The Prevention Leaders Podcast
Hosted by Dave Closson
81 episodes
Real tools, real stories, and real impact for prevention professionals.
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Five shows. One mission: stronger prevention.
Each show brings a different lens on substance misuse prevention, leadership, innovation, and lived experience.
The Unnecessary Harm Podcast
Powered by the Dalgarno Institute
Challenging the narratives that normalize drug use.
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Pathways 2 Prevention
Powered by Drug Free America Foundation
58 episodes
Emerging trends, innovative programs, and global perspectives.
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The Drug Prevention Power Hour
Powered by Vive18
Real talk from youth and community voices.
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Baffled
Powered by More2Life
Helping parents and youth workers understand today's teen culture.
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The Prevention Leaders Podcast
October 7, 202658 min
How SAFE Project Is Strengthening What Protects Us
This episode features Ronna Yablonski and Adam Swift from SAFE Project, who discuss the organization's comprehensive approach to substance misuse prevention. They emphasize that prevention is an ongoing, daily effort that involves individuals, families, and communities. The conversation highlights how SAFE Project strengthens protective factors before, during, and after a crisis, particularly for veterans.
ListenPathways 2 Prevention
October 6, 20261 hr 16 min
Why the DEA Does Prevention: The Story Behind Red Ribbon Week
This episode explains why the DEA, primarily an enforcement agency, is deeply involved in drug prevention efforts. Sean Fearns and Kevin Collins from DEA Community Outreach and Prevention Support trace the origins of the DEA's prevention work back to the loss of Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985 and the subsequent rise of Red Ribbon Week. They also discuss current prevention challenges, including fentanyl and counterfeit pills, and highlight the free, science-based resources the DEA offers.
ListenPathways 2 Prevention
September 1, 20261 hr 5 min
Building the First Inclusive Recovery Community in the Nation with Ashley Neal
Ashley Neal discusses the creation of the nation's first Inclusive Recovery Community in Tampa Bay. She shares the journey of a tri-county partnership across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties, outlining how various entities collaborated to make recovery visible and accessible. This episode covers the process of engaging county governments, uniting treatment centers, and developing a public events calendar.
ListenThe Prevention Leaders Podcast
August 12, 202647 min
Culture Is Prevention: Protective Factors, Belonging, and Strength-Based Prevention with Barbara Bessette
This episode of The Prevention Leaders Podcast features Dave Closson and Barbara Bessette, an enrolled member of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe Rocky Boy. They explore how reconnecting with culture, identity, belonging, and community can be a powerful substance misuse prevention strategy. Bessette shares her insights on approaching prevention through an Indigenous lens, emphasizing protective factors and moving beyond deficit-based narratives.
ListenPathways 2 Prevention
July 29, 202653 min
Inside the 2026 National Drug Control Strategy with Dr. Roneet Lev
In this episode, Dr. Roneet Lev, Chief Medical Officer at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, discusses the 2026 National Drug Control Strategy. She shares insights into the public health aspects of the strategy, its key differentiators, and what it means for prevention professionals. Dr. Lev highlights new approaches including clearer language for primary prevention, the inclusion of faith, and a focus on real-time drug threat data.
ListenThe Prevention Leaders Podcast
July 2, 20261 hr 3 min
Fall, Feel, Rise: Hope Tour, Fourth Wave Foundation, and the Practice of Resilience
This episode, a collaboration with the Unnecessary Harm podcast, explores resilience with the architects of World Resiliency Week 2026, Adam Woods and Sneha Patiyathal. They discuss the critical practice of resilience in diverse cultural contexts, focusing on community-rooted and relationship-centered prevention work for young people. The conversation highlights on-the-ground efforts in schools and communities across Australia and India.
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