May 2025

2025 Connections in Prevention Conference Keynote Speaker Spotlight: Radiance Basden

Prevention First is excited to announce one of our keynote speakers for the October Connections in Prevention conference. Radiance Basden, wellness leader, speaker, and founder of "Rooted in Radiance," will share her expertise in breathwork, mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. A Hall of Fame runner, Basden is dedicated to empowering individuals to relieve stress, elevate well-being, and achieve peak performance by optimizing mind and body.

You won't want to miss Radiance Basden's inspiring presentation or the other keynote speakers, workshop presenters, and exhibitors at the 2025 Connections in Prevention Conference. Want to get involved? We also have opportunities for workshop presenters, exhibitors, and conference sponsorships. High school youth and sponsors are invited to apply to attend the youth track, with dynamic teen-focused content. Join us October 16-17 at the Chicago Marriott Naperville. Learn more and register today!

Save $50!

by registering during our early bird registration period, 4/1/25-7/15/25.

#CIP2025

2025 Connections in Prevention Conference

Registration Open!

Chicago Strategic Action Council (CSAC) Updates

Developed through a partnership between the Illinois Department of Human Services and Prevention First, the Chicago Strategic Action Council (CSAC) is a citywide initiative committed to closing prevention gaps in historically under-resourced neighborhoods, particularly within Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. After two years of collaborative planning, vision-setting, and infrastructure building, the CSAC is entering its next phase of work with the launch of four targeted workgroups in early May:

Improved Service Quality will strengthen prevention workforce capacity, enhance leadership development, and raise service delivery standards.

Funding Policy and Strategy will advocate for equitable, data-informed investment in community-based prevention efforts.

Coordinated Prevention Network will align funders, providers, and stakeholders to build a more unified and collaborative prevention system.

Culturally Responsive Prevention Methodology will ensure that all strategies are trauma-informed and grounded in the lived experiences of Chicago’s diverse communities.

Together, these workgroups represent a critical next step in realizing CSAC’s vision of an equity-centered, community-led prevention ecosystem that promotes long-term health and well-being for all Chicagoans.

To learn more about the CSAC, please contact James Miletello, Chief Development Officer.

WEBINAR, TRAINING & POWER HOUR OPPORTUNITIES!

May Power Hour: Mental Health Awareness Month

Monday, May 12th 1:30-2:30 pm

The Mental Health Training & Technical Assistance team will be hosting a second Power Hour Session during Mental Health Awareness Month. In this session, we will have an interactive discussion on how to navigate mental health stigma and the importance of mental health awareness in schools and communities. Register here!

Motivational Interviewing in Youth Suicide Prevention (Rescheduled)

Tuesday, May 13th 1:00-2:30 pm

We will be hosting a webinar on Motivational Interviewing (MI) with a focus on youth suicide prevention. Our speaker Nick Szubiak, MSW, brings more than 20 years of experience in direct service, administration and clinical experience to the healthcare field. He will discuss different ways to encourage engagement and rapport-building with youth who may be struggling with their mental health or experiencing suicidal ideation.

Moving Toward Zero Suicide: Policies and practices are already doing that are part of the Zero Suicide Framework

Thursday, May 15 10:00-11:30am

Are you a healthcare professional in Illinois? Do you work with healthcare professionals in Illinois?

In collaboration with the EDC, the MHTTA is happy to invite you to our upcoming webinar: “Moving Toward Zero Suicide: Policies and practices are already doing that are part of the Zero Suicide Framework” with EDC Senior Project Associate, Amy Malloy. Register here!

Associations Between Substance Use, Suicide Risk, and Mental Health

Monday, May 19th 1:00-2:00 pm

This webinar will focus on associations between substance use, suicide, and mental health. Our speaker Dr. Jason R. Kilmer, Ph.D., is a professor of Psychology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He will discuss ways substance use is a risk factor for suicide and negative mental health outcomes.

LIVE ONLINE TRAINING OPPORTUNITY: AMSR: Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk Training

Wednesday, May 21st 8:30 am–4:30 pm

Prevention First is partnering with EDC to provide a live, online AMSR training. This training is fully funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health and will be free of charge to participants.

Health and behavioral health providers play a crucial role in preventing suicides. Studies have shown that a substantial proportion of people who have died by suicide had either been in treatment or had some recent contact with a mental health professional. Yet many providers report that they feel inadequately trained to assess, treat, and manage suicidal clients. AMSR meets providers’ need for research-informed, skills-based training by presenting five of the most common dilemmas faced by providers and the best practices for addressing them.

This is open to people working in suicide prevention/mental health field with youth ages 10-24 and anyone working in schools, DCFS, juvenile justice, or an organization that primarily serves youth and families. Can include, but not limited to social workers, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurses. Register here!

Alcohol Use and Adult Influence

National Prevention Week is May 11th – 17th. May is also the month for prom and graduation, and research shows adults influence youth alcohol use. Alcohol is the most-used substance by youth in Illinois. According to the CDC, about 4,000 youth die annually from excessive alcohol use. The University of Washington School of Social Work recently highlighted a study in their Research Brief on Adult Supervised Drinking and the harm it can cause to youth. This study challenges the notion that parents should “teach” their children how to drink.

“Allowing youth to drink at home may contribute to more problematic use in the long run, not less. The research team found that the more often teens drank in a supervised setting, the more likely they were as adults to report the following behaviors:

More alcohol use, including excessive consumption
More symptoms of alcohol dependence, like blackouts, injuries, and inability to stop drinking once they started
Driving after drinking alcohol
Riding with a driver who recently drank alcohol”

The APRC has a recorded webinar on Placebos, Prevention, and Parents: What the Science Says About Alcohol and the Important Role of Coalitions. Dr. Jason Kilmer facilitated this webinar, which explores how messaging from parents impacts youth and young adult alcohol use.

