CPP Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CPP facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In substance abuse prevention evaluation, 'protective factor' outcomes are important because they: → Assess factors that buffer against risk and promote resilience
2. A 'carryover' of unspent grant funds from one budget period to the next typically requires: → Prior written approval from the funder
3. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework Step 2 focuses on: → Assessing needs, resources, and readiness
4. A coalition that shifts from being grant-funded to being institutionally embedded within a local health department has achieved which milestone? → Organizational institutionalization
5. The 'third-person effect' in media studies is relevant to prevention because it explains why people: → Believe media influences others more than themselves, underestimating personal risk
6. Which term describes the additive negative effect when multiple risk factors occur simultaneously? → Cumulative risk
7. When adapting an evidence-based program for a specific cultural group, which principle should guide the process? → Preserve core components while adapting surface features
8. The PRECEDE-PROCEED model is used in needs assessment primarily to: → Identify predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors affecting health behavior
9. A coalition is preparing its annual report for funders. Which data type MOST directly demonstrates community-level impact? → Change in substance use prevalence rates over time
10. Why is confidentiality important in prevention services? → To protect privacy and build trust
11. When a grant officer requests a 'no-cost extension' (NCE), the primary reason is typically to: → Allow additional time to complete project activities without adding funds
12. The 'social ecological model' used in prevention planning is most useful for stakeholder engagement because it: → Maps the multiple system levels where stakeholders can influence prevention outcomes
13. When a CPP professional realizes they lack competence in a specific evidence-based intervention being requested, they should: → Seek supervision, training, or refer to a qualified colleague
14. Which financial management practice is required for federal grant recipients to ensure funds are used appropriately? → Maintaining a separate accounting system that tracks grant expenditures by project
15. A logic model's 'outputs' are best described as: → Direct products of program activities such as sessions held and materials distributed
16. What is the relationship between cultural competency in prevention and overall Certified Prevention Professional professional competency? → It is an essential component that strengthens the overall competency framework
17. Which practice is an example of an environmental prevention strategy targeting substance use? → Enforcing alcohol outlet density restrictions in a neighborhood
18. The Nurse-Family Partnership program is an example of which prevention level? → Selective prevention
19. Which of the following is an example of a 'leading indicator' in substance abuse prevention program evaluation? → Current youth perception of drug use risk
20. What is the role of feedback in stakeholder collaboration? → To improve program quality through reflection and adjustment
21. Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'fidelity' as an ethical standard in prevention? → Delivering evidence-based programs with adherence to the intended model
22. A coalition notice states it operates under a 'consensus decision-making' model. This means decisions are made: → When no member has a paramount objection after discussion
23. Which term describes the phenomenon where a mentoring relationship ends abruptly without proper closure, potentially harming the youth? → Premature termination
24. According to the SPF (Strategic Prevention Framework), coalition capacity-building activities belong primarily in which step? → Capacity
25. Which planning model emphasizes identifying risk and protective factors before selecting a prevention program? → Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)
26. When a CPP reports that a program achieved its 'intermediate outcomes,' this means the program successfully changed: → Attitudes, knowledge, skills, or norms that theoretically lead to behavior change
27. In prevention planning, 'risk factor targeting' is most consistent with which prevention model? → Risk and protective factor model
28. When a prevention coalition pitches a story to local news media, which strategy MOST increases the likelihood of coverage? → Tying the story to a recent local event and providing a human-interest angle
29. The SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework Step 2 focuses on building community capacity. Which action best exemplifies this step? → Training local volunteers as peer prevention educators
30. In coalition dynamics, 'turf protection' among member agencies is best addressed by: → Establishing clear role delineation and acknowledging each agency's unique contribution