NCJ Number
200108
Date Published
2003
Length
253 pages
Annotation
This 2002 report provides information on identifying Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (AMHSA) model programs around the country and presents recent research findings regarding substance abuse.
Abstract
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks has led to an increase in drug and alcohol problems across the Nation. This report updates readers in five main areas, beginning with how to identify a SAMHSA model program. This discussion of SAMHSA approved programs includes an examination of how substance abuse prevention programs are developed, a summary of risk and preventative factors, and how programs are screened and evaluated based on their scientific support and practical findings. The second section provides a summary of recent research findings regarding substance abuse prevention and treatment program evaluations. An explanation of the National High-Risk Youth Cross-Site Evaluation is provided, including a summary of the findings from the most recent evaluations. Findings include that High-Risk Youth Prevention Programs are indeed reducing rates of adolescent substance abuse and that youth who were already abusing drugs, tobacco, and alcohol reduced their substance use after beginning the program. The evaluation found that prevention efforts are most effective when they focus on reducing risk factors. The third section describes the knowledge dissemination system that SAMHSA has implemented to keep communities across the Nation updated on the most effective and successful substance abuse prevention programs and strategies and to bring the latest research to community stakeholders. The fourth section presents the issues that emerged in the field during 2002, the progress that has been made in research and project implementation, and the future of science-based prevention efforts. Future prevention efforts include a focus on previously overlooked populations, a focus on workplace substance abuse prevention, and attention to posttraumatic stress disorder and how it affects substance abuse. The final section provides a matrix of SAMHSA model program summaries that will help identify appropriate SAMHSA programs in terms of target age and population, location type, and any necessary cultural adaptations. Results of replication studies and program effectiveness evaluations are also presented for specific programs where data are available.