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Welcome to Prevention! An Introduction to the Primary Prevention Field
October 30 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Session 1 of 4 in Our New to Prevention Learning Community
Overview:
This introduction to substance use disorder (SUD) prevention is where to come to get answers to (at least some of!) the questions you’ve had about the primary prevention field, including:
- What is primary prevention?
- What is it that we’re actually doing when we “do” prevention?
- Are there things called “prevention” that don’t work?
- Where does the money come from that supports prevention services and pays our salaries?
- What makes SUD prevention a “science”? What do we mean by “evidence”?
- Are there theories that guide prevention science?
If you’re new to the prevention field, or still trying to gain a fundamental understanding of primary prevention best practices at the local, state, and national levels, this training is for you! Participants will gain a foundational knowledge of prevention, including the Strategic Prevention Framework, common acronyms and day-to-day challenges, and key strategies from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention for the successful implementation of primary prevention strategies.
About the Presenters
Charlie Seltzer (he/him) was the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) prevention coordinator for the Mendocino County Public Health Department for 10 years. When he retired from full time work, he became a consultant for CARS. Now, he gets to consult with people all across the state, assisting them to design and implement strategic plans and build capacity for their local prevention work. He enjoys offering SUD prevention trainings to the field and has led numerous Prevention-101 trainings, trainings on environmental prevention, the Strategic Prevention Framework, social determinants of health, conducting focus groups, designing logic models, and Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging issues for LGBTQ+ individuals, the disabled and rural populations. When he’s not working in the SUD prevention field, Charlie enjoys playing the piano, gardening, reading, cooking, hiking the beautiful hills of Mendocino County, and being home with his husband and their cat.
Chelsea Keller-Elliott (she/her) is a dedicated prevention strategist with a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. Her professional journey spans education, clinical mental health services, and behavioral health research, with a specialized focus on Network-Informed Prevention and supporting youth and families. Currently serving as the Director of Training and Curriculum on the University of Rochester’s Network Health and Prevention team, Chelsea develops adaptive curriculum for diverse populations—from schools and faith communities to professional and military settings. Her expertise centers on critical areas including suicide and substance abuse prevention, bystander intervention, and mental health strategies for career success.
What distinguishes Chelsea’s approach is her genuine commitment to human connection. She finds profound meaning in learning from each group she works with, believing that enhancing social supports can create transformative change. Her work is driven by a belief in the power of compassionate, evidence-based prevention strategies that support individual and community well-being.
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