The U.S. Army has partnered with Alexandria to establish a Community Prevention Leadership Academy aimed at strengthening the military’s efforts to combat suicide and other harmful behaviors among service members, the Army announced Wednesday.
The Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness and Alexandria signed an Intergovernmental Support Agreement this week to create the academy, which will provide professional development to Prevention Integrators who assist with the Army’s Ready and Resilient Council governance process.
Amanda Braasch, a prevention specialist with the directorate, said the academy will offer Army prevention leaders unique training opportunities that couldn’t have been established without Alexandria’s support and the city’s connections in providing public health and prevention education to other municipalities and federal entities.
Alexandria officials worked with retired Army Maj. Gen. Barrye Price and his organization, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, to develop an Army-tailored prevention governance training program for the academy.
The academy’s establishment aligns with recommendations from the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee, which outlined steps to enhance community-based prevention efforts. The committee’s strategy called for developing a professional prevention workforce that empowers Army leaders.
Students will receive more than 70 hours of virtual group instruction over three weeks of nonconsecutive training, along with individual coaching on product development and hands-on experience implementing a comprehensive community-change model based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration’s Strategic Prevention Framework.
The training will produce more than 400 tangible products to support senior commander oversight of prevention governance processes across the Army, Braasch said.
Participants will also have access to ongoing skills development through on-demand virtual continuing education and a national prevention community where state and local members share best practices.
This year, the academy will hold two training sessions for 80 personnel from units worldwide. The first session will launch by the end of August and has already filled all available slots due to strong interest from commanders.
ALXnow has reached out to the City of Alexandria for comment and additional information about the partnership.
Additional academy opportunities may be offered based on demand. More information is available by contacting usarmy.pentagon.hqda-dcs-g-1.list.dprr-r2i-and-training-div@army.mil.
Information about the Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness is available at armyresilience.army.mil.
