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Montana Public Health Training Center

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Connected Communities

Click on the following link to post questions or share what you are doing in your community for other PSs in Montana to see or comment on!

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Resources for Prevention Specialists

    • The Montana Prevention Certification Board website offers comprehensive information about the Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) program in Montana, including certification requirements, application steps, and benefits aimed at professionals working to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other substance abuse. You can access resources like the certification manual and FAQs, and stay updated on news and pathways such as the new Associate Prevention Specialist credential.

     

    • : MPCB uses Certemy as their certification management software to house all applications for Montana Certified Prevention Specialists. Your Certemy account will remain active and contain all of your certification information throughout the application and recertification process.

     

    • The IC&RC Exam Prep page provides candidate guides, reference lists, and optional 50-question practice exams for credentials like Prevention Specialist to help candidates understand exam content and structure.

     

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      This comprehensive workbook-style study guide created in 2012 is tailored to help applicants prepare for the IC&RC Prevention Specialist Exam, offering domain-by-domain overviews, essential terminology, test-taking tips, and numerous sample questions. Developed for prevention professionals, it combines background material with practical exercises to reinforce understanding and application of key prevention competencies. Disclaimer: Prevention specialists should not rely solely on this guide; additional study and practical experience beyond the provided materials are strongly recommended.

    • This study guide, created by the Rhode Island Prevention Resource Center in partnership with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals (BHDDH), helps prevention professionals prepare for the IC&RC - aligned Prevention Specialist Certification Exam. It includes key prevention concepts, practice questions, flashcards, a glossary, and test-taking strategies. Disclaimer: Prevention specialists should not rely solely on this guide; additional study and practical experience beyond the provided materials are strongly recommended.

     

    •  The IC&RC Candidate Guide describes several tasks that have been identified within each performance domain. These tasks can serve to better understand how prevention activities and trainings reflect these domains.

    •  This site hosts Montana’s Evidence-Based Program Dashboard, an interactive tool designed to help prevention specialists, coalitions, and community stakeholders identify, compare, and select scientifically supported substance‑abuse prevention programs, policies, and practices for implementation across the state. 

     

    •  The SAMHSA Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center is a searchable database of proven interventions and tools for mental health and substance use treatment and prevention. It provides guidelines, protocols, and resources to help professionals implement effective, research-supported practices.

     

    •  The Rural Health Information Hub’s Substance Use Disorder Toolkit provides practical guidance and resources to help rural communities prevent, treat, and support recovery from substance use disorders through evidence-based strategies and collaborative approaches.

     

    •  This interactive search enables you to identify Blueprints-certified interventions based on specific criteria and then browse through a wide range of interventions that match those criteria.
    •  The Montana Healthcare Foundation’s Community Health Assessments webpage provides access to a collection of Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) reports developed by hospitals and county health departments across Montana. Its purpose is to serve as a resource hub where communities, health organizations, and stakeholders can review completed assessments, understand local health needs, and support planning for health improvement efforts. 

     

    •  The Completion Map page on the Chronic Disease Data website shows which communities have completed key public health planning activities, such as Community Health Assessments and Improvement Plans. It provides a visual snapshot of planning progress across jurisdictions to help identify gaps and support local health strategy efforts.

     

    •  The Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS) Community Health Insights website serves as a public health data dashboard that provides accessible, county‑level health indicator data for Montana communities. Its core purpose is to support evidence‑based decision‑making, improve understanding of local health conditions, and guide health planning efforts across the state.