About Us
SUFA fills a critical gap in substance use education: helping adults talk to other adults about substance use before it becomes a serious issue.
Substance Use First Aid (SUFA) is the only adult-focused, secondary prevention training designed for use in community settings. Secondary prevention means that we’re not aiming for abstinence, but rather preventing progression of substance use to the point it’s an issue.
SUFA is designed to be brief yet engaging and useful. Our main goal is that people initiate meaningful conversations about substance use with their colleagues, family members, and friends over the next six months.
The holiday season can be one of the most challenging times of the year, with stress and emotional struggles often at their peak. That is why we are excited to launch SUFU just before the holidays, making it easier for you, your loved ones, colleagues, or friends to find the support and resources you need to help someone right when it matters most.
Stay tuned for more details, and be among the first to experience a training program designed to make a real difference by joining our waitlist.
I have been in recovery for more than eleven years, and for a long time I considered July 5, 2014, to be a sacred date. In reality, it is not sacred. I am grateful it was not a later date, but I also wonder what might have happened if my recovery had started earlier or if I had never misused substances at all and there was no date to remember.
When I reflect on my experience, I asked friends and family why it took so long for someone to step in. There were many opportunities when someone could have reached out, but often they did not know what to say.
That is why Substance Use First Aid exists. It is designed to empower friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors to have meaningful conversations with someone they care about regarding substance use. You do not have to wait until someone gets a DUI or enters treatment. You can start the conversation today and feel confident doing so. SUFA will provide you with the tools, topics, and strategies that are impactful without being overbearing.