Drug & Alcohol Use

Goals and Strategies for Community Health Improvement.

Recommended Alcohol and Drug

Abuse Prevention links:

Goals

Goal 1: Decrease binge drinking among all Florence County residents from 28% to 23% by December 31, 2020. Strategy 1: Implement school curriculum - Lion's Quest During the 2015-2016 school year, Zach Wedge, Karen Harrison and Sara Foster will gather information and receive additional training on Lion’s Quest, a K-12 comprehensive youth development program that promotes social and emotional learning (SEL), character education, bullying prevention, drug awareness, and service learning. Expected Beneficial Outcomes: • Reduced excessive drinking • Reduced drug use • Engage students, families, schools and community members • Provide opportunities for young people to learn essential life skills • Increase protective factors and reduce risk factors • Engage young people in the practice of good citizenship • Strengthen young people’s commitment to family, positive peers, school and community Strategy 2: Media campaign Mass media campaigns utilize television, radio, print, and social media to increase awareness of underage drinking and its consequences. Campaigns may also include efforts to provide adults with the knowledge and skills to take actions that help prevent underage drinking. Expected Beneficial Outcomes: • Reduced underage drinking • Reduced excessive drinking • Increased adult awareness of underage drinking Strategy 3: Social Host Ordinance Social host liability refers to laws that hold non- commercial individuals responsible for underage drinking events on property they own, lease, or otherwise control. Whereas laws prohibiting furnishing alcoholic beverages to underage persons target providing alcoholic beverages to underage persons, social host laws target providing the venue where underage drinking takes place. Evidence Base Social host ordinances are rated by What Works for Health as effective based on “expert opinion,” meaning that there is evidence that this strategy is effective, however further study is recommended. For high school and college students, teen parties are a primary avenue for underage drinking, high consumption of alcohol, and binge drinking. Mayer, Forster, Murray, and Wagenaar (1998) found that the most common setting for drinking among high school seniors was someone else’s home. High consumption (five or more drinks) is associated with drinking in larger groups. Interventions that modify the environments in which adolescents find themselves have an impact on alcohol consumption levels. “Policies aimed at increasing the liability of adults who provide alcohol to or drink with minors may help to reduce underage drinking.” (Mayer et al: 214). Goal 2: Decrease % of Florence County residents using prescription drugs for recreation or without a prescription by 5% by December 31, 2020. Strategy: By January 2016, increase the proportion of the twelve key sectors for local coalitions that are represented on the Florence County AODA Coalition. Evidence Base “Broad based community coalitions to assess specific issues and recommend alternatives” is rated by What Works for Health as effective based on “Expert Opinion”. While many prevention strategies focus on raising public awareness and helping individuals make healthy choices, lasting behavioral change requires a focus on community systems, policies and local conditions to affect the environment in which substance abuse occurs. The seven strategies include: • Providing information • Enhancing skills • Providing support • Enhancing access/reducing barriers • Changing consequences (incentives/disincentives) • Physical design • Modifying/changing policies Strategy: Drug take-back days & sharps disposal Proper drug disposal programs accept expired, unwanted, or unused medicines from designated users and dispose of them responsibly. Programs can be administered by state or local governments, municipal trash and recycling services, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, or community organizations partnered with law enforcement. Expected Beneficial Outcomes • Reduced illicit drug use • Reduced unintentional poisoning • Reduced water pollution • Improved water quality

Wisconsin Public Health Profiles

Tobacco Control & Prevention

Tobacco Control & Prevention