Jessica Fowler, CADC, CPS has been working in the area of substance use since 2010. She has experience working with diverse communities of youth and adults. Her background is in counseling and she received her Bachelor’s in Counseling with a minor in Addiction Studies and her Master’s in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University. Jessica is a substance use prevention specialist at the Poe Center for Health Education. She also leads the agency’s MindWELL efforts and serves as one of Poe’s instructors for Mental Health First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Teen Mental Health First, and Question. Persuade. Refer. (Q.P.R.). Along with providing education to children, youth, and adults, she works with community collaboratives and coalitions around suicide prevention initiatives, and substance use prevention initiatives that focus on policy work, environmental changes, and strategies to reduce and prevent youth substance use. Jessica is actively involved in mental health wellness, suicide prevention, and human trafficking prevention initiatives both locally and across North Carolina. Jessica’s passion is centered around strengthening and building community protective factors as well as decreasing stigma on substance use and mental health. Throughout her career, Jessica has worked across the continuum of substance use from providing primary prevention education to intensive outpatient treatment counseling services. Prior to joining the Poe Center, she served as a substance use and mental health counselor and life coach. During this time, she provided quality assurance and guidance for a treatment agency and assisted in maintaining high standards of care and services for patients.