In recognition of Earth Week, the PTTC national implementation science work group is proud to present on April 24th Climate Change from a Prevention Perspective, from 2:00-3:30 pm ET!

Description and Objectives:

“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” We often ask young people to think about their futures, but the world we’re asking them to think about living in is changing quickly. From screen time to social media to emerging substance use trends to being trauma-informed, prevention professionals have to stay up to date on the health of young people- so have you thought about climate change? Climate change is on the minds of upwards of 80% of young people, making it a standout issue. Increased stressors on communities, families, and individuals can mean increased mental health challenges, as well as other public health concerns, and people and communities will have different abilities to adapt to these changes depending on a host of socioeconomic factors. This training is designed as a conversation to help you begin to be climate-informed about these issues and more, so these subjects are familiar to you when bolstering youth and community resiliency, and helping young people find hopeful answers to the question, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

Objectives: 

1. Discover how prevention specialists can consider this global impact problem when delivering prevention services.
2. Learn how socioeconomic differences, and health disparities change how climate change impacts people differently and their capacity for being resilient to climate change changes depending on these things.
3. Communicate a feeling of hope. This is a more powerful conversation when we know there are things we can do.
4. Focus on substance misuse prevention and positive youth development. This conversation can easily be swept up in climate change and the specifics of climate change, but we are not expected to become climate change experts. By being climate informed, we can more easily navigate this part of working with youth.

REGISTER HERE!

MEET THE PRESENTER!

Sarah Johnson, MA, PS-C has worked in the field of prevention since 2014 in a variety of capacities.  She served as the outreach coordinator for a Drug Free Communities coalition in Central Maine, supporting positive youth development and substance use prevention. She served Kennebec County as the Community Coordinator for a Child Abuse and Neglect prevention council, and currently, Sarah is the Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator for the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center, PTTC, housed at AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc. Sarah earned a BA in Social Science and a BS in Public Administration from the University of Maine at Augusta, and a Masters degree in Peace and Reconciliation studies at the University of Maine. Sarah was honored to win the Maine Public Health Associations 2021 Rising Star Award, and She has been lucky to work creatively to serve the prevention workforce through product creation, including collaborating on the Graphic Medicine In the Air, leading the Research and Design Fellowship Program, and co-chairing a national Prevention Stakeholder’s work group on marketing and communications.