Universal Prevention Curriculum

UPC 1: Introduction to Prevention Science

This course provides an overview of the science that underlies evidence-based prevention interventions and strategies, and the application of these effective approaches in prevention practice.

UPC 2: Physiology and Pharmacology for Prevention Professionals

This course presents an overview of the physiology and pharmacology of psychoactive substances and their effects on the brain to affect mood, cognition, and behaviour and the consequences of such use on the individual, the family and the community.

UPC 3: Monitoring and Evaluation of Prevention Interventions and Policies

This course gives an overview of primary evaluation methods used to measure evidence-based prevention interventions and guidance in applying them to "real-world" prevention settings.

UPC 4: Family Based Prevention Interventions

This course explores the family as the primary socialization agent of children, the science behind family-based prevention interventions, and the application of such evidence-based approaches to help prevent the onset of substance use in children.

UPC 5: School-based Prevention Interventions

This course presents an overview of the school in society, the science behind school-based prevention interventions, and the application of such evidence-based approaches in school settings around the world.

UPC 6: Workplace-based Prevention Interventions

This course provides an overview of the role of work and the workplace in society, how stresses and other work-related influences affect people’s risk of substance use, the science behind workplace prevention interventions, and the application of such evidence-based approaches in work settings around the world.

UPC 7: Environment-based Prevention Interventions

This course reviews the science underlying evidence-based substance use prevention environmental interventions, involving policy and community-wide strategies.

UPC 8: Media-based Prevention Interventions

This course presents the science underlying the use of media for substance use prevention interventions.

UPC 9: Community-based Prevention Implementation Systems

This course introduces the science underlying the systems approach to prevention interventions and guidance on developing such approaches, as well as exemplars of evidence-based drug use prevention systems.

UPC 10: Introduction to the Universal Prevention Curriculum Series for Practitioner

The Core Course is composed of 10 modules representing different aspects of prevention science and its application to practice. It is designed to give participants a foundation in the knowledge and skills needed to undertake evidence-based prevention programming at the community level.

Practitioners Specialty Track 1: Family-based Prevention- 87Hrs.

This track gives an overview of the science inherent in family-based prevention interventions and the methods used to intervene effectively in order to prevent substance use in children and adolescents. It also provides experiential learning in some of the skills used in effective family-based intervention methods to prepare prevention implementers to participate in such programmes. The track consists of seven courses.

Practitioners Specialty Track 2: School-Based Prevention- 84Hrs.

This track introduces the science behind school-based prevention interventions and policies, and the methods used to improve school climate, strengthen policies, and intervene directly with classroom prevention interventions. It provides one track for administrators on effective planning and strategies for addressing school policy and climate; and a second track for teachers primarily on classroom interventions. The eight courses in the track are as follows:

Practitioners Specialty Track 3: Workplace-Based Prevention- 85Hrs.

This track presents the science underlying workplace-based prevention interventions and policies, and the methods and strategies workplaces can use to improve their environment and culture. It also provides experiential learning in planning for workplace policy changes and other substance use prevention efforts thus empowering employees to avoid substance use. It consists of the following seven courses:

Specialty Track 4: Environment-Based Prevention

This track reviews the science behind effective environment-based prevention interventions and policies – which focus on community-wide strategies to prevent tobacco and alcohol misuse; and illegal drug trafficking and use in various settings and the methods used to identify and successfully implement these interventions. It also provides experiential learning in planning for and implementing environmental policy changes and other community-wide substance use prevention efforts. There are seven courses in this track.

Practitioners Specialty Track 5: Media-Based Prevention- 86Hrs.

This track discusses the science inherent in effective media-based substance use prevention interventions with a focus on developing successful persuasive communications. It also provides experiential learning in planning messages and media for reaching parents and youth in substance use prevention efforts. It comprises the following six courses:

Practitioners Specialty Track 6: Community-Based Prevention- 89Hrs.

This track explores the science underlying the systems approaches to prevention interventions and presents the primary methods for planning community-wide implementation systems. It also provides experiential learning in planning and working with stakeholders to develop prevention intervention services. It consists of seven courses as follows:

Practitioners Specialty Track 7: Monitoring and Evaluation of Prevention Interventions and Policies- 63Hrs

This track presents primary evaluation methods with a focus on monitoring and process evaluation used to measure outcomes of evidence-based substance use prevention interventions and policies. It also provides experiential learning in planning and monitoring outcomes through exercises and a practicum completed at the end of the track. There are eight courses in this track as follows:

UPC 81: Engaging Youth in Prevention

This course provides youth with foundational knowledge about substance use disorders and the science of prevention, and train them to be effective youth leaders in substance use prevention programmes in their communities.

The curriculum comprises seven modules: