Lunch with SARAVYC

The Power of Future Thinking: A Strengths-Based Approach for Preventing Youth Substance Use

SPEAKER: Dr. Sarah Stoddard, Associate Professor of Nursing and Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan

Drawing on more than 25 years of research in adolescent health, Dr. Stoddard will explore strengths-based approaches to preventing youth substance use, with a focus on the role of future expectations in shaping youth well-being and long-term health outcomes. She will discuss how fostering hope, purpose, and future thinking can serve as important protective assets for young people, particularly those experiencing social and health inequities.

As part of the session, she will also share Youth Empowerment Solutions for Positive Futures (YES-PF), an empowerment-based program designed for students showing early signs of school disengagement.

This session will be of interest to researchers, students, service providers, community organizations, educators, healthcare professionals, and policymakers working to support youth well-being and improve health outcomes through prevention, empowerment, and equity-focused approaches.