ENSURING SUCCESS AND EFFECTIVENESS: RESEARCH, EVALUATION & DATA
The national IOM report calls on the federal government to work closely with states in funding the development and evaluation of programs to cover all underage populations starting as young as pre-schoolers. In addition, the IOM report calls for all interventions to be rigorously evaluated, with a portion of all federal grant funds for alcohol-related programs to be designated for evaluation.
Significant progress has recently been made in understanding what programs, initiatives, educational opportunities, and policy options are effective. It is the goal of many that New Hampshire have effective substance abuse prevention programs in all communities throughout the state. With a growing body of evidence, a strong commitment from local coalitions, and the support of the NH Strategic Prevention Framework, there is a real opportunity for evidence-based prevention initiatives to be fostered and replicated throughout the state. Prevention programs that lack the evidence of sound science or effectiveness can be phased out at the same time.
The national IOM report contains vital information, data, and recommendations. That information is only as good as New Hampshire's ability to make information, research, technology and capacity available to local community coalitions and leaders, businesses, parents and other adults, educators, youth, and policymakers. Everyone in our state working in and concerned about prevention must be able to marry the scientific data and the practical experience of New Hampshire's communities. Only then will we be able to tailor the appropriate prevention, intervention and treatment information, resources, services and programs for our communities.
State Recommendations:
- Support and fund rigorous evaluation of all programs aimed at reducing underage alcohol problems.
- Develop a consistent, accepted data tool and data support system for collecting and sharing data on underage drinking and associated problems through the state agencies and the NH Strategic Prevention Framework Program. Such a tool and system must be consistently, easily and cost-effectively administered, culturally competent and include a focus on both risk and protective factors to meet the needs of coalitions, school districts and others working at the local level.
- Investigate the use of GIS mapping software to help visually capture information about underage alcohol problems, for example, outlet density.
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Community Recommendations:
- Continue to press for the availability and usability of local, regional and statewide data for program evaluation and effective targeting of resources for prevention programming at the community level.
- Support community groups and coalitions to conduct an environmental scan using local information and data to assess the underage drinking problem in their communities and utilize effective approaches, including community organizing, coalition building, and the strategic use of media, to reduce underage alcohol problems. Tools such as the Community Alcohol Personality Survey developed by FACE, provide the framework for looking critically and thoughtfully at a community and the influences that exist within it that support youth in accessing and using alcohol.
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