In the United States, substance misuse and addiction costs thousands of lives each year, as well as billions of dollars in lost workplace productivity, health care expenses, and crime-related costs. Prevention can play a critical role in reducing these costs, but it requires the presence of a prepared workforce and the development of systems that can support lasting change.
EDC’s Prevention Solutions (PS@EDC) initiative provides training and expert consultation to public health agencies and organizations working to address issues such as opioid misuse, problem gambling prevention, and youth marijuana use. Drawing on more than 30 years of first-hand experience, PS@EDC helps prevention leaders and practitioners implement upstream solutions that can prevent or reduce substance misuse problems before they develop into disorders.
Working in close partnership with our clients, PS@EDC helps practitioners:
- Implement effective planning models, such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Strategic Prevention Framework
- Build their knowledge of how to plan, implement, and evaluate effective prevention programs through online courses and webinars
- Use data to understand local prevention problems
- Mobilize communities to address substance misuse in coordinated ways
- Identify and implement evidence-based prevention approaches
- Shape attitudes and reduce prejudice toward people who struggle with addiction
- Over 900 practitioners have participated in PS@EDC’s award-winning online courses. And nearly two-thirds of this group have participated in more than one course.
- Reached over 250 prevention leaders and practitioners through national presentations.
- Trained nearly 180 regional prevention providers across New York state to better monitor and evaluate local prevention efforts.
- Provided technical assistance to over 150 local coalition leaders and members to strengthen and support annual strategic and organizational planning.
- Trained over 90 technical assistance providers from Kentucky’s Department for Behavioral Health on providing effective technical assistance.