• Make a Difference – Help people stay safe and healthy before problems happen.

• Work with Others – Connect with young people, families, schools, and local leaders.

• Support Mental Health – Teach healthy habits and help people understand mental health and substance use.

• Focus on Solutions – Prevention is about finding smart ways to stop problems before they begin.

• Be Creative – Plan fun and interesting lessons, events, and programs.

• Keep Learning – Take part in training and grow through real-life experience.

• Work in Different Places – Every day is different! You might work in schools, nonprofits, or public health offices.

• Grow Your Career – Earn certifications and move into leadership roles.

• Do Meaningful Work – Know that you are helping others live better lives.

Prevention is about stopping problems like drug use or mental health struggles before they start. If you enjoy helping people and want to support healthy lives, this could be the right job for you!

With a high school diploma/GED or higher and additional training

• Prevention Educator

A Prevention Educator teaches people how to stay healthy and safe before problems start. They lead classes and activities about important topics like mental health, substance use, bullying, and making good choices. Prevention Educators work in schools, community centers, and youth programs to help others build skills, understand risks, and make smart decisions.

With an associate’s degree or higher and additional training

• Prevention Specialist

A Prevention Specialist works to stop problems like drug use, violence, or mental health issues before they start. They teach people—especially kids and teens—how to make healthy choices, manage stress, and build strong relationships. Prevention Specialists lead classes, give presentations, and work with schools, families, and communities to create safe and supportive environments. Their goal is to help people stay healthy, informed, and ready to face life’s challenges.

With a Bachelor degree or higher and additional training

• Prevention Consultant

Prevention Consultants are experts who support many programs at once. They don’t usually work directly with students or families, but they help others do that work better. They train staff, look at data to see if programs are helping, and give advice on how to improve. They may also help write public health plans or talk to government leaders about what communities need.

• Coalition Coordinator

Coalition Coordinators bring together people from different parts of the community—like schools, police, faith groups,, and parents—to work on one big goal: making their community safer and healthier. Coordinators lead meetings, plan events like community meetings and awareness days, and help the Coalition members stay on track with the community’s goals. They work with community members and organizations to host activities that promote prevention programming related to  youth drug use, suicide, cyberbullying and more.

• Health Education Specialist

A Health Education Specialist helps people learn how to stay healthy and take care of their bodies and minds. They create fun and useful programs to teach about topics like nutrition, exercise, mental health, and disease prevention. They might lead classes, give presentations, or make flyers and videos to share health tips. Health Education Specialists also work with schools, clinics, or community groups to make sure people have the tools they need to live healthier lives. Their goal is to educate, support, and empower others to make smart health choices.  [Learn more about Community Health careers →]

• Other job titles you may see:

  School-Based Prevention Staff

  Youth Program Coordinator

Prevention professionals can hold many different jobs, but they all work toward the same goal—helping people make healthy choices and creating safer, stronger communities.

Prevention professionals use facts, research, and teamwork to lower risks and build up strengths in people and communities. They are creative, caring, and passionate about helping others.

• Teach Others – Lead lessons and activities to help people learn about making safe, healthy choices.

• Plan Programs – Create events, classes, and campaigns that focus on stopping problems before they start.

• Work with the Community – Talk and work with schools, parents, leaders, and other groups to find the best ways to help.

• Share Information – Give people facts and tools they need to stay healthy and avoid risky behavior.

• Support Youth and Families – Help young people and their families build strong life skills and healthy habits.

• Promote Mental Health – Teach others how to take care of their mental and emotional well-being.

• Solve Problems Early – Look at what's going on in a community and find ways to fix issues before they get worse.

• Use Data – Study facts and information to understand what’s working and what needs to change.

• Organize Events – Plan things like health fairs, school programs, or community meetings.

• Facilitate Meetings – Lead group discussions to help people share ideas, make plans, and work together.

• Keep Learning – Attend trainings and workshops to improve their skills and stay up to date.

Prevention professionals do many important tasks, all focused on helping people stay healthy, avoid risky behaviors, and build stronger communities through education, support, and teamwork.

• Schools 

• Community Centers and After School Programs

• Nonprofit Organizations 

• Public Health Departments

• County Mental Health & Recovery Boards 

• Healthcare Clinics 

• Coalitions and Task Forces

• Youth Programs and Camps 

• Universities and Colleges 

• Faith-Based Organizations 

• Workplaces 

• Correctional and Juvenile Justice Settings

Prevention professionals support people of all ages and backgrounds by giving them the tools, knowledge, and support they need to stay safe, healthy, and strong.

• Children and Teens: Teach healthy habits, coping skills, and how to avoid risky behaviors.

• Parents and Families: Share tools and tips to support strong, safe, and connected households.

• Teachers and School Staff: Partner to bring prevention programs into classrooms and school activities.

• Youth in After-School or Mentoring Programs: Lead fun, skill-building activities that build confidence and prevent risky choices.

• People at Risk for Substance Use or Mental Health Issues: Offer early support, education, and resources before problems begin.

• Community Members: Bring people together to build healthier neighborhoods and raise awareness.

• Faith-Based Groups and Leaders: Collaborate to provide prevention education in trusted, welcoming spaces.

• Health and Social Service Providers: Work alongside doctors, counselors, and caseworkers to support overall well-being.

• Military Service Members and Veterans: Offer support for stress, transitions, and mental health challenges.

• Workplaces and Employers: Promote mental wellness, drug-free environments, and healthy lifestyle choices on the job.

Did you know? One of the important ways prevention professionals do their work is by facilitating community "coalitions." A prevention coalition is a group of people and organizations who work together to stop problems before they start. They might focus on things like preventing drug use, violence, or other issues that affect the health and safety of a community. By working as a team, they can share ideas, resources, and support to make a bigger impact.

• High school diploma/GED: Your diploma or GED plus some training in prevention will get you started in this field.

• Associate's degree: Any associate's degree plus training in prevention can lead to expanded roles. 

• Bachelor's degree: Any bachelor's degree plus training and experience in prevention will qualify you for advanced prevention work. 

  Choose courses in human behavior and development, youth and family studies, public health strategies, health promotion, public policy and communication.

  In addition to formal education, you'll need workshops in prevention like those offered by the OCAM Network or PTTC Network.

  Learn more about education and experience options required for credentials at the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board website.

Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist Assistant (OCPSA): This entry level role allows you to provide basic prevention education services in the community under supervision.

Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist (OCPS): Advancement from the OCPSA takes additional training, experience working in prevention, a minimum of an associate’s degree, and passage of an exam that tests your knowledge of prevention science. The OCPS credential will allow you to do more in prevention including education, community strategies and supervision.

Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant (OCPC): You can convert your OCPS credential to OCPC with a minimum of a bachelor degree and several years of experience in prevention. This credential gives the authority to provide all prevention services as well as manage and supervise prevention programming independently without supervision. 

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES): Meet the standards of competence established by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. (NCHEC) and successfully passed the CHES examination. Eligibility to take the CHES examination is based exclusively on academic qualifications.

Click here to learn more about licenses, credentials, and certifications.