From the 2024 Global Conference, held in Thessaloniki, Greece
Author: Dr. Zili Sloboda
With the international recognition of the science that supports prevention, there have been concerted efforts to professionalize the field of substance use prevention practice in several areas. Key to this movement has been the establishment of both the U.S. Society for Prevention Research and the EU Society for Prevention Research that defined and championed prevention science. In addition, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction supported the European Drug Prevention Quality Standards, and the United National Office on Drugs and Crime published the International Standards on Drug Use Prevention that led to the U.S. Department of State supporting the development of the Universal Prevention Curriculum that laid out the application of prevention science to evidence-based practice. Furthermore, The International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium developed credentialing criteria and certification for prevention professionals along with a Code of Ethical Conduct for Prevention Specialists. These efforts established guidelines for prevention knowledge, competencies, skills, and resources accelerating progress towards defining the profession of prevention. Finally, several universities across the world have begun to offer programs in prevention science at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The aim of the session is to present the progress made in these areas through a series of examples/case studies from these key resources and to make recommendations as to how to move forward towards professionalization of prevention practice.