NH Prevention Conference Speakers

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The Power of Relationships: Strategies to Nurture Resilience in Children and Teens

Robert Brooks, Ph.D.

During the past 30 years, especially with the emergence of the field of “positive psychology,” there has been an increased interest in how best to strengthen protective factors and resilience in children and teens and move from a crisis intervention to a crisis prevention approach.  In his keynote Dr. Brooks will highlight specific strategies to nurture caring, hope, and resilience in youth—strategies rooted in positive relationships between adults and children/teens in their care.  A foundation for these strategies is based on Dr. Brooks’ experiences as a therapist, a consultant to schools and mental health agencies, and as a principal of a school in a lock-door unit in the Child and Adolescent Program of a psychiatric hospital.   

The Stories They Tell: What New Hampshire Youth Have to Say About Their Lives / Demystifying Risk, Protection, and Logic Models

Marissa Carlson and Maura McGowan, NH Teen Institute

The complicated world our youth face is captured in their collective responses to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) -  an invaluable tool to understanding the landscape of the risk behaviors youth face. Participants will explore what the YRBS can tell us and gain clarity on how to use the data to inform a comprehensive prevention plan.  Participants will learn about prevention science and the risk and protective factor theory.  This workshop will model how to use data to identify, understand, and address substance use and other risk behaviors to implement strategies based on local needs. 

Bridging Connections: Spotlight of Two NH Schools' Approach to Discipline

Alyssa Bender-Jesse, Juvenile Court Diversion, Jennifer Porschitz, LISCW, MLADC and Michael Hightower, MS, MEd, Keene High School, and Patrick Heneghan, Cheshire County

Stephanie Wolff, Franklin Partners in Prevention and Jamie Smith, Franklin High School  

When we take time to examine what is really effective for young people to grow, new connections begin to form. Come learn effective strategies to engage with school administration to create a collaborative and supportive process to address school climate and discipline while gaining a deeper understanding for connections. Join us in an engaging session in which two high schools share their successful approach and impressive results to foster a positive school environment while addressing the behavioral health  needs of all students.  These initiatives provide unique experiences that enhance student engagement, strengthen connections to the school and the community,  and promote overall well-being for our students. Learn how they implemented initiatives such as restorative justice practices, No Fone Friday, Detox Dining, No Tech Tuesday, and Tornado Tickets and other efforts to positively engage youth, strengthen connections to the school and the community, and promote overall well-being of students.

Behavior Change Through Public Messaging that Focus on Protective Factors: Going Beyond Vaping to Reach Youth Online through Mental Health and Wellness Support

Emma Kane, Audrey Foxx, and Christina Curell, JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc. 

Public messaging campaigns play a vital role in promoting healthier behaviors and preventing substance misuse. This session will explore the core principles of behavior change, highlighting evidence-based approaches that drive measurable results. Attendees will learn the mechanics of behavior change, supported by real-world examples and research findings, and gain actionable insights into crafting effective health communication campaigns. We will share lessons learned in a novel approach to communicating to New Hampshire youth to prevent vaping and other risky behaviors.

The Power of Peer Support: NH Alternative Peer Groups Offer an Innovative Approach to Addressing Youth Substance Use

Heidi Cloutier, University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability and Michelle Lennon, Archways Family Resource Centers 

The value and effectiveness of youth peer support for young people struggling with mental health or problematic substance use are becoming more widely recognized. The research indicates that trained youth peer supporters help to better engage youth in services, mitigate the perception of stigma, and are highly dedicated to the work given their lived experience. This presentation focuses on a well-developed peer group model for youth and young adults that is being implemented across 6 organizations with promising results for middle school through young adults.

NH Outright: Increasing Protective Factors with Youth  

Jessica Goff, NH Outright

Learn the importance of developing positive prevention relationships and safer spaces with LGBTQ+ young people by understanding information on core concepts/terminology, exploring the direct link between discrimination/harm and increased rates of substance use/ mental health concerns for this population, and every-day strategies that work to foster protective factors and increase engagement.
 

Panel: Programs That Work: Finding the Best Fit

Iraida Muñoz and Savitri Horrigan, Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services

Shannon Desliets, Choose Love Movement

Monica Gallant, Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley/Community Action for Safe Teens Coalition

Julie Yerkes, JSI Research & Training Institute  

Finding programs and practices with a proven record of success and base of evidence can be time consuming and expensive. This panel will highlight initiatives that are demonstrating impact by adopting, adapting and innovating for successful local implementation and improvement.  We’ll also share resources to take your prevention initiatives to the next level with the Service to Science program.  

Keeping Everyone Safe: What School-based Prevention Programs Need to Know About State and Federal Confidentiality and Consent Laws

Allison Tamposi and Dean Eggert, Wadleigh Starr and Peters Law

Operating a successful prevention program in a public-school setting requires a good working knowledge of the state and federal confidentiality and consent laws that regulate these services. This presentation will help prevention professionals and others navigate the regulations governing these constructs as well as standards of care.

Adultism and Authentic Youth Engagement

Molly Houle, Youth Success Project

Jackson Robidoux and Yiya Grime, Youth Success students

This session will provide an overview of youth and young adult homelessness followed by a deeper look into adultism and authentic youth engagement.

