The Substance Use and Overdose Crisis – Putting Prevention Front and Center

Session Description: The landscape of substance use is ever-changing and this provides an opportunity to prioritize substance use prevention and work toward comprehensive community prevention strategies addressing the range of risk and protective factors. This session will provide an update on the latest substance use and overdose trends, discuss a holistic approach to prevention, and provide practical tips, tools, and resources to advance prevention in communities

Learning Objectives:

  • Characterize the current landscape of substance use in the nation.
  • Describe the importance of prevention in the context of today’s drug threats and its role within the continuum of care.
  • Examine how established and emerging prevention strategies can be utilized to address the ever-changing drug landscape.
  • Present a rationale for a comprehensive prevention strategy.

Christopher Jones, PharmD, DrPH, MPH
He/Him/His
Director, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
SAMHSA
Christopher M. Jones, Pharm.D., Dr.P.H., M.P.H. (CAPT U.S. Public Health Service) currently serves as Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). CAPT Jones brings a wealth of experience to SAMHSA having led substance use, mental health, and injury and violence prevention policy, program, and research activities for more than a decade. Prior to becoming Director of CSAP, CAPT Jones served as the director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this role, he provided scientific leadership and overall management of the Center, including driving the Center’s strategic direction and advancing the Center’s priorities of preventing drug overdose, suicide, and adverse childhood experiences. During his career, CAPT Jones has served in a variety of leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Presentation Materials

The Substance Use and Overdose Crisis: Putting Prevention Front and Center