PreventionFIRST! held a virtual forum: Reducing Stigma, Gaining Faith in Prevention on February 24th.  This was an opportunity for participants who are active in the faith community to learn more about substance use prevention, develop prevention strategies, and become an advocate for the reduction of stigma associated with substance use disorders.

The event began with opening remarks from Director Michele Roberts from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives as well as Stacey Frohnhapfel-Hasson from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

The training was facilitated by Tracy Johnson from the TTJ Group LLC as he explored the numerous options on how congregations can carry out prevention. Johnson also addressed stigma associated with substance use/abuse at the individual, peer, family, community and faith levels. 

Along with his presentation, Johnson introduced two other presenters from the Cincinnati area. Orlando Hale from Tryed Stone New Beginning Church in Bond Hill shared his experience implementing PF!’s Building Prevention with Faith toolkit that is currently available at no cost to Ohio-based organizations and faith groups. The forum closed with Kamaria Tyehimba from Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Avondale. She shared the many ways prevention has touched their congregation and what their next steps will include. 

For more information about our faith based prevention training/toolkit contact:

Amanda Conn Starner, MS, CHES, OCPS
Senior Director
aconnstarner@prevention-first.org