The Master Trainer System

In order to build community capacity for effective Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) planning, the Commonwealth Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention has developed the Master Trainer System. State prevention staff worked with representatives of the Regional Prevention Center System, the Prevention Enhancement Sites and the Southeast Center for Applied Prevention Technology (SECAPT) to develop a training plan.

The plan was based on a training-of-trainer system, whereby the Master Trainers will first train their respective RPC staff on the five steps of the SPF and then train coalition members of the target communities. The Master Trainers/Consultants were selected from the state Regional Prevention Centers.

Applicants were required to submit documentation highlighting their work experience in prevention and their field work as it related to each of the five steps of the framework. A review committee made up of state prevention staff and staff from other state agencies assessed the qualifications of each applicant. Ten Master Trainers were selected, all of whom have Certified Prevention Professional accreditation and considerable experience in working with prevention coalitions.

The training consisted of eight workshops: an orientation to SPF vision, mission and goals and an explanation of the state infrastructure; one on needs assessment and Readiness; two on building capacity; one on strategic planning and logic model development; one on implementation of evidence-based programs; one on evaluation; and one on cultural competence and sustainability.

Consistent with the Strategic Prevention Framework, the goals of our master trainer system are twofold: 1) successfully implement the SPF in the eight target communities, and 2) expand SPF implementation outside of target communities in order to make it a truly statewide system.

Specific objectives for this system include:

1. Enhance the capacity of the Regional Prevention Center prevention specialists (in which this system is anchored).
2. Provide training and consultation to communities.
3. Create online and self-study opportunities to make training accessible.
4. Reduce costs
5. Utilize a core group of Trainer/Consultants to develop presentations and other community training materials, as well as having the Master Trainers/Consultants train and mentor other RPC staff.

Click the Master Trainers link in the Related Links box to view the list of Master Trainers.

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