PREVENTION FIRST
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
PREVENTION FIRST firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PREVENTION FIRST
- Legal name
- Prevention First, Inc.
- Website
- https://prevention.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PREVENTION FIRST industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Substance Use Prevention Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs (BPAIAJAK), Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)
Keywords
Where PREVENTION FIRST is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
PREVENTION FIRST business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Federal Government Grants: Primary revenue stream from federal grants, particularly SAMHSA funding. In mid-January 2026, federal funding constituted more than half of Prevention First's operating budget, demonstrating significant dependency on government grants.
- Training and Technical Assistance Services: Fee-for-service training programs, professional development services, and technical assistance to organizations and professionals in the substance use prevention and treatment field.
- Donations and Contributions: Charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting the mission of reducing substance misuse in communities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Training and Technical Assistance Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
PREVENTION FIRST product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Prevention First is an Illinois-based nonprofit that delivers substance use prevention and treatment training, technical assistance, and professional development to organizations, government agencies, and prevention professionals statewide. It operates resource centers for alcohol, cannabis, opioids, mental health, and youth/caregivers, plus multiple public awareness campaigns. The organization has served as Illinois' preferred provider of SUPP training and technical assistance for the Illinois Department of Human Services since 1985.
Product overview
Prevention First is a nonprofit organization founded in Illinois in 1980 that provides a comprehensive portfolio of substance misuse prevention and mental health promotion programs, training, and public awareness campaigns. The organization operates multiple interconnected programs including the Substance Use Prevention Training & Technical Assistance (SUPP TTA) and the Substance Use Treatment Training & Technical Assistance Center (SATAC), which provide professional development services to prevention and treatment professionals across Illinois. Additional offerings include the Youth and Caregiver Resource Center (YCRC) for families impacted by substance use, the Reimagine Youth Development Training, Technical Assistance, and Support (RYD-TTAS) for firearm violence prevention, and Mental Health Training & Technical Assistance. The organization also runs multiple public awareness campaigns including 'Let's Talk Cannabis,' 'A Dose of Truth,' 'Naloxone Now,' 'Unfaded,' and 'Guard and Discard.' Prevention First serves as the preferred provider of SUPP training and technical assistance for the Illinois Department of Human Services since 1985, and offers Prevention Specialist Certification support for professionals seeking credentials in the field.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Substance Use Prevention Training & Technical Assistance
- Substance Use Treatment Training & Technical Assistance Center (SATAC)
- Youth and Caregiver Resource Center (YCRC)
- Reimagine Youth Development Training, Technical Assistance, and Support (RYD-TTAS)
- Mental Health Training & Technical Assistance
- Prevention Specialist Certification
- CADC Training Program
- Opioid Learning & Response Collaborative
- Leadership Center
- Illinois Prevention Conference
Quantifiable outcome
- Prevention First has been Illinois' preferred provider of SUPP training and technical assistance since 1985
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use PREVENTION FIRST
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PREVENTION FIRST technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
PREVENTION FIRST partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Illinois Department of Human ServicescorePrimary government partner for which Prevention First serves as the preferred provider of Substance Use Prevention Program (SUPP) training and technical assistance since 1985. Also partners with the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention for the Reimagine Youth Development program.
- Illinois Department of Human Services - Office of Firearm Violence PreventioncoreCollaborates with Prevention First to provide training, technical assistance, and support to organizations under the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) for stronger and safer communities in Chicago and Greater Illinois.
- Illinois Certification Board (ICB)coreICB works to protect the public by providing competency-based credentialing to human service professionals. Prevention First provides resources and exam preparation for Certified Prevention Specialist certification, endorsed by ICB.
- SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)coreFederal agency providing grant funding and guidelines that Prevention First uses to deliver services. In 2026, SAMHSA grant termination letters threatened over $2 billion in mental health funding affecting Prevention First.
- National Prevention OrganizationsminorPrevention First partners with various national organizations including CADCA, National Prevention Network, and Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network for resources, conferences, and best practices.
