Building Capacity for Preventing Youth Substance Use and Violence (aka, “Bridge Grant”)

1. Building Capacity for Preventing Youth Substance Use and Violence(aka, “Bridge Grant”)

2. “Bridge Grant” Goal • To continue to strengthen prevention efforts for substance use and violence in order to sustain and improve a safe and drug-free school environment for all New Mexico youth.

3. “Bridge Grant” Purpose • To facilitate the development of a sustainable,prevention-focused state infrastructure that will build partnerships between state agencies, schools and community-based organizations (CBOs) to enhance and continue the support to schoolsin creating safe, disciplined and drug-free learning environments that promote academic achievement.

4. “Bridge Grant” Strategies • Enhance capacity to support schools by strengthening communication, coordination, collaboration • Conduct an assessment of resources/gaps • Implement strategic planning process • Assist schools in sustaining and improving prevention efforts

5. Strategic Planning Process • QUESTION 1: Where are we now? • Objective: To describe the current status of youth substance use and violence related to schools in New Mexico. • QUESTION 2: Where do we want to be? • Objective : To describe the vision for youth substance use and violence related to schools in New Mexico. • QUESTION 3: How do we get there? • Objective : To develop strategies that would accomplish the vision defined in Question 2. • QUESTION 4: How do we know that we have arrived? • Objective : To develop or identify methods to measure progress toward the desired vision.

6. Status of Questions Question 1- Answered through Assessment Report posted on the Healthier Schools website (http://www.HealthierSchoolsNM.org) • Questions 2 and 3 –Answered during strategic planning sessions • Question 4 – Indicators plus process measures will be developed after goals determined through Question 2

7. Strategic Planning Sessions • 5 sessions statewide + 1 youth session - 2012 • Farmington • Albuquerque • Santa Fe • Las Cruces • Roswell • Head-to-Toe 16 Conference

8. Spectrum of Prevention • Strengthening Individual Knowledge and Skills: Enhancing an individual’s capacity to prevent injury or illness and promote safety. • Educating Providers: Informing providers (including educators and behavioral health providers) who will transmit skills and knowledge to others.

9. Spectrum of Prevention • Promoting Community Education: Reaching groups of people with information and resources to promote health and safety. • Influencing Policy and Legislation: Developing strategies to change laws and policies to influence outcomes.

10. Spectrum of Prevention • Fostering Coalitions and Networks: Convening groups and individuals for broader goals and greater impact. • Changing Organizational Practices: Adopting regulations and shaping norms to improve health and safety.

11. Materials for Participants • Draft Strategic Plan • Assessment Report ~ Executive Summary • Description and Definitions • Indicators • “What Works”

12. Vision Schools provide a safe, healthy, secure and supportive learning environment for students and staff.

13. Prevention • A proactive process that empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions by creating and reinforcing conditions that promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles. (SAMHSA/CSAP)

14. Substance Abuse Prevention • The goal of substance abuse prevention is the fostering of a climate in which (a) alcohol use is acceptable only for those of legal age and only when the risk of adverse consequences is minimal; (b) prescription and over-the-counter drugs are used only for the purposes for which they were intended; (c) other abuseable substances, e.g., aerosols, are used