Another study published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviors emphasized the link between adolescent alcohol use and parental permission:

"Highlights:

• Adolescent drinking with parental permission (PP) predicts later alcohol harms.

• How age of onset of drinking with PP effects later outcomes is poorly understood.

• This is the first study of age of onset of PP in a US sample.

• Drinking with PP is risky and did not depend on age of onset.

• Important to convey that parental provision is risky, regardless of adolescent age.”

The Alcohol Policy Resource Center can assist with analyzing your data, scanning your community, and matching policy/strategy to assessment findings. If you have any questions or need more information, please reach out to Jody Heavilin.

New Resource Available Online!

Our newest resource, Communicating about Cannabis, is now available on our website!

This guide is intended for leaders in local government of all kinds to help craft easy-to-understand messaging about cannabis safety.

National Prevention Week, May 11-17, is a perfect opportunity to share messages with your communities about the safety and risks of cannabis use. Sharing evidence-based information can help clarify misconceptions and generate positive community norms. Here are a few places to get you started with your messaging:

May Observances Create Opportunities for Prevention Awareness

This year National Prevention Week is taking place from May 11-17th, 2025. National Prevention Week (NPW), hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) allows you the opportunity to promote substance misuse prevention and positive mental health in your community. There are many ways to get involved in National Prevention Week throughout the year!

May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, which highlights the connection between mental health and substance use. The 2025 Mental Health Awareness Toolkit from SAMHSA is a free resource available online. Want to learn more about how mental health and substance use are often intertwined, especially among adolescents and young adults? The Child Mind Institute and Partnership to End Addiction provides information on common mental health disorders in young people, tips on identifying substance misuse, and steps to making informed decisions.

Substance Misuse/Mental Health Connection Webinar Coming Up!

In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, the YPRC is excited to partner with the Prevention First Leadership Center to host the Substance Misuse/Mental Health Connection Webinar on May 8th from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Central.

Mental health and substance use challenges are connected, and the relationship is likely bi-directional. This means that mental health challenges can contribute to substance misuse, and substance misuse can contribute to the development of mental health challenges. They also share some common risk factors, such as genetic vulnerabilities, stress, adverse childhood experiences, and trauma. In this webinar, we'll explore the relationship between substance misuse and mental health, their shared risk and protective factors, and why we do ourselves and our communities a disservice to think of them as separate and unrelated issues. Register here!

Harm Reduction ECHO

We’d love to see you at the next Harm Reduction ECHO, which will be held on May 13th from 10:00 to 11:00 am.

Our topic is Adolescents and Young Adults and Harm Reduction.

Harm reduction for adolescents and young adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) focuses on minimizing the negative impacts of drug use while addressing the unique developmental and social challenges faced by this age group. It includes educational outreach and mental health support tailored to younger individuals. By prioritizing evidence-based practices and community involvement, harm reduction aims to improve overall health outcomes and reduce the risks associated with opioid use, recognizing the complex needs and circumstances of adolescents and young adults.

If you want to receive the ECHO invite, register here!

Substance Misuse/Mental Health Connection Webinar

Join us for a free webinar on Substance Misuse/Mental Health Connection on May 8th from 2:00 to 3:00!

Mental health and substance use challenges are connected, and the relationship is likely bi-directional. This means that mental health challenges can contribute to substance misuse, and substance misuse can contribute to the development of mental health challenges. They also share some common risk factors, such as genetic vulnerabilities, stress, adverse childhood experiences, and trauma. In this workshop, we'll explore the relationship between substance misuse and mental health, their shared risk and protective factors, and why we do ourselves and our communities a disservice to think of them as separate and unrelated issues. Register here!

Exciting News from Southern Illinois Resource and Advocacy Center (SIRAC) and Little Resource Center!

We’re excited to introduce you to the BRICK Program (Building Resilience in Caregivers and Kids), a new collaborative initiative of the Southern Illinois Resource and Advocacy Center (SIRAC) and The Little Resource Center - Carbondale! BRICK is a trauma-informed, family-driven support program serving parents and caregivers with children 0-18 in Gallatin, Saline, White, Hardin, Pope, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, and Alexander Counties who are experiencing challenges that place them at risk of or currently involved with the child welfare system. This initiative is made possible through the Department of Children and Family Services funding.

The BRICK direct services team consists of two Peer Parent Support Workers and a Certified Doula. All of these individuals possess lived experience navigating difficult circumstances, including DCFS involvement and other systems. This foundation allows us to build authentic, judgment-free relationships with families and provide guidance that is both practical and compassionate. The graphic below shares a comprehensive list of services provided by this program.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training for RPSA Grantees

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or substance misuse challenge or is in crisis.

The Reimagine Youth Development team will host a “Youth Mental Health First Aid Training* + Opioid Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution (OEND) Bonus Training**” on Tuesday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 21. During this course, you will learn how to support young people in your life and your work. You will build the skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to young people who are struggling. You will also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

Immediately after the Youth Mental Health First Aid training, we will be offering a 30-minute bonus training session on “How to use Naloxone, also known as Narcan,” the medicine that reverses an opioid overdose. This training is open to Reimagine Youth Development Grantees funded under the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) Grant Program. Seating is limited. Register here.