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What’s New

Communities Talk What’s New articles share information to help event organizers plan, host, and evaluate events aimed at mobilizing a community around evidence-based prevention of underage drinking.

New Research-Based Substance Misuse Prevention Tools

09/19/2023

The New England PTTC held a Fellowship Symposium focusing on practical resources to address the root causes of substance misuse. The PTTC created six new research-based tools and resources for the substance misuse prevention workforce to support their work in New England. The resources can be applied to other regions in the United States. You can view the recorded webinar and learn details about the resources described below.

Exploring Root Causes of Substance Misuse Through Social Stories

This resource consists of a work of research on the trauma of underrepresentation experienced by Black communities and the ripple effects it has on Black children. This social story titled “I Feel” can be used in a variety of settings and tackles the topic of emotions while also confronting the difficulties that emerge from living with a parent who is beginning their path to recovery.

Supporting Youth and Addressing Underlying Causes of Substance Use

This handbook is designed for adults to better support youth while addressing underlying causes of substance use. Throughout this resource, the reader builds a better understanding of the role Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) play in substance use and proven solutions to prevent and mitigate their impacts. The audiences for the handbook are parents/caregivers, teachers, counselors, coaches, and anyone else who interacts with youth. 

Healthy Community, Healthy People: Community Cannabis Policy Toolkit for the Vermont Prevention Professional 2.0

This toolkit is designed for prevention professionals and communities who work on cannabis-related policy improvement and to support prevention and public health at a community level. This kit has been updated in 2023 to include additional tools and information, including stigma-free language relevant to this work, talking points to use with key audiences, questions to use for community polling, and template presentations for community and key audience education.

Preventing and Addressing ACEs in Hispanic and Latino Communities

This guide for Hispanic and Latino faith leaders is designed to prevent and address ACEs impacting Hispanic and Latino communities. It provides information about the connection between trauma and substance use disorder, specific impacts within the Hispanic and Latino community, and the interventions the faith community can deploy to mitigate the impact of ACEs.

Preventing Root Causes of Substance Use in LGBTQIA+ Youth

This toolkit is designed for prevention professionals and showcases proactive techniques for upstream prevention efforts to address minority stress among LGBTQIA+ youth. It includes a call to action for the prevention workforce, highlights data, data limitations, and research on minority stress and its connection to substance use, as well as provides evidence-informed recommendations.

Substance Use Recovery and Prevention for Families in Treatment: A Guide for Therapists, Clients, and Families

This resource is designed to be shared by clinicians with individuals in treatment for substance use disorder. It provides the person in treatment with resources from the disciplines of prevention and peer recovery support. It can be used to increase the family’s awareness of applicable prevention information and strategies and educate them about various levels of clinical and peer support that are available in the community.