Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST)

The Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) is the foundational course of study in substance abuse prevention, grounded in current research and SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework. It prepares practitioners to implement effective, data-driven prevention programs and practices that reduce behavioral health disparities and improve wellness.

The Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) is the foundational course of study in substance abuse prevention, grounded in current research and SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework. It prepares practitioners to implement effective, data-driven prevention programs and practices that reduce behavioral health disparities and improve wellness.

There are two parts to the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST): a required online course, entitled Introduction to Substance Abuse Prevention: Understanding the Basics, which must be completed before attending the four-day face-to-face training.

What does the SAPST cover?

Introduction to Substance Abuse Prevention: Understanding the Basics (online), including an overview of basic terminology and facts, history of substance use and prevention in the U.S., addiction and the brain, and the effects and health risks of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Setting the Foundation: From Theory to Practice (in-person), including an exploration of behavioral health, the Institute of Medicine’s Continuum of Care, the public health approach to prevention, risk and protective factors, and the developmental perspective.

Application: SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (in-person), including presentations on assessment, capacity, planning, implementation, and evaluation, cultural competence, and sustainability.

Educational Objectives

After completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Address substance abuse prevention in the context of behavioral health
• Improve practice by developing a comprehensive approach to prevention
• Reduce behavioral health disparities by identifying the needs of vulnerable populations and improving cultural competency
• Sustain prevention by collaborating effectively across sectors to address shared risk factors and improve the health and well-being of communities in a comprehensive way

6.5 CE’s for:

• DMH-Licensed Administrator
• DMH-Addiction Therapist
• DMH-Community Support Specialist
• DMH-Mental Health Therapist
• DMH-Peer Support Specialist
• MAAP-Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals
• NBCC/LPC-National Board Certified Counselors
• CHES-Certified Health Education Specialist
• CPH-Certified Public Health
• Social Work