Expanding Demonstration of the PROSPERing Step-by-step, State-by-state Training and Technical Assistance Capacity-Building System to Additional States
The purpose of this project is to supplement our recent Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) demonstration grant with additional demonstration states supporting rural county sites. These states are implementing a multi-step, Extension-powered prevention training and technical assistance (T/TA) capacity-building system guided by the scientifically-proven PROSPER Delivery System. The PROSPER Delivery System remains one of the few models proven as efficacious for the high-quality delivery of evidence-based programs, and it currently is the only system designed for use within Extension that has been shown to reduce opioid misuse through a randomized controlled trial. Our primary prevention T/TA and capacity-building goals are pursued with an innovative partnership among Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, the PROSPER Network Organization based in the ISU Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute, and Public Health partners. PROSPER’s positive results to date are expected to be enhanced by the multi-step T/TA capacity-building system that adapts the original PROSPER model, adding programming content and prevention strategies to specifically address the risks of opioid and prescription drug misuse.
The T/TA capacity-building system--called PROSPERing Step-by-step, State by state (P2S)--entails: (1) Mobilizing and Organizing for the P2S System; (2) Conducting Supplemental Training at the County Level for P2S Implementation; and (3) Conducting Core Programming/ Prevention Activities. This will be followed by P2S planning that includes strategies for conducting specialty trainings (e.g., media, environmental strategies) and capacity building for sustainability. Notably, the project will leverage support through a companion PROSPER Rx RHSE grant that is developing capacity-building materials, strategies and programming for community-based actions to address opioid misuse. Significantly, this project will demonstrate a T/TA model that can be readily scaled up. It will initiate groundwork for this scale up among Extension and Public Health stakeholders and prospective P2S trainees in additional states, enhancing their capacity to support a comprehensive community systems approach to address the opioid epidemic and achieve positive impacts for their youth and families.
Principal Investigator: Richard Spoth
Funder: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)