Exploring the International Standards of Prevention Practice and Professionalism

As prevention professionals, we are fortunate today to have a collection of evidence-based strategies and interventions that have been shown to work effectively to prevent substance use and other problem behaviors.  The origins of this effective prevention toolbox are the result of over 30 years prevention research, which has provided rigorous scientific evidence of prevention methods that can  achieve the best outcomes. Further, based on the evidence, we have seen the development of a series of standards to guide programming and practice in the prevention field around the world. Three key documents have been developed that define the knowledge base of prevention science, the standards for prevention practice, and the evolving interventions, strategies and community systems that constitute evidence-based prevention:

• Society for Prevention Research Standards of Knowledge for the Science of Prevention https://www.preventionresearch.org/Society%20for%20Prevention%20Research%20Standards%20of%20Knowledge.pdf

• The European Drug Prevention Quality Standards.              https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/adhoc/prevention-standard_en

• The International Standards for Drug Use Prevention of the…