New Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist

My name is Jen Stolka, Drug Free Communities Project Coordinator and I am excited to have recently completed the Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist credentialing through the Iowa Board of Certification. As I was working on the upgrade and fulfilling the advanced level requirements, it gave me a sense of pride in the work that I do. Substance abuse prevention is not for the faint of heart. The process of making community level change is slow and the celebrations can be far and few between. But I have been blessed to see success and to see a coalition achieve their goals and that sense of pride keeps me in this field. As this field continues to advance and gain respect from other fields, I want to serve as a role model to my colleagues and I want to be a part of that movement. 

By completing this advanced certification, I believe it shows the community I currently work in, Delaware County, that I am committed to this work. By furthering my education and skill set, they know I can serve as an effective leader. I can guide them in their steps to reduce substance abuse in their county and they can be proud and confident in my abilities to lead them to creating a healthier community. 

If you would like to learn about the work we are doing in Delaware County please reach out to me at 563-379-0531 or jstolka@helpingservices.org. You can also learn about the work happening at the Substance Use Prevention website.