Create an account with The Pennsylvania State University Prevention Learning Portal and earn completion certificates for several prevention topics. The purpose of this introductory course is to explain the concept of Implementation Science and to show how implementation science bridges the gap between prevention science and practice, informing and improving program quality, delivery, and impact. This course will demonstrate the importance of the relationship between what we know (science) and what we do (practice). they are delivered effectively, consistently, and in ways that meet the needs of communities. This online training explains how implementation science bridges the gap between research and practice by supporting the adoption, quality delivery, and long-term sustainability of evidence-based prevention strategies.
Type: Video
Project Management: The Process for Leading Successful Projects
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 the basics of project management. It covers core project management processes and how they strategically organize and execute tasks needed to achieve a project goal, with skills, techniques, and tools that support efficient and successful project completion.
Engaging the Stakeholders in Your Community
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 identify community partners for prevention planning and how to communicate outcomes with these stakeholders.
The PROSPER Delivery System
This video explains the PROSPER prevention delivery system – a structured, multi-level model that helps communities implement evidence-based youth and family programs with high fidelity, strong participation, and long-term sustainability. Speakers describe how PROSPER combines an Extension-led local team with ongoing technical assistance and state/national support, typically delivering a school-based youth program alongside a family program (e.g., a middle-school family skills series), and note research showing stronger substance-use prevention impacts when programs are delivered through PROSPER rather than “business as usual.” The discussion also highlights practical implementation lessons, including the time and resource investment required, the value of using existing community coalitions to recruit team members, stigma reduction to broaden buy-in, and the benefits of PROSPER’s networked supports for adapting operations during disruptions like COVID while protecting program fidelity.
What is the Community Tool Box?
The Community Tool Box is a long-standing, mission-driven resource created to promote community health and development by connecting people, ideas, and practical tools. Launched in 1994, it was designed to provide accessible, real-world guidance on core community-building competencies—such as leadership, program evaluation, and grant writing—that can be used by both professionals and community members across diverse issue areas. Over time, it has grown into an extensive, multilingual resource with more than 340 sections and thousands of pages of content, serving community leaders and practitioners, organizations that support community change, and funders seeking to strengthen and sustain effective community improvement efforts. In addition to its extensive content, the Community Tool Box is designed for ease of navigation and practical use. Each section follows a clear, practical structure explaining what a skill is, why and when it matters, and how to apply it, supported by curated resources, real-world examples, tools and checklists, and ready-to-use PowerPoint slides that facilitate training, technical assistance, and real-world application.
The Process of Prevention
This video provides an overview of how prevention science is applied in practice.
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.
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.