What is Prevention Science?
This document introduces prevention science as a multidisciplinary field that uses research to guide effective prevention strategies, particularly for substance use.
Implementation Resources
55 resources found
Upstream Prevention – How to Prevent Problems Before They Begin
Create an account with The Pennsylvania State University Prevention Learning Portal and earn completion certificates for several prevention topics. The purpose of this course is to explore the idea of upstream prevention and why it’s important to prevent youth problems and promote healthy youth development.
Understanding Risk and Protective Factors and Their Role in Prevention
Create an account with The Pennsylvania State University Prevention Learning Portal and earn completion certificates for several prevention topics. The purpose of this course is to introduce risk and protective factors, the science behind them, and how they can be used in prevention planning in your community.
Protective and Risk Factors Explained
The New Brunswick Health Council’s article, Protective and Risk Factors Explained, outlines how certain conditions can either support or hinder health and well-being. Protective factors like strong relationships and adequate sleep can buffer against challenges, while risk factors such as social isolation or poverty increase vulnerability to issues like substance use and poor mental health…. Read More
The Process of Prevention
This video provides an overview of how prevention science is applied in practice.
Community Needs Assessment
This document is a practical guide to conducting a community needs assessment, outlining why such assessments are important, how to systematically collect and analyze data, and how to use findings to inform planning and decision-making. It describes key steps—including defining the purpose, engaging stakeholders, selecting data sources and methods, interpreting results, and communicating findings—to help… Read More
Prevention Core Competencies
This document, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in May 2021, offers a comprehensive framework of essential knowledge, skills, and abilities for professionals in the prevention field.
Coalitions Part 1: Defining and Forming
This resource explains the foundational steps for building and strengthening community coalitions, beginning with clear definitions of what coalitions are and why they matter for collective action. It outlines how to form a coalition – identifying shared goals, recruiting diverse members, and establishing structures and processes – and highlights early planning tasks that set the… Read More
Coalitions Part 2: Establishing Effectiveness
This resource provides guidance on establishing and strengthening coalition effectiveness once a coalition is formed. It outlines practical strategies for setting clear goals, developing shared vision and action plans, defining member roles and responsibilities, establishing decision-making and communication processes, and monitoring progress to support sustained collaboration and measurable community impact.
Coalitions Part 3: Evaluating success and effectiveness
This resource explains how to evaluate the functioning and impact of community coalitions by identifying meaningful evaluation questions, selecting appropriate indicators and data collection methods, and using findings to improve coalition processes and outcomes. It covers both process evaluation (such as member participation, activities completed, and partnership functioning) and outcome evaluation (such as changes in… Read More