We extend a warm invitation to passionate presenters—both seasoned and new—to share your wealth of expertise and insights with dedicated prevention professionals at the 35th Annual CPA Conference scheduled for June 11-13, 2025, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, State College, PA. Our conference provides a dynamic platform for fostering collaboration, learning, and networking in support of individuals, organizations, and coalitions dedicated to addressing substance and mental health issues in their communities.
Your unique perspective and experience have the power to enrich the knowledge and skills of prevention professionals across the state. Whether you are a frequent presenter or considering this as your debut, we welcome your proposals. Your contributions play a pivotal role in the success of our event, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to learn from and alongside you. We invite you to submit your presentation proposal today!
To learn more about CPA, please click here to review the following information.
The CPA Conference Audience
Our conference is a hybrid event hosting in-person, virtual, and live-streaming session. Attendees include a diverse range of participants, such as Single County Authorities (SCAs), prevention providers, various prevention coalitions (including Communities that Care, Drug-Free Coalitions, and Overdose Prevention Taskforces), alcohol and other drug (AOD) professionals from Pennsylvania colleges and universities, college students, student assistance program liaisons, school district personnel, as well as advocates from the fields of treatment, recovery, and harm reduction. At the 2024 Conference, we had a total of 389 attendees, 14 vendors, and 42 presenters.
Conference Features for Presenters
- Diverse Audience: The CPA conference draws a diverse range of participants, including professionals, students, and advocates from various sectors. This diversity allows speakers to reach a wide audience and engage with different perspectives.
- Focus on Prevention: The conference centers on substance and mental health prevention, addressing critical community issues. This focus demonstrates a commitment to making a positive impact on society.
- Session Flexibility: Our conference offers a variety of session types, including Power Sessions, Deep Dives, and more. This allows speakers to choose the format that best suits your content and audience engagement style.
- Community Impact: The conference contributes to strengthening communities by promoting effective prevention strategies and fostering collaboration among professionals and advocates.
- Access to Diverse Expertise: We offer attendees the chance to learn from a wide range of professionals, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience.
- New Presenters Welcome: We are particularly excited to welcome speakers new to presenting or with only a few presentations under your belt. Our supportive atmosphere encourages seasoned professionals and those in the early stages of their presenting journey to share their knowledge and experiences with an engaged and receptive audience. If you consider this one of your first few presentations, rest assured that your ideas and proposals are welcomed wholeheartedly.
Session Primary Topic Areas
I. Evidence-Based Programs, Strategies, and Policies
Present evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, strategies, and policies for preventing substance use, misuse, and related behaviors. Related topic areas can include:
- Translating research into practical applications
- Sharing successful outcomes from programs
- Leveraging public awareness campaigns
- Emerging prevention research
- Strategies focused on embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into prevention efforts
- Highlighting programs and policies that support mental well-being as preventive measures
II. Innovative and Supplemental Programs, Strategies, and Initiatives
Present innovative programs, strategies, and initiatives that don’t meet the evidence-based criteria. Related topic areas can include:
- Effective marketing strategies
- The use of technology and social media in prevention
- Enhancing program service delivery, participant recruitment, and retention
- Collaborative efforts with community partners
- Current and emerging trends and challenges
- Incorporation of harm reduction, treatment, and recovery into prevention efforts.
- Advocacy for policy change through education and community engagement
- Highlighting programs and policies that support mental well-being as preventive measures
- Violence prevention
III. Youth and Young Adult (Collegiate) Engagement
Present youth prevention strategies and initiatives emphasizing engagement, retention, and practices for fostering youth involvement. Related topic areas can include:
- A focus on creating supportive environments, opportunities for rewards, building resiliency, and developing leadership skills.
- Collegiate areas of focus
- Collaborative opportunities
- Ways to empower young people as leaders in campus efforts.
- Share campus interventions and harm reduction/recovery strategies, along with the unique needs of non-traditional students and challenges faced by diverse young adults in the realm of prevention.
IV. Prevention Workforce Development and Support for Administration and Coalition Leaders
Present strategies that strengthen the prevention workforce through training, recruitment, and retention practices. Related topic areas can include:
- Onboarding, core competencies, certification, enhancing compensation, leadership development, and creating clear career goals while providing autonomy for staff.
- Address unique challenges such as rural and urban workforce development, youth leadership initiatives, and ethical considerations in prevention practices.
- Explore how to provide support and guidance to administration and leaders to equip them with the skills to foster a positive and productive work environment.
V. Coalition Development
Explore science-based models for prevention coalitions, focusing on effective strategies for developing, implementing, and sustaining community coalitions involving adults, youth, or both. Related topic areas can include:
- Highlight successful coalition initiatives, emphasizing the importance of research-driven practices and collaborative efforts among diverse stakeholders.
- Cover critical components such as member recruitment and engagement, communication strategies, and building shared goals and objectives.
- Share resource allocation ideas, funding strategies, and training opportunities necessary for coalition effectiveness.
- Address the challenges coalitions face and provide practical solutions to ensure long-term sustainability and impact in their communities.
Session Types
- Keynote (60 minutes): Keynotes set the stage for the conference, offering insightful and inspiring talks that provide a big-picture view of important topics, leaving attendees motivated and ready to explore more.
- Workshop (60-75 minutes): Workshops are interactive sessions that enable participants to engage with the material through hands-on activities and discussions, promoting active learning and skill development.
- Power Session (30-45 minutes): Power sessions are high-impact, concise presentations designed to deliver essential knowledge and key takeaways in a shorter timeframe, making them perfect for focused insights.
- Deep Dive (2-3 hours): Deep dives are immersive, extended sessions that thoroughly explore a topic. They offer ample time for in-depth discussion, case studies, and the development of comprehensive understanding and skills. Deep dives will only be facilitated on Wednesday, June 11 in the am.
Completing the Speaker Proposal Form
To preview the questions and complete the proposal form, please go to the application page.
After submitting your proposal:
- A representative of the CPA Conference Committee will be in touch within 3-4 weeks with any questions or to address the status of your proposal.
- If selected to present, we require a letter of agreement and will also request your resume/CV, speaker photo, and invite you to one of our mandatory speaker orientation calls.
- You will receive a copy of your submission via email.
Timeline
- October 1, 2024: Application Opens
- January 10, 2025: Application Closes
- March 19, 2025: Speaker Orientation Call (10-11 a.m. virtual call to review the conference theme and all other details to assist with your presentation)
- June 2, 2025: Speaker slides and other materials due
- June 11 – 13, 2025: Conference
For questions, please contact Jeff Hanley, at jeff.hanley@paprevention.org.