Prevention, Training
and Education

General Prevention Services

• Information Dissemination– Dissemination of information on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD), with a focus on the misuse, abuse and addiction of prescription medications throughout Bucks County, this includes speaking engagements, phone support, newsletters, and electronic/printed materials.
• Community Based Prevention – Speaking engagements in collaboration with community partners to provide education on current local, state, and national ATOD trends, may also include stimulant trends education, opioid education & overdose response trainings, marijuana/cannabis consumption/use and its consequences for both individuals and the community as well as how substance use can impact mental wellness.
• CATCH My Breath is a best-practices youth E-cigarette and JUUL prevention program developed by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health. The program provides up-to-date information to teachers, parents, and health professionals to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about the use of E-cigarettes, including JUUL devices.
• Teen Intervene provides an easily administered, low-cost SBIRT program that helps teens self-identify a substance use disorder, provides a brief plan for intervention, and guides the referral to treatment. As a comprehensive, evidence-based program, Teen Intervene, can be administered in a variety of settings, making it an effective tool for school counselors and health professionals, social workers, psychologists, youth treatment service providers and juvenile justice professionals.
• The American Lung Association’s Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health (INDEPTH) is an alternative for students who face suspension for violation of school tobacco, vaping, or nicotine use policies. Students participate in a series of interactive educational sessions administered by an adult facilitator in either a one-on-one or group format in a school or community-based setting.
• Youth Marijuana Use Prevention Task Force This advisory board will continue to collaborate with the Coalition Collaborative Task Force (CCTF) as we recruit and utilize current representatives from various sectors of the community to prevent/reduce the harm associated with under 21 access to current marijuana products (delta 8) and future products that will surface as “adult use legalization” is moved forward by legislation.  Recreational Marijuana & Risks to Public Health Educational flyer for lawmakers 
• Bucks County Medication Take Back Committee through outreach, information dissemination, coordination, and marketing for county-wide events on the proper disposal of unused or unwanted medications. We are the lead agency for the Take Back Program Vaping/E-Cigarette Enhancements initiative. The Council also participates in Bucks County’s Medication Take Back Program to coordinate and promote two semi-annual take back days to collect unused, expired or unwanted medications at sites throughout the county. There are also permanent medication collection boxes throughout Bucks County – see the list here.
• FASD–State-mandated strategy that is used to raise awareness and educate pregnant women, women of childbearing age and the general population about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in relation to preventable birth defects, developmental disabilities and behavioral health problems associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
• Neshaminy Coalition for Youth (NC4Y) A Drug Free Communities Grant is a community coalition that supports the welfare of our youth through evidence-based programs that meet the unique needs of the Neshaminy Community.

Tobacco Control Project-Health Promotions Council – (Bucks and Montgomery Counties)

• Prevention-Conducts the Youth Tobacco Survey in Bucks County schools, works to implements smoke free Parks & Recreation Centers, participates in the Young Lungs at Play Initiative, provides training and technical assistance to schools to implement smoke free schools and mobilized constituents and stakeholders in support Tobacco Control advocacy efforts.
• Tobacco Enforcement (ACT 112)-This program involves a youth and adult supervisor team that work in partnership with local police departments to conduct unannounced tobacco compliance checks at tobacco retailers in their municipalities. The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that merchants are compliant with the law which prohibits the sale of tobacco to minors.
• SYNAR – The goal of the Synar program is to reduce the number of outlets selling to youth and the goal of the Synar survey is to accurately measure the progress toward that goal.
• Operation Storefront – The project focuses on the successful marketing strategies the tobacco industry uses in order to “recruit” new smokers, 90% of which start before the age of 18. Operation Storefront educates youth on the tobacco industry’s marketing and promotion techniques that were created and used to gain new smokers, maintain current smokers (ensuring brand loyalty) and tempting those who quit tobacco to start using again.
• Tobacco Dependance Treatment – Providing free Tobacco Dependence Treatment for individuals in Bucks & Montgomery Counties who are addicted to tobacco and looking for help in quitting. We also work with the PA Free Quitline to provide additional resources and Nicotine Replacement Therapy to the region’s smokers

Prevention Staff:
Melissa Groden, MS, HS-BCP, CFRS, Division Director
Melanie Swanson, MEd, CTTS, ICPS, NCNTT, Prevention Specialist & Tobacco Control Project Supervisor
David Fialko, BS, ICPS, NCTTS, Prevention Specialist
Abby Rathgeber, MPH, Prevention Specialist
Stephen Thom, Data Entry Coordinator

