Important Dates

  • Online Form Open: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
  • Online Application Deadline: Friday, April 4, 2025
  • Letter of Notification: Week of April 28, 2025
  • Deadline to respond and Complete the online Registration Form: July 1, 2025

Instructions

The application must be complete in order to be scored. The following content will need to be prepared in advance and then submitted online. Please ensure to consider the scoring criteria when responding to the application. You can download the NPN Conference Proposal Submission Word Document to prepare your answers in advance!

  • Session Overview (maximum of 500 words), answering the following questions:
    • What are the issue(s) you are trying to address?
    • Who is(are) your target population(s)?
    • What activities/strategies did you engage in to bring about change?
    • What the evaluation outcomes of the strategies/interventions?
      • If no outcomes at this point, what are the outcomes you hope to achieve?
  • Conference Topic (choose the BEST fit for the proposed workshop from below)
  • Working title of the presentation
  • Working workshop description (for program purposes)
  • A minimum of two to four (2-4) learning objectives that you wish to accomplish during your presentation. At least one must pertain to cultural relevance or competency.
  • Short biography of each presenter entered (no more than 300 words and in 3rd person)
  • Level of audience content knowledge (please choose all that fit best)
    • Beginning (no prior prevention knowledge needed)
    • Intermediate (some prior knowledge of the topic)
    • Advanced (content is for those with an advanced understanding of prevention)
  • Type of audience the content is best suited (please choose all that apply)
    • Student/Intern
    • State Systems Level
    • Local Level
    • Coalition Partner
    • Researcher
  • CV or resume

Workshop Topics and Conference Theme

Workshop proposals should fit into one of the topics listed below related to substance use prevention. Proposals should address the conference theme: Substance Use Prevention Across the Lifespan: Creating a Monumental Impact.

Note: The topic descriptions below are representative of issues, trends, and discussion points provided as examples. Presenters must submit proposals within the topics listed below. Downloadable list of topics.

Highlighted Topics:

  1. Evidence-based and Evidence-informed Programs, Strategies, and Policies to Prevent or Reduce Substance Use
  2. Substance Use Prevention Across the Lifespan
  3. Substance Use Prevention Workforce Development
  4. Emerging Drug Trends
  5. Intersection of Substance Use Prevention and Other Health/Social Issues
  6. Substance Use Prevention in Disproportionately Impacted Communities

1. Evidence-based and Evidence-informed Programs, Strategies, and Policies to Prevent or Reduce Substance Use

Evidence-based substance use prevention programs, strategies, and policies across the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Supports (SUPTRS) Block Grant six prevention strategies: Information Dissemination, Prevention Education, Alternative Activities, Environmental Strategies, Community-based Processes, Identification of Problems and Referral to Services; translating research to prevention practice; state and community program results; successful public awareness, social media or marketing efforts; using technology in prevention; evidence-informed emerging practices in prevention.

2. Substance Use Prevention Across the Lifespan

Highlighting evidence-based and evidence-informed substance use prevention programs, policies, and practices aimed at all ages across the lifespan (youth, young adults, adults, older adults); opportunities for incorporating substance use prevention across the continuum of care (intervention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support).

3. Substance Use Prevention Workforce Development

Activities to build, sustain, and train the substance use prevention workforce; recruitment, onboarding new staff, training, retention, and succession planning; core competencies; certification; increasing pay and compensation; developing leadership skills; strengthening and diversifying the prevention workforce; developing career paths and ladders; prevention ethics; rural prevention workforce development; youth leadership; developing workforce strategic plans.

4. Emerging Drug Trends

Drug use trends, new data, and prevention strategies focusing on a substance (e.g., alcohol, marijuana, prescription opioids, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamines). Examples of emerging issues that may be addressed include synthetic drugs; vaping products/e-cigarettes; legalized adult use of marijuana; alcohol policies implemented during COVID-19 becoming permanent (alcohol to go; alcohol delivery); implications of poly-drug use.

5. Intersection of Substance Use Prevention and Other Health/Social Issues

Prevention programs and strategies that consider the intersection of substance use and other health and social issues, including, but not limited to mental health, suicide, violence, sexual violence, gambling, maternal health.

6. Substance Use Prevention in Disproportionately Impacted Communities

Substance use prevention strategies and programs that address health disparities among vulnerable and disproportionately impacted populations; acknowledge community attitudes, norms, and language around substance use; address systemic, intergenerational, and/or environmental trauma; the social determinants of health; and other issues that are essential in ensuring that programs, policies, and practices are effectively implemented with fidelity and with diverse populations.

Method of Communication

Notification will be sent out electronically from contactus@npnconference.org to the main contact on the application.