2012 Connecticut Community Readiness Assessment for Substance Use Prevention:ERASE

Strategic Prevention Framework

University of Connecticut Health Center

July, 2012

[Questions 1-3]

Key Informant Demographic Characteristics: ERASE, 2012

2

2

9

16

34

32

5

34

66

96

5

2

2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

12 to 17

18 to 25

26 to 35

36 to 45

46-55

56-65

66 or older

Male

Female

Caucasian

African American

Hispanic/Latino

Other

Percent

[Question 6]

Key Informant Stakeholder Affiliation:ERASE, 2012

25

7

9

16

18

25

25

7

9

21

2

7

9

11

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Government

Public Health

Law Enforcement

School

Coalition

Youth Service Organization

Social/Human Service Agency

Mental Health Service Agency

Faith-Based Organization

S. A. Prevention Agency

S. A. Treatment Agency

Youth

Parent

Other

Percent

[Questions 11-14]

Perceived Community Attitude that a Substance is a “Significant Problem” in Different Age Groups in the Community:

ERASE, 2012

58

45

2622

15 1620 21

37

32

11

0

21

38

15

0

14

25

1617

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Youth 12-17 Adults 18-25 Adults 26-65 Adults 66+

Alcohol Tobacco Marijuana Other illicit drugs Prescription drugs

[Question 15]

Community Attitudes toward Substance Abuse Prevention: ERASE, 2012

Strongly disagree

Somewhatdisagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

1.93

1.88

2.15

2.2

2.44

1.95

2.24

2.1

2.38

2.61

2.4

2.51

1 2 3 4

Are concerned about preventing alcohol abuse

Are concerned about preventing drug abuse

Believe youth in all socioeconomic groups are at risk

Believe youth in all ethnic groups are at risk

Know about community programs to prevent ATOD abuse

Would support ordinances to discourage underage drinking

Believe it is possible to prevent youth ATOD problems

Feel youth SA prevention programs are a good investment

Believe that SA prevention programs are effective

Are willing to support SA prevention with town/city tax dollars

Feel that it is okay for youth to drink occasionally

Believe ATOD use is a private matter to deal with at home

Key Informant Agreement that “Most” Community Residents:

[Question 15 cont’d]

Community Attitudes toward Substance Abuse Prevention: ERASE, 2012

2.23

2.53

2.71

2.76

2.18

2.17

2.15

1 2 3 4

Believe enforcement of liquor laws should be a priority

Think that occasional use of marijuana is not harmful

Feel that youth can drink with adult supervision

Believe teens can drink if not driving

Feel adults can drive after 1-2 drinks

Believe adults can get drunk occasionally

Think drinking while taking prescription meds is risky

Strongly disagree

Somewhatdisagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

Key Informant Agreement that “Most” Community Residents:

[Question 16]

Key Informant Ratings of Substance Abuse Prevention Strategies in the Community: ERASE, 2012

2.982.95

2.742.85

2.63

2.7

2.51

2.54

2.77

2.92

2.75

3.27

3.05

2.78

2.79

2.76

1 2 3 4

Coalition/task force

Community policing programs/services

Community laws/policies

Enforcement of laws/policies

Information dissemination

Media advocacy

Social marketing

School-based SA education

Youth life/social skills training

Peer leader/helper programs

Mentoring programs

Structured youth development activities

After-school

Teen drop-in centers

Youth community action groups

Parent education/parenting skills programs

Not available

Very effective

Not effective

Somewhateffective

[Question 16 (cont’d)]

Key Informant Ratings of Substance Abuse Prevention Strategies in the Community: ERASE, 2012

2.84

2.37

2.42

2.48

2.56

2.94

3.09

1 2 3 4

Faith-based youth groups

Local business support for community initiatives

Screening/brief intervention services

Adolescent substance abuse treatment services

Adult substance abuse treatment services

Recovery support programs

Counseling programs

Not available

Very effective

Not effective

Somewhateffective

[Question 18]

Perceived Barriers to Substance Abuse Prevention Activities in the Community: ERASE, 2012

1.64

1.85

2.452.1

1.89

1.92

1.78

2

2.41

1.73

2.15

1.81

1.54

2.17

1 2 3

Lack of leadership

Lack of coordination among organizations

Too few volunteers

Lack of consensus on how to address ATOD

Lack of political support for ATOD prevention

Substance abuse is not a community priority

Lack of strategic plan to address ATOD problems

Insufficient community awareness

Limited financial resources

Lack of knowledge of effective prevention strategies

Lack of community buy-in about substance abuse

Lack of trained staff

Lack of culturally competent staff

View that substance abuse is a personal problem

Not a barrier

A moderate barrier

A large barrier

[Question 19]

