NCJ Number
145056
Date Published
1988
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Community-wide prevention, targeted at alcohol and other drug abuse, is defined as comprehensive programs targeted at multiple systems, using multiple strategies that include involving and training impactors, providing information, developing life skills, creating alternatives, and influencing policy.
Abstract
The dual rationale for community-wide prevention addresses the previous failure of single-strategy, single- system efforts as well as the underlying variables that correlate with problem behaviors such as drug abuse. Both the public/community health and mental/community mental health fields have focused on the community as an arena for preventive interventions. Two research-based approaches for alcohol and drug abuse prevention offer promise as models for future prevention programming, namely the University of Southern California's Comprehensive Drug Abuse Program and the Minnesota Heart Health Program. Community-based programs can be categorized according to their linkages (i.e., family- school, school-workplace, or community-social services- government) or by their sponsoring systems (government, professional organization, citizen, or business/foundation). 4 figures and 50 references