NCJ Number
139747
Date Published
1991
Length
228 pages
Annotation
Prevention research and demonstration studies indicate that community efforts offering multiple strategies, providing several points of access, and coordinating and expanding community opportunities represent a promising approach to preventing alcohol and other drug problems.
Abstract
The Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP) has developed a Community Prevention System Framework by surveying 26 communities throughout the United States. The framework focuses on initiating communitywide prevention efforts, leadership, maintaining momentum, activities, building resources, assessment, and partnerships based on coordination and collaboration. The themes of community empowerment, cultural competency, and inclusion are emphasized in the framework, as well as personal commitment. The framework offers direction for communities beginning to develop a drug prevention system, as well as affirmation, encouragement, and new ideas for communities already engaged in system development. The framework postulates that prevention efforts must be directed toward potential and active drug users, drug sources and supplies, and the societal climate that reinforces or sustains the problematic use of alcohol and other drugs. Appendixes provide data from the survey of 26 communities, community profiles, a literature review, presentation materials for initiating communitywide efforts, and information on supplemental prevention activities. 39 references