Your Prevention Toolbox
Here you’ll find a comprehensive collection of practical tools designed to support your prevention efforts. Whether you’re looking for data-driven resources, best practice guidelines, or hands-on materials to enhance your work in the field, this page has you covered. Explore our carefully curated tools to help you make informed decisions, strengthen your strategies, and effectively address the challenges of substance use prevention in your community.
Browse Our Tools
Substance Use Prevention Basics
Coalition Management Tools
Coalition Vitality Assessment Tool
Strategic Prevention Framework
Engaging Youth Peer Advocates
12 Sector Collaborations
Evidence-Based Strategy
Substance-Specific Information
Data Collection
Prevention 101 | Fundamentals of the Prevention Field
This course offers an essential introduction to the core concepts and principles of substance abuse prevention and is ideal for individuals new to the field or those seeking to refresh their understanding of the fundamental aspects of prevention.
Prevention 101 | Prevention Policy & the Continuum of Care
This course will provide an overview of the policies and history of prevention policies in the United States that have led to the current state of prevention policy, as well as the interconnection of these laws to how prevention operates within the Continuum of Care. This also highlights the responsibilities of Prevention Professionals in ensuring adequate knowledge and equity in providing service to communities which have been the most affected by past prevention policies, discuss ways in which the profession is valuable to these communities and ways in which we can build stronger communities.
Prevention 201 | Foundations of Harm Reduction
This course introduces the principles and practices of harm reduction within the context of substance abuse prevention. Participants will explore strategies that reduce the negative consequences of drug use, focusing on practical approaches that meet individuals where they are.
Strategic Prevention Framework 101
The “Strategic Prevention Framework 101” course provides an essential overview of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), guiding participants through its purpose, steps, and key principles. Learners will gain a clear understanding of each SPF step, including how to demonstrate cultural competence and promote sustainability throughout the process. This course also offers valuable resources to deepen your knowledge and effectively apply the SPF in real-world prevention efforts.
12 Sector Collaboration Series
The 12 Sector Collaboration Series places the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) into the context of the 12 Sectors of Coalition Building: Youth, Parents, Business, Media, Schools, Youth-serving Organizations, Law Enforcement, Faith-based organizations, Civic or Volunteer groups, Healthcare professionals, State or Local agencies, and Substance Abuse Agencies. Each sector is examined for how it can be incorporated within each step of the SPF, assess current coalition engagement level of each sector, building capacity to increase engagement and overcome barriers, and learn from the lived experience from a guest panel.
Promoting Child Health with Medically Accurate Language
The “Promoting Child Health with Medically Accurate Language” course is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recent guidance on using appropriate terminology when working with youth and families affected by substance use disorders. This course emphasizes the importance of dismissing harmful stereotypes and avoiding stigmatizing language to foster child well-being and promote healthier outcomes.
Connecticut Information
Job Descriptions, Roles, & Responsibilities
Meeting Management
Purpose
The Coalition Vitality Assessment Tool (CVAT) is an organizational assessment tool that can be used annually to identify the strengths and limitation of a community prevention coalition across four important domains:
1) Coalition composition
2) Leadership and staffing
3) Plan and implementation
4) Sustainability
Benefits
Benefits of completing the CVAT include:
• Deliberate review and reflection among and between leaders and staff members.
• Identification of how well the community embraces the coalition as a primary strategy for change.
• Narrow down three to five areas to improve the coalition over the next 12 months.
• Identify of how the strengths and limitations of the coalition vitality affect implementation progress and sustainability.
• Establish a strategy to use momentum from plan implementation to strengthen the overall coalition.
TTASC Sequence of Action
Strategic Prevention Framework
The Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) guides local coalitions in developing evidence-based, community-specific approaches to reducing and preventing substance use, misuse, and abuse.
Ethics Across the Strategic Prevention Framework
Engaging Youth Peer Advocates
Youth peer advocates support coalitions in myriad ways. These tools support coalitions who engage or are interested in engaging paid youth advocates in advancing substance use prevention efforts.
12 Sector Series
Tools for Faith Based Organizations
Youth Engagement
Youth are key stakeholders in long-term prevention efforts.
Social Marketing
Social Marketing is a highly-effective strategy for eliciting voluntary, positive behavior change.
Enforcement Strategies
Enforcement strategies ensure that vendors and hosts abide by local, state, and federal laws.
Substance-Specific Information
Many prevention strategies target specific substances.
Fundamentals of Vaping and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
Data Collection
Prevention work relies on data and evidence, making data collection a key component of developing, implementing, and evaluating strong local programs.
Ethical Data Collection Methods
Fundamentals of Focus Groups & Key Informant Interviews
Equity Based Data Collection for Youth Surveys & Using an Equity Lens in Your Review