• Certified Recovery Support Specialist – The Council offers a 78-hour training package designed to meet the educational requirements to qualify for the Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) and Certified Family Recovery Specialist (CFRS) Credential – a credential that recognizes the work of recovering individuals and family members in the provision of recovery support services in assisting others in accessing and sustaining recovery from substance use disorders. For more information on this training please email CRSTraininginfo@councilsepa.org
• Leadership Development – This training is for supervisors, managers, and administrators who oversee peer-based recovery support staff. With increased interest in and availability of peer-based recovery support services in mental health and substance use disorder recovery, many providers have chosen to add Certified Recovery Specialists and/or Certified Peer Specialists to their teams. Because peer-support providers do not perform clinical tasks, a clinical supervision model is not appropriate or effective.
• Speaking Engagements –Customized ATOD educational presentations, workshops and speaking engagements, popular topics include Current Drug Trends and Synthetic Drugs.
• Custom Trainings – The Council offers a wide array of professional development presentations and training. All services are tailored to the needs of the requestor for content, audience, location and duration.
• Trauma-Informed Training Series – as a certified adjunct trainer for Lakeside Global Institute, we can offer the following trainings:
  • • Trauma 101 – An Overview of Trauma-Informed Care (2-hours)
    • Trauma 102 – Basic Skills of Trauma-informed Care (2-hours)
    • Trauma 103 – Recognizing Vicarious & Secondary Trauma for Caregivers (2-hours)
    • Trauma 105 – Intro to Trauma for Parents & Caregivers (2-hours)
    • Trauma 106 – An Introduction to Trauma for Youth (2-hours)
    • Trauma 107 – Trauma-Informed Cultural Sensitivity (4-hours)
    • Trauma 108 – Trauma and Racism (4-hours)
    • Trauma 109 – Trauma in a Pandemic (3-hours)
    • Trauma 110 – The Impact of Social Media (3-hours)
• Generational Diversity: What you need to know to communicate and develop effective relationships – From Baby Boomers to Generation Alpha, this session will explore the generational diversity between each cohort. We will discuss the differences of each generation and celebrate the uniqueness which makes them stand out. Learners will learn how to best communicate within the different generations, leading to successful partnerships.
• Juuls, Puffbars & Juice Oh My! How to address vaping with our youth – The presentation will explore the current trend of Vaping and the various Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) that are currently popular amongst adolescent-aged youth. Discussions will include the effects of nicotine on the developing brain, learning, and the associated costs that schools absorb. Cross utilization of ENDS devices for cannabis products will also be discussed as well as difficulties with identifying these devices.
• Personality Lingo – Personality Lingo takes participants beyond the basics of personality style identification providing practical applications for appreciating differences, communicating more effectively, and navigating the stress we encounter in our everyday lives at work and at home. Identify the four communication styles and the characteristics attributed to each style.
• Youth Mental Health First Aid – Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This 8-hour training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to adolescents (ages 12-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. The course will teach you how to apply the ALGEE action plan.

For more information on our trainings please contact: Melissa Groden, MS, HS-BCP, CFRS, Division Director 

The Philadelphia Peer Leadership Academy initiative was created with and initiated by the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities- and is supported by the work of PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization – Achieving Community Together).  Beginning in the summer of 2007, these parties collaborated in the vision and development of activities associated with PPLA because of a shared belief that there was a critical, demonstrated need for greater peer-driven leadership in Philadelphia’s behavioral health system.  Further, it was believed that system transformation may not be fully realized without informed, committed, and passionate peer leaders.

The Philadelphia Peer Leadership Academy (PPLA) is a training that effectively expands the horizons of its participants. The enhancement of their listening skills, understanding of various mental models, negotiation techniques, and the formation and function of a group are taught and practiced.  These skills taught by Pro-Act equip each participant with the ability to engage in positive interaction with others, be it a community organization, an acute care setting, or a politician.

Many who have graduated from the PPLA have become leaders in their employment and the general community. Those who have graduated from PPLA actively represent the many diverse service categories in the recovery community. Whether their job consists of being a Block Captain, Certified Peer Specialist, a member of a community advisory panel, or a seat on the board of a non-profit organization, PPLA graduates continue to shine forth as an asset, using the skills learned in the leadership training they received.  Many of our community organizations, hospitals, and treatment centers specifically look for (if not required) individuals who have received leadership training from the PPLA to promote their individual goals and expectations.

PPLA is a leadership class held for people who are in recovery from mental health and/or substance use disorders or who have been deeply impacted by family members who have had these illnesses.  Specifically, PPLA is designed to promote the leadership skills of those in recovery who earnestly desire to help continue to shape and refine the behavioral health care system, as part of the ongoing system transformation movement.

EMAIL LIZNAMIR IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR SUPERVISOR TRAINING SERIES!

Program Contacts:

Liznamir Corchado, CFRS, Training Coordinator
Melissa Groden, MS, HS-BCP, TCP, CFRS, Program Director
Shermell Lloyd, Administrative Assistant