73% Higher Risk? What the Data Says About Women & Substance Use

Celebrating Women’s History Month

By advancing the full spectrum of women’s health, including substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery.💐

Research examining generational trends in the United States found that women in more recent cohorts have 73% higher odds of binge drinking and 51% higher odds of alcohol use disorder symptoms compared to women in earlier generations (Slade et al., 2023). Women are just as likely as men to develop substance use disorders, yet their experiences are often overlooked.

Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that women often use substances differently, respond to substances differently, experience different risk factors, and face unique barriers to treatment.

Understanding these differences helps improve prevention, support, and outcomes.

Prevention Should Start Earlier

Substance Use First Aid® equips communities to recognize early signs of unhealthy substance use and respond with practical, stigma-free support. Because prevention shouldn’t start in a crisis, it should start with awareness.

Early Support. Real Impact.

Early Impact from SUFA Trainings

Even in our earliest training sessions, we are already seeing meaningful shifts in confidence and awareness. Post-training feedback shows:

• 60% of participants reported increased confidence in initiating supportive conversations about substance use

• 60% of participants reported increased belief that recovery can occur through many pathways

• 60% of participants reported increased confidence in identifying resources that could support someone struggling with substance use

• 80% of participants reported they are likely to use the skills they learned

“I would recommend the SUFA training to all individuals who work in the field of substance use disorder.  My experience during SUFA training was most helpful and increased my knowledge and understanding of how to apply first aid to those who suffer from this medical brain disorder….”
- Harold

Celebrating Our First Cohort of Certified SUFA Trainers 🎉

We are proud to mark a major milestone for Substance Use First Aid®: the graduation of our first cohort of certified SUFA Trainers. This inaugural group represents the foundation of a growing national network dedicated to strengthening early identification and response to substance use across workplaces, organizations, and communities.

Congratulations to our inaugural trainers. We’re excited to see the impact you will make.

JEN FANNING

Founder & Principal Consultant, Peak Strategy Solutions

Jen brings over 20 years of experience in public health and behavioral health, leading community-based initiatives focused on mental health, substance use prevention, and health equity in rural communities. She became a SUFA trainer to help shift culture toward early intervention, reduce stigma, and empower everyday people to support those around them before substance use becomes a crisis.

JENNIFER MACKENDER

Prevention Specialist

With extensive experience in strategic statewide, county, and community-led substance use prevention and intervention, Jennifer has dedicated her career to building comprehensive strategies that support both youth and adults across the full spectrum of care. Jennifer became a SUFA trainer to apply these collective impact principles across the wider community–equipping neighbors and professionals alike with the tools to recognize early warning signs and fostering a proactive, stigma-free culture of support.

LISA PATTON

Executive Director, Northern Virginia Veterans Association

Dr. Lisa Patton, a clinical psychologist with a specialty in trauma-informed care and a former SAMHSA division director, has worked for over two decades on enhancing access to health and behavioral health care. SUFA offers a long-awaited model that is easily adopted by laypeople and clinicians alike to have challenging conversations about alcohol and other substance use that doesn't require a diagnosis or particular intervention. SUFA opens doors, reduces stigma, and is empowering for everyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of those they care about.

CHRISTINE ANN RUSSEL

Christine has worked as a counselor across multiple areas of substance use and mental health, driven by both professional experience and personal insight from witnessing challenges within her own family. For several years, she has facilitated impaired driving groups, often reflecting that she wishes education like SUFA  existed before individuals experienced serious consequences and entered her classes. Once Christine found SUFA, she knew she was in the right place to help educate community members on how to broach conversations with loved ones and other community members.

AMBER GIAUQUE CALLENDER

Wellness and Recovery Coach

Amber brings over two decades of experience in leadership, public service, coaching, and community engagement. She became a SUFA trainer to blend evidence-based strategies with her family's lived experience and to help others to respond with education, compassion, and empathy.

BRIANNA HERNANDEZ

Program Evaluator and SUFA Trainer

Brianna brings a background in prevention science, health education, and behavioral health evaluation, with a focus on advancing equitable, community-centered approaches to substance use and mental health care. She became a SUFA trainer because she believes one caring conversation can change someone’s path, and she is passionate about helping people show up for others with empathy, confidence, and without judgment before things reach a crisis.