Building Blocks for Successful Prevention Plans

& Programs

In the past several years our community and surrounding region has been faced with a drug epidemic that continues to change with each passing year. Drug and alcohol addiction is far reaching, affecting not only the abuser, but their families and communities as well.  Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug use (ATOD) increases crime rates, family problems, academic problems, behavior problems and various other risk factors. 

            Children and youth can avoid the hazards of ATOD problems by developing resiliency skills at an early age. As parents, educators and the community, it is our responsibility to provide strategies in the six core life domains that enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors in order for children to build resiliency skills.

Social Competence

Good Communication

Positive relationships with others

A sense of humor

Empathy and caring

An ability to see different sides and ideas

Adaptability

Healthy coping skills

Problem Solving Skills

Decision-making skills

Ability to think flexibly

Ability to try different solutions

Autonomy

Self-control, self-discipline

A clear sense of separate identity

Independence

Self-esteem

Ability to exert control over one’s environment

Sense of Future and Purpose

Goal-oriented outlook

Persistence

A focus on achievement and education

Hope for a bright future

A sense of faith

                        Healthy expectations

PREVENTION DOMAINS

Effective prevention builds resiliency in children by occurring in the following domains:

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

CSAP, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention has identified six effective programs, strategies, and principles that a community should focus on when preventing and reducing substance abuse and related risky behaviors. Using multiple strategies in multiple settings and working toward a few common goals offers the best chance to prevent young people from using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. The following are the identified key principals for effective substance abuse prevention:

• Information Dissemination
  Communications can be broadly defined as attempts to inform, persuade or motivate behavior changes in a relatively well-defined and large audience. This is done by one-way communication from the source to the audience, with limited contact between the two.
• Education
  This strategy involves two-way communication and is distinguished from the information dissemination strategy by the interaction between the educator and the participants. Activities aim to affect critical life and social skills, including decision-making, refusal skills, critical analysis and systematic judgment abilities.
• Alternatives
  Provides for the participation of the target populations in activities that exclude substance use. Activities that are designed to provide healthy, positive, pro-social diversions for young people to steer them from alcohol and other drugs-can complement other strategies by occupying young people's time during the non-school hours.
• Problem Identification and Referral
  This strategy aims at identification of those who have indulged in illegal/age-inappropriate use of tobacco or alcohol and those who have indulged in the first use of illicit drugs.
• Community-Based Process
  Aims to enhance the ability of the community to more effectively provide prevention and treatment services for substance abuse by involving multiple community sectors. Activities include organizing, planning, implementing, interagency collaboration, coalition building, and networking.

• Environmental
  Written or unwritten changes in community standards, codes, and attitudes, may influence incidence and prevalence of substance abuse in the general population. This strategy is divided into two subcategories to permit distinction between activities that center on legal and regulatory and those that relate to service initiatives.