Please Note: ESC offices are closed with restricted access through at least January 22, 2021. However, our staff are ready to serve you remotely. Please see our contact page or staff directory to reach ESC staff via email and phone. Our North Office location is still available for background check and fingerprinting services. Thank you. 

Prevention Education

The ESC of Central Ohio was selected to lead the Central region and help strengthen community partnerships and enhance the delivery and impact of evidence-based prevention education. We will partner with other educational service centers and alcohol, drug addiction and mental health services (ADAMHS) boards to:
  • Ensure school personnel receive professional development in prevention education and the model and tenets of prevention of risky behaviors, including substance abuse, suicide, bullying and other harmful behaviors
  • Provide professional development and technical assistance for prevention education planning, implementation, data gathering and capacity development based on local needs
  • Assist districts in identifying funding options for prevention and related professional development, such as K-12 prevention education funds, student wellness and success funds, school climate grants, school safety grants, and other local, state or federal dollars
  • Help districts leverage local, state and federal funds to support implementation and sustainability of prevention programs and strategies

Additionally, to foster collaboration among ESCs and community partners, we will create a committee of practitioners to share best practices on prevention training, prevention program implementation, and sustaining prevention strategies.

About the Grant

The Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) are partnering to provide funding through the Prevention Education Professional Development Grant to Educational Service Centers in Ohio to train educators and related school personnel in the model and tenets of prevention of risky behaviors, including substance abuse, suicide, bullying and other harmful behaviors. This work complements Ohio’s strategic plan for education, Each Child, Our Future, which emphasizes the importance of meeting the needs of the whole child (physical, social, emotional, and intellectual) to ensure each student is challenged, prepared, and empowered for their future.

Learn More & Register

Meet the Trainer

Jim Ryan, OCPC, ICPS

Jim is an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant and Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist with over 35 years of experience in prevention and behavioral health.

Jim provides prevention consultation and training services to the Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene, and Madison Counties, working with prevention providers, school districts, and local systems to plan and implement effective prevention strategies in the three-county region.

Jim is affiliated with leading state, national, and international prevention entities. Jim serves as executive director of ADAPAO, the statewide membership association of Ohio’s prevention professionals. He is also associate director of professional development for Applied Prevention Science International, an organization providing training and guidance for prevention practice in North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Jim is senior trainer for Working Partners®, a national leader in drug-free workplace and workplace-based prevention services.

Jim serves on the Prevention Committee of the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board. Among his other training credentials and experience, Jim is a Master Trainer of the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Training 3


Prevention as Policy: Integrating prevention science into our school policies
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 | 3:00-5:00pm

When was the last time your district reviewed policies on substance use and mental health? Do our policies reinforce or run counter to the prevention curricula, programs, and other interventions implemented in our buildings? What about policies for our faculty and staff? Join us as we apply prevention science to school-based policy development and intentionally link our policies to our other school-based prevention initiatives. Not required but encouraged: Bring relevant policies from your district to the session.

Objectives
Training participants will be better equipped to:
1. Review school policies related to substance use and mental health.
2. Recognize the links among district policies and school-based prevention interventions.
3. Advocate for school policies that are grounded in prevention science.

Training 2

Choosing well: Smart prevention, science, and squirrels

What does it mean to for a prevention intervention to be "evidence-based?” Should our school district be constrained to only implementing "evidence-based” prevention curricula? What about guest speakers who have a prevention message? Materials and teaching tools provided by reputable organizations? Learn how to how to properly vet programs, curricula, speakers, and resources and why some interventions can not only distract us from prevention goals but actually increase risk for students.

Training 1

Prevention: What is it, really?

In school and community settings, programs, curricula and services are often labeled “prevention,” though they may not meet the goal of preventing substance use and mental disorders. Learn about the three prevention populations, the six strategies utilized to meet prevention goals, and why school districts and communities should be selective about which prevention services they choose and who delivers those services.

Objectives
Training participants will be better equipped to:
1. Define the six strategies utilized to meet prevention goals.
2. Distinguish between prevention populations based on risk.
3. Increase capacity to critically vet prevention services offered to school districts and within communities.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact: [email protected]