Brooklyn Johnson, a 21-year-old student at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, has become the youngest Certified Prevention Specialist in the United States. She received her credential from the West Virginia Certification Board for Addiction & Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP).
Johnson, who is from Huntington and a first-year medical student, has worked with the Prevention Empowerment Partnership (PEP) for several years as a student trainee. PEP operates under the Center of Excellence for Recovery within the Marshall University Research Corporation. Through her participation in PEP’s Workforce Development Trainee Program, she completed training and gained experience required to meet certification standards set by WVCBAPP.
“Prevention has been dear to my heart since eighth grade,” Johnson said. “I wanted to break the trend of generational substance use disorders and create the resources I wish I would have had when I was younger. Becoming a Certified Prevention Specialist isn’t just about my passion for prevention — it’s about carrying that knowledge and lifestyle with me through medical school and my future career as a pediatrician.”
She credited PEP for helping her reach this milestone.
“Without PEP I would not have been able to obtain my certification,” Johnson said. “They provided me with experiences and trainings I wouldn’t have had otherwise. They believed I could do it, even though I am so young, and for that I am eternally grateful.”
Angela Saunders, director of PEP, commented on Johnson’s accomplishment.
“I could not be more proud of our Workforce Development Trainee Program and Brooklyn Johnson for being the first trainee to complete all the requirements and pass the Prevention Certification Test, making her the youngest Certified Prevention Specialist, not only in West Virginia, but in the nation,” Saunders said. “Our goal is not to change what our trainees do with their lives — we want them to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, counselors or whatever they desire — but we want them to take prevention science into all professions. That is how you change the world of substance use and prevention.”
The Workforce Development Trainee Program was launched by PEP in 2022 to engage college students in evidence-based training combined with hands-on community work. The program aims to build prevention capacity in West Virginia while providing students leadership skills and direct experience working with local youth on prevention programming.
Johnson started her path toward certification as a freshman in Marshall University’s BS/MD program. She plans to incorporate prevention science into her future practice as a pediatrician.
More information about PEP can be found at https://pepwv.org/. Details about requirements for becoming a Certified Prevention Specialist are available at https://www.wvcbapp.org/applications.
