Suicide is a preventable public health concern affecting the nation as the 10th leading cause of death. The prevalence of suicide among the elderly is higher than any other group. Risk factors attributed to this phenomenon are depression, social isolation, substance abuse, poor physical health or function, financial stress, and access to lethal…

Substance use among youth remains a major public health and safety concern. One fundamental way to address youth substance use prevention is to keep young people on a positive trajectory by engaging them in positive activities from early years of their childhood. In this article, the author offers a best practice analysis of systematic review…

One of a series of state profiles, this report describes the dimensions of the problems caused by alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in Kansas and the public and private initiatives to reduce these problems. It highlights positive developments and identifies areas to be strengthened. Demographic characteristics, state agency organization, and state…

The nation's child protection system (CPS) has historically focused on preventing maltreatment in high-risk families, whose children have already been maltreated. But, as Jane Waldfogel explains, it has also begun developing prevention procedures for children at lower risk--those who are referred to CPS but whose cases do not meet the criteria for…

Partnership activities and programs relating to substance abuse are compiled in this document. Emphasis is placed on activities in Florida, although there are some national organizations and programs highlighted in the report. The report is intended to provide the reader with an awareness of the different ways partnerships are being used in…

The Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network (OSAM) is designed to provide accurate, timely, qualitatively-oriented epidemiologic descriptions of substance abuse trends and emerging problems in the state's major urban and rural areas. Use of qualitative methods in identifying and assessing substance abuse practices in local communities is one of…

This document discusses a project undertaken as a way to accurately identify, develop prevention strategies for, and treat the underlying causes of some 20 "symptoms" experienced in the communities of Louisiana. The information presented provides a means for diminishing the associated human and financial costs of these symptoms. The…

To directly address the state of Washington's concerns regarding student alcohol and other drug use, in 1989 the state Legislature passed the Omnibus Alcohol and Controlled Substances Act (ESSHB 1793). One part of this act called for the creation of a school-based alcohol and other dug abuse prevention and early intervention program. The Office of…

Youth violence and delinquency are problems that continue to challenge many communities across the U.S. For over a decade, Pennsylvania has been a national leader in confronting youth problem behaviors in a progressive and proactive fashion, investing heavily in supporting local community prevention coalitions and the use of proven-effective…

This document contains an executive summary and a six-part report presenting findings from a series of small studies assessing the research on school-based drug prevention programs and surveying federal, state, and local school district prevention activities. It focuses on prevention, or education, activities directed toward school-age youth…

Identifying risk and protective factors that serve as predictors of substance use is essential for developing effective prevention programs. Inconsistency in the data about the role of religion and spirituality as a protective factor for African Americans continues to exist. In this study, data were collected from 511 African American youth, ages…

Despite the popularity and perceived potential effectiveness of community-based coalitions in helping to prevent and reduce adolescent substance use, empirical evidence supporting this approach is sparse. Many reasons have been suggested for why coalition-based prevention initiatives, and community-level interventions in general, have not…

In December 1990 all Wisconsin school administrators and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) program coordinators received The Comprehensive AODA Program Checklist which contains 46 items that describe comprehensive AODA program components and key elements of the implementation process. This document presents analysis and results of the survey, as…

Recommendations to the House of Representatives for amending requirements for the provision of substance abuse education and prevention programs in elementary and secondary schools are presented in this committee report. Proposed revisions for the bill (H.R. 3614) include: authorization of appropriations; state allotment, programs, and…

Describes the National Drug Control Strategy's nine-pronged approach in addressing drug abuse, which includes the formation of partnerships between federal, state, and local governments and the private and public sectors. The strategy includes prevention initiatives, individualized treatment programs for high-risk groups, education aimed at…