NCJ Number
160119
Date Published
1996
Length
40 pages
Annotation
The Third National Survey of the Community Movement Against Substance Abuse heard from 4,177 organizations as of October 31, 1995, that either participate in or lead community coalitions; of these, 1,910 respondents identified themselves as leading or sponsoring community coalitions against substance abuse; this report is based on the responses of these lead coalitions.
Abstract
The first section describes the coalitions, their activities, and their funding sources. The survey focuses on how coalitions have evolved since the last report in 1993. Findings show that most coalitions have kept their prevention focus; yet many have expanded into a broader and more strategic range of involvements, such as increasing treatment and reducing underage tobacco use. This report also provides a profile of what the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention coalitions are doing in their communities, based on the responses of more than 200 of the 250 grantees. Section Two describes the successes coalitions have reported in reducing substance abuse. It reviews the differences in coalition activities that may help explain why substance abuse is getting better in some communities and worse in others. Section Three highlights coalitions' ratings of their major community institutions' efforts against substance abuse, and Section Four reports the public policy views of the 1,910 survey participants who lead or sponsor community coalitions. The report recommends that coalitions have written strategies and suggests that coalitions take an active role in shaping public policy on the local, State, and Federal levels. Also, government officials should take a more active role in listening and responding to coalition leaders. The findings are a call to action to businesses, the media, and clergy to get more involved in anti- substance abuse coalition efforts in their communities. 22 tables and the survey questionnaire