Strategies for Engaging Youth and Adults in Vaping Prevention

Maggie Coleman, MPH and Hilary Schuler, Dartmouth Health

Jess Morton, Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program 

Actionable strategies to engage parents, caregivers, and their youth around vaping prevention and education; walkthrough of vaping education resource toolkit; examples of effective communication; overview of vaping data trends and health effects

Supporting Youth Connected to the Military

Jennifer Thomas, Carroll County Coalition for Public Health with Granite United Way

Gary Bent, Clear Path NE 

Youth connected to the military experience life differently than civilian families. These experiences can both build resilience and increase risk for substance misuse and poor mental health. For these reasons it is important to have plans in place to identify these youth, assess their situation, and provide culturally appropriate interventions, in all different community sectors.

Building Youth Leaders Through Support and Connection

Charm Emiko & Fisto Ndayishimiye, Project S.T.O.R.Y.

Project S.T.O.R.Y. aims to break down barriers, build up tomorrow's leaders, and provide social support to young individuals. Through our leadership training, education, advocacy, and holistic programming, we strive to unlock the potential within each child, enabling them to thrive and achieve their dreams. Cultural and language barriers, transportation limitations, and financial constraints often hinder access to education, sports, and other opportunities. We work to bridge these gaps, offering comprehensive support resources and a safe space for children to grow.

Ending the Silence

Ebony Martin, NAMI New Hampshire

NAMI Ending the Silence is a presentation designed to give audience members an opportunity to learn about mental illness. Each presentation outlines symptoms of mental health conditions and gives attendees ideas about how to help themselves, friends, or family members who may need support. The presentation includes personal testimony from a young adult living with a mental health condition and his/her journey to recovery.

Spotlighting a Local Response to Trauma: Harnessing the Power of Community to Address Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and Trauma 

Suzanne Weete, Community Partners and Dover Mental Health Alliance 

Anena Hansen, Trauma Responsive Monadnock

This workshop spotlights two communities' unique responses to community trauma.

Suicide Prevention

This workshop will explore the coalition's collective action and impact within the individual, interpersonal, institutional and community layers of the socio-economic model. It will take a deeper dive into the interpersonal and institutional layers to highlight the evidenced-based program called Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) which harnesses the power of youth to recognize and respond to their peers experiencing mental health challenges/crisis and suicide prevention.

This Is Your Brain on Trauma

Trauma can overwhelm the body's threat response system, and youth are particularly susceptible to the instant relief of substance use. Hacking the power of the nervous system can teach them to self-soothe and stop substance dependence before it starts.

From Awareness to Action: Supporting Schools to Promote Prevention  

Amy Jo Muscott and Danielle Toussaint, Bridges: Domestic & Sexual Violence Support Inc.  

Through interactive activities, participants will explore strategies for teaching concrete skills, implementing prevention programs, examining the impact of technology, and identifying interventions that can positively influence both students and staff.

Integrating Substance Abuse Prevention and Student Assistance Programs within the MTSS-B Framework: A Collaborative Approach 

Julie Yerkes, JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc.   

New Hampshire schools have access to a collaborative, comprehensive approach through the integration of Student Assistance Programs (SAPs) into the Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health (MTSS-B) framework. With support from the New Hampshire Department of Education’s Office of Student and Educator Wellness and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, which offers support to SAPs, schools can improve their ability to identify at-risk students, provide timely support, and prevent long-term behavioral health issues, ultimately promoting student well-being and academic success.

School Connectedness as a Protective Factor

Sarah Gould, Connor’s Climb Foundation

This session will discuss the relationship between school connectedness and suicidal behavior

and explore the ways in which all the adults in youths’ lives can improve school connectedness.

We will explore interventions framed around the CDC’s five segments of school connectedness.

Participants will come away with practical strategies to implement right away.

The Impact of Cannabis Use on the Developing Adolescent Brain

Kristen M. Gilliland, Ph.D., Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt Medical School

Neuroplasticity is the ability to reorganize the connections in the brain based on an individual's thoughts, actions, and environment. Both repeated stress and substance use can have deleterious effects on the brain because of neuroplasticity – particularly during adolescence. In this session, participants will learn to empower youth to utilize this remarkable gift of neuroplasticity as a positive means of youth mental illness and substance use prevention. 

Miss Kendra: A Creative Approach to Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Students

Melony Williams, LCMHC, PLLC

Miss Kendra is an evidenced based curriculum designed to be facilitated in grades k-12. The intervention assists students in learning the norms of childhood safety and expressing worries in order to enable them to effectively learn. Come and learn about Miss Kendra and experience

some of the magic of the program firsthand in this workshop.

Charm Emiko & Fisto Ndayishimiye, Project S.T.O.R.Y.

Molly Houle and Jackson Robidoux, Youth Success Project

Emma Sevigny, New Futures

Are you looking to strengthen your efforts to engage youth in meaningful ways?  Want to create opportunities for their lived and living experiences to solve problems and improve health? This panel shares lessons learned on structuring involvement that is transparent, equitable and meaningful.