- Illinois Department of Public HealthminorState health department providing resources and collaboration for substance use prevention and public health initiatives in Illinois.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PREVENTION FIRST competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA): National nonprofit membership organization that trains and supports community coalitions on substance use prevention, the same core function Prevention First performs at the state level. Prevention First lists CADCA as a national partner, and the two operate in the same evidence-based prevention space with overlapping training and TA offerings.
- National Prevention Network (NPN): Network of state prevention leaders affiliated with NASADAD that advances evidence-based substance use prevention policy and practice, directly comparable to Prevention First's role as Illinois's state-level prevention infrastructure provider.
- C4 Recovery Foundation: Nonprofit that supports addiction treatment and recovery professionals through workforce development, training, and peer recovery services — directly comparable to Prevention First's SATAC training program for substance use treatment professionals.
Broad incumbents
- Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network (PTTC): Federally funded network of regional centers that deliver training and technical assistance on substance use prevention to practitioners nationally, directly overlapping with Prevention First's TTA mission and competing for the same practitioner audience.
- Join Together / Partnership to End Addiction: National nonprofit focused on substance use prevention, treatment, and family support that provides resources, training, and public awareness campaigns — comparable to Prevention First's mix of TTA, family resources (YCRC), and campaigns (A Dose of Truth, Unfaded).
- Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Large national nonprofit that delivers addiction treatment, professional training, and prevention resources, comparable to Prevention First across the treatment-prevention continuum with substantially greater national scale.
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing: National membership organization for behavioral health providers that delivers training, certification, and policy advocacy across mental health and substance use, comparable to Prevention First's training, TA, and mental health program portfolio.
- CASAColumbia (now Partnership to End Addiction) research arm / National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse: Major national research and advocacy organization on addiction and substance use that informs evidence-based prevention policy, comparable to Prevention First's reliance on prevention science and its public-facing campaign work.
Regional players
- Illinois Association for Behavioral Health: Illinois-based nonprofit membership association that represents behavioral health providers and advances substance use and mental health policy in the state, comparable to Prevention First as a regionally focused prevention and behavioral health advocate.
Others
- Illinois Department of Public Health: State public health agency that Prevention First partners with on substance use prevention initiatives, providing a government counterparty and ecosystem reference for the state's public health prevention infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PREVENTION FIRST social profiles
Digital presencePREVENTION FIRST financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PREVENTION FIRST leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
PREVENTION FIRST funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PREVENTION FIRST M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PREVENTION FIRST
What does PREVENTION FIRST do?
Prevention First is an Illinois-based nonprofit that delivers substance use prevention and treatment training, technical assistance, and professional development to organizations, government agencies, and prevention professionals statewide. It operates resource centers for alcohol, cannabis, opioids, mental health, and youth/caregivers, plus multiple public awareness campaigns. The organization has served as Illinois' preferred provider of SUPP training and technical assistance for the Illinois Department of Human Services since 1985.
Is PREVENTION FIRST a public or private company?
PREVENTION FIRST is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PREVENTION FIRST founded?
PREVENTION FIRST was founded in 1980. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PREVENTION FIRST based?
PREVENTION FIRST is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does PREVENTION FIRST make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Federal Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are training and Technical Assistance Services and donations and Contributions.
Who are PREVENTION FIRST's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), National Prevention Network (NPN) and C4 Recovery Foundation. Broad incumbents are Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network (PTTC), Join Together / Partnership to End Addiction, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, National Council for Mental Wellbeing and CASAColumbia (now Partnership to End Addiction) research arm / National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. Illinois Association for Behavioral Health is listed as a regional player. Illinois Department of Public Health is listed as an others.
Does PREVENTION FIRST have an API?
No public API is recorded for PREVENTION FIRST.
What industry is PREVENTION FIRST in?
PREVENTION FIRST's product category is Substance Use Prevention Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAE, Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services, with a secondary code of BPAIAJAK, Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8300.