Element 2: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Activities

Element 2 focuses on ATOD prevention activities, with a specific focus on decreasing the percentage of students who use alcohol and other drugs. This brief explains the effect successfully implementing element 2 can have on schools and provides key information and resources for SS/HS project directors.

Impact of Element 2

All school districts and communities must grapple with the problem of ATOD abuse. According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2009:

• Approximately 52 percent of youth age 12 and over reported drinking alcohol in the past month
• Nearly 28 percent of youth age 12 and over used tobacco in the past month
• Almost 9 percent of youth age 12 and over used illicit drugs in the past month

These rates do not appear to be declining.

Substance abuse interferes with students’ ability to learn and schools’ ability to educate. Students under the influence of ATOD are at higher risk of absenteeism. ATOD use is also related to diminished school performanceⁱ and significant reductions in school achievement.ⁱⁱ Additionally, students who abuse these substances may be masking emotional, behavioral, or mental health disorders, or family, environmental, or personal problems and are in need of counseling and other services.

Substance-abusing students take up a disproportionate amount of teacher and staff time and energy that should be devoted to ensuring students’ success. Instead, these resources are misspent on discipline and intervention, which creates a difficult learning environment for their peers.

The younger the age at which students begin using substances, the higher the likelihood that they will develop a substance abuse disorder, suggesting that intervening at an early age is most effective to avoid problems later in life.

Integration with the Other Elements

ATOD use is often a sign of other risk factors among youth. Because substance abuse is correlated with emotional, behavioral, and mental health disorders and is often implicated in unsafe and violent behaviors, programs and activities to address substance abuse can easily be integrated with those focused on the other four elements.

For instance, there is a direct correlation between alcohol use, depression, and suicide. It is natural, then, that programs meant to address element 2 incorporate activities meant to promote mental health and screen for or treat mental health disorders.

Research also shows that alcohol use, especially heavy alcohol use, is related to violence among youth.ⁱⁱⁱ Students who are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs make poor decisions that may lead to confrontations, and are more likely to engage in aggressive and violent behavior. Those under the influence of drugs, in particular, are more likely to engage in crime, including violent crime.^iv Therefore, integrating substance abuse and violence prevention activities increases their chances of success.

Addressing Element 2

Evidence-Based Practices for ATOD Prevention

Programs to prevent and treat substance abuse among students positively impact learning. Too, Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are a cost-effective approach to reducing substance abuse: Research shows that for every dollar invested in substance abuse prevention, up to $10 in substance abuse treatment may be saved.^{v,vi,vii,viii}

It is important when considering EBPs to address ATOD that project directors understand the scope and nature of the problem unique to their schools and communities. It is also important to note that substance abuse prevention can begin as early as preschool, particularly for at-risk children, including those with poor social skills, aggression, and academic difficulties.^ix Developmentally appropriate, culturally competent prevention and intervention programming implemented in preschool and continuing through high school graduation can be very effective at addressing risk factors and preventing ATOD abuse.

To enhance protective factors for all students, reduce risk factors for at-risk students, and assess and treat students who are already using ATOD, your chosen EBPs should address the entire spectrum of prevention:

Partnering to Create ATOD-Free School Environments

The Core Management Team

Having a representative from a local health department on the Core Management Team can be invaluable in creating ATOD-free school environments.

Community Partners

Combining school and community substance abuse programming is more effective than delivering either in isolation.^x Further, programming across all sectors is most effective when delivering culturally competent, consistent, community-wide messages,^xi reinforcing the importance of having community partners at the table at all stages of program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Community partners can collect data, implement community-based interventions, and provide screening and treatment services for students who abuse substances.

Good community partners include the following:

• The local health department, which may have important data to contribute to the needs assessment, such as commonly abused drugs in the community and information on where students are obtaining alcohol. This partner may also be able to provide linkages to services, such as drug and alcohol treatment and smoking cessation programs. Additionally, some may have expertise in designing substance abuse prevention and intervention programs.
• Law enforcement, which can help enforce community alcohol restrictions, such as ensuring that all liquor outlets check IDs for proof of age.
• Local counseling centers, who may be able to provide substance abuse counseling and treatment services that are not available in schools.
• Additional community partners to consider include substance abuse treatment services and tobacco cessation professionals.

Parents

Parental support is a proven protective factor regarding substance abuse,^xii thus underscoring the importance of engaging parents in ATOD education, program planning, and implementation so that the messages students get about substance abuse from the school and community are consistently reinforced at home.^xiii

Because substance abuse and poor supervision at home can lead to increased risk of substance abuse, project directors can work with community partners to provide substance abuse treatment and parenting programs to parents to help prevent substance abuse among their children.^xiv

Students

Engaging students in data collection and program implementation can not only save your program time and money, but also maximize effectiveness and give greater credibility to the selected programs. Creating a student advisory council allows project staff to understand substance abuse issues and challenges from the students’ perspective. Students can communicate the trends in substance use among their peers and provide feedback on prevention programming to ensure that messages are on point and will resonate with them. Students can also help roll out substance abuse prevention programming during key times of the year, such as Red Ribbon Week, homecoming, and prom season.

[Important Note: research suggests a negative affect from students engaged in peer group substance abuse counseling.^xv ]

Sustainability

The sustainability of your ATOD program after SS/HS funding ends should be a consideration from the beginning. From the time the funding is awarded, PDs should create a long-range blueprint that includes a plan for institutionalizing ATOD prevention efforts in the district.

Sustaining ATOD prevention, assessment, and treatment activities requires strong partnerships with community groups and top school administrators, including the superintendent, who will be advocates for this programming. One way to garner their support is to tie in the SS/HS objectives and goals with those of the school district and community, such as linking ATOD prevention activities to the academic mission of schools. Meetings among the partners should be held on a regular basis, to ensure that each group continues to work toward common goals.

To institutionalize ATOD education and prevention programming in schools, staff should be trained to train other staff in planning, implementation, and evaluation.

When SS/HS funding has ended, schools and community groups can continue to work together to refer students and families to each other’s ATOD services and to seek additional funding as a collaborative.