strategic Prevention Framework
Prevention professionals use SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) as a comprehensive guide to plan, implement, and evaluate prevention practices and programs.
Substance Use Block Grant Primary Prevention Data Quality Standards and Definitions
The purpose of this document is to identify and define data standards for counties and sub-contractors that receive Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG) substance use disorder (SUD) primary prevention set-aside funds.
Substance Use Prevention Evidence-Based Resource
The Substance Use Prevention Evidence-Based Resource (SUPER) is a centralized resource designed to give California counties, youth service providers, and tribal entities streamlined and straightforward information about evidence-based, promising, and innovative substance use prevention practices