Alaska's SPF SIG e-Newsletter

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January 2014

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Next week on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 from 1-3 p.m., Linda Chamberlain, PhD, MPH from Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health will be presenting A Trauma Informed Approach to Adverse Childhood Experiences: Promoting Resiliency and Prevention. Dr. Chamberlain’s presentation explores how brain research demonstrates that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can become toxic developmental stressors for children. Dr. Chamberlain uses a Protective Factors framework to examine the impact of ACEs on children, youth and adults. Practical strategies to promote resiliency and buffer families from the effects of toxic stress are demonstrated with a state-of-the-art resource that supports universal education and trauma-informed parenting. Promising practices and community-based initiatives to prevent the intergenerational transmission of ACEs are highlighted. As a result of this training, you will be able to:

Identify examples of how ACEs impacts children's physical, mental, behavioral and cognitive health.
List resiliency factors for children and youth experiencing ACEs.
Give examples of practical strategies to promote resiliency.
Describe resources for universal education and assessment that can be used to prevent and reduce the impact of ACEs.

Following Dr. Chamberlain’s presentation, Lisa Nelson of the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe and Esther Hammerschlag of the Homer Prevention Project will each share how two Alaska communities are heightening awareness about alcohol-related ACEs.

To attend the webinar, click here to access the Adobe Connect link which will give you the audio-visual connection. After clicking this link, you will be directed to a registration survey for your name and affiliation. Once completed, you will be redirected to the Adobe Connect site. Enter as a guest and type your name; then click on “enter room.”

To see a list of additional upcoming trainings, check out the SPF SIG website for more information.

National Training Opportunities

There is a national webinar opportunity, Underage Drinking Laws: How are we doing and where are we going? on Thursday, January 23, 2014, from 3-4 p.m. EST. This webinar, put on by the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center will provide the participants with an overview of national efforts to address underage drinking using the alcohol regulation system(s). The presentation will also cover effective strategies and discuss how law enforcement agencies are adapting and expanding their efforts to reach the broadest possible audience while building upon past enforcement practices.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America is putting on its 24th National Leadership Forum in National Harbor, MD on February 3-6, 2014. This is the largest training conference for community-based substance abuse prevention professionals, coalition leaders and prevention and addiction researchers. The conference gives participants opportunities to learn the latest strategies to fight substance abuse and hear from nationally-known prevention experts, federal administrators, and concerned policymakers.

Past Trainings

If you missed the last webinar, Gathering Information and Using Your Management Information System, you can view it on the SPF SIG website. The webinar covered how to use archival data and gather local information for your targeted indicators in the MIS, and how to use the MIS to support and manage your prevention efforts.

For more information on archival data, go to the SPF SIG website and download the archival data resources spreadsheet developed for SPF SIG and DBH grantees.

2014 Training Schedule

Starting on February 4th the Community Prevention and Support Team will offer two webinars each month on the first and third Tuesday from 1-3 p.m. The trainings are sustainability focused and will give participants tools that they can take with them.