Key Informant Ratings of Community Readiness for Substance Abuse Prevention Planning Activities: ERASE, 2012

2.81

2.95

2.692.78

2.89

2.56

2.85

2.73

2.87

2.55

2.34

2.64

2.92

2.78

1 2 3 4

Collect data on SA problems

Identify community resources

Identify community members as resources

Secure policymaker support

Utilize needs assessment data

Develop culturally competent programs

Raise community awareness

Improve existing services/programs

Convene community meetings

Collaborate with other organizations

Allocate local funds to SA prevention

Develop policies for SA prevention

Indentify barriers to prevention initiatives

Develop a strategic plan

Not Ready

High Readiness

Low Medium

[Question 20]

Availability of Substance Abuse Prevention Data: ERASE, 2012

52

16

16

71

30

61

66

30

32

16

36

50

21

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Census Data

Household Surveys

Key Informant Interviews

Law Enforcement Data

Inventory of Programs

School Administrative Data

School Surveys

Public Meetings/Forums

Focus Groups

Hospital Data

Public Health Statistics

Public Safety Data

Other

Percent

[Question 21]

Barriers to Collecting Data: ERASE, 2012

23

11

18

34

21

21

14

50

21

14

36

7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

No perceived need to collect data

Don't know how to collect data

Don't know how to use data

Lack of trained staff to collect data

Lack of trained staff to interpret data

Lack of leadership support

Unable to gain access to data

Lack of funding

Don't know which data to collect

Lack of stakeholder cooperation

Negative Publicity

Other

Percent

[Question 22]

Community Use of Data for Substance Abuse Prevention: ERASE, 2012

54

30

42

21

51

28

28

5

2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Strategic planning/Programdevelopment

Budgeting

Program evaluation

Advocacy for policy change

Leveraging grant funding

Matching needs with resources

Connecting people to naturalsupport systems

Community does not collect data

Other

Percent

Key Informant Ratings of the Community Stage of Readiness for Substance Abuse Prevention: Connecticut, 2012

Community Stage of Readiness for

Substance Abuse Prevention: Statewide

Percent

1 – Tolerates or encourages substance abuse 1%

2 – Has little or no recognition of substance abuse problems 11%

3 – Believes a substance abuse problem exists, but awareness is only linked to one or two

incidents involving substance abuse

13%

4 – Recognizes a substance abuse problem and leaders on the issue are identifiable, but

little planning has been done to address problems and risk factors

23%

5 – Is planning for substance abuse prevention is focused on practical details, including

seeking funds for prevention

15%

6 – Has enough information to justify a substance abuse prevention program and has great

enthusiasm for the initiative

6%

7 – Has created policies and/or more than one substance abuse prevention program is

running with financial support and trained staff

10%

8 – Views standard substance abuse programs as valuable, new programs are being

developed for at-risk populations, and there is ongoing evaluation

13%

9 – Has detailed and sophisticated knowledge of prevalence, risk factors and program

effectiveness, and programming is tailored by trained staff to address community risk factors

8%

Mean State Stage of Readiness (n= 829) 5.08

Mean ERASE Stage of Readiness (n= 44) 4.9

Key Informant Ratings of the Community Stage of Readiness for Substance Abuse Prevention: Connecticut, 2010

Community Stage of Readiness for

Substance Abuse Prevention: Statewide

Percent

1 – Tolerates or encourages substance abuse 2.4%

2 – Has little or no recognition of substance abuse problems 6.9%

3 – Believes a substance abuse problem exists, but awareness is only linked to one or two

incidents involving substance abuse

12.1%

4 – Recognizes a substance abuse problem and leaders on the issue are identifiable, but

little planning has been done to address problems and risk factors

23.7%

5 – Is planning for substance abuse prevention is focused on practical details, including

seeking funds for prevention

16.3%

6 – Has enough information to justify a substance abuse prevention program and has great

enthusiasm for the initiative

3.3%

7 – Has created policies and/or more than one substance abuse prevention program is

running with financial support and trained staff

7.9%

8 – Views standard substance abuse programs as valuable, new programs are being

developed for at-risk populations, and there is ongoing evaluation

7.3%

9 – Has detailed and sophisticated knowledge of prevalence, risk factors and program

effectiveness, and programming is tailored by trained staff to address community risk factors

3.0%

Mean State Stage of Readiness (n=631) 4.69

Mean ERASE Stage of Readiness (n=43) 5.35