Certified Prevention Specialist CPS Practice Exam

What is the first step in successful prevention planning?

1. Apply "best practices" and "guiding principles."

2. Assess the readiness of the community and mobilize for action.

3. Evaluate the prevention program.

4. Select a target population.

The correct answer is: Assess the readiness of the community and mobilize for action.

The first step in successful prevention planning is to assess the readiness of the community and mobilize for action. This step is crucial because it helps identify the current state of the community in terms of its willingness and ability to engage in prevention efforts. By understanding the community's readiness, you can tailor your approaches and strategies to fit the specific needs, resources, and dynamics present within that community. Gathering this foundational knowledge allows for more effective mobilization and can lead to higher levels of community engagement and ownership of the prevention initiatives. Without a proper assessment of readiness, efforts may face resistance or be misaligned with the community's priorities, which can undermine the overall effectiveness of the prevention strategy. The other choices represent important components of prevention planning, but they typically follow the initial assessment stage. For instance, applying best practices and guiding principles is essential for implementation but comes after understanding the community context. Evaluating the prevention program is a part of ongoing quality assurance that ensures effectiveness, but it occurs after programs have been designed and implemented. Selecting a target population is part of focusing efforts, yet it relies on a foundational understanding of community readiness to ensure it is appropriate and relevant.