This presentation is filled with Dave's real-life examples from being a veteran who was deployed to Iraq during his junior year of college. He then returned to campus and completed both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Dave will share an inside view of what it is like to be a combat veteran battling PTSD, an undiagnosed TBI, and substance misuse.

Through this engaging presentation, the audience members reflect on Dave's journey to better understand the unseen challenges, opportunities for growth, and identify ways to better support their veterans.

In this insightful session, we explore the intersection of combat experience, cultural dynamics, and substance misuse prevention. Drawing from the real-life journey of a veteran, Dave, who battled PTSD, a TBI, and substance misuse, this presentation offers a unique perspective on veteran-specific risk factors and post-traumatic growth. We delve into strategies for engaging Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) in community-based recovery efforts, highlighting the importance of understanding and leveraging cultural nuances in prevention and treatment.

Building on the principles of collaborative and facilitative leadership, the session emphasizes the role of culture in shaping effective teams and coalitions in the substance misuse prevention field. We explore practical skills and principles for fostering extraordinary team cultures, enhancing communication, and improving team dynamics. This approach is crucial for creating an environment conducive to recovery and prevention, where trust, engagement, and shared purpose drive collective efforts.

In this illuminating session, attendees will explore the transformative power of storytelling in engaging communities and fostering change, particularly in the context of substance abuse prevention. Attendees will learn why storytelling is such a potent tool, and how it serves to humanize complex issues, build empathy, and inspire collective action. This session will include compelling examples of successful storytelling initiatives in substance abuse prevention, showcasing how personal narratives can powerfully drive change.

Coalitions are an essential component of successful community prevention efforts. However, building and maintaining coalitions can be challenging, as they involve bringing together diverse stakeholders with different goals and interests. Facilitative leadership is a critical skill for prevention professionals working to build effective coalitions. This session will explore the role of facilitative leadership in building and sustaining coalitions that can effectively collaborate and coordinate prevention efforts. Participants will learn strategies and best practices for facilitating coalition development, building trust, engaging stakeholders, and managing conflict.

Effective substance misuse prevention requires a collaborative and coordinated approach that engages diverse stakeholders from across the community. Collaboration requires strong leadership, and a facilitative approach to leadership can help to build trust, establish common goals, and engage partners in prevention efforts. In this session, participants will explore the principles and practices of collaborative leadership in substance misuse prevention. Participants will learn strategies for engaging diverse stakeholders, managing conflict, and building consensus through facilitative leadership. This session will also cover techniques for evaluating and adapting prevention strategies to achieve desired outcomes.

This specialized training program is meticulously crafted to equip campus law enforcement officers with motivational interviewing techniques, specifically targeting alcohol and drug use issues within the campus community. Understanding the critical role of campus police in addressing and preventing substance abuse, this program emphasizes strategies that are both empathetic and effective in dealing with students and staff involved in such situations.