WED-019 - Preparing Future Health Educators: Health Equity Toolkit for Substance Use and Addiction Prevention
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM PST
Location: Plaza Foyer, Plaza Level
Area of Responsibility: Area III: Implementation Keywords: Alcohol and Substance Abuse@@@Health Behavior@@@Health Equity, Subcompetencies: 3.2.4 Deliver health education and promotion as designed., 3.2.5 Employ an appropriate variety of instructional methodologies. Employ an appropriate variety of instructional methodologies. Research or Practice: Practice
Assistant Professor Springfield College MA Keene, New Hampshire, United States
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Identify substance use and addiction issues within the framework of self and society that influence the health and well-being of children and young adults
Discuss how the learning experiences can be implemented with children and young adults in a variety of settings
Identify a series of learning activities designed to provide children and young adults with skills necessary to improve their experiences with substance use and addiction
Brief Abstract Summary: Identify substance use and addiction issues within the framework of self and society that influence the health and well-being of children and young adults; Participate in a series of learning activities designed to provide children and young adults with skills necessary to improve their experiences with substance use and addiction while learning the societal causes of addiction; Discuss how the learning experiences can be implemented with children and young adults in a variety of settings; Leave the session with a number of hands-on learning activities that can be implemented in their schools and communities.
Detailed abstract description: Americans have a tendency to view social problems, such as addiction, as a personal issue. Practitioner solutions to the issue of addiction from that standpoint leads to one set of solutions that focus inward, such as attitudes, values, and other personal changes because the problem is analyzed as a personal inadequacy. To be clear, personal changes are important and worthy, but personal change alone is insufficient when the individual lives within broader structural/social forces. Analyzing addiction from a social perspective leads to different conclusions and solutions, and there is space for social justice and collective action. The goal of this session is to offer curricular examples of addressing addiction from a societal standpoint. The session will focus on a social-justice and equity-based educational toolkit for future health education teachers on substance use and addiction issues. The toolkit will also include the activities related to the history of drugs which provide the foundation for the further study of drugs. We will also examine teaching strategies that focus on the integration of this toolkit into other curricula areas, violence prevention skills, critical thinking skills, inclusion and diversity, and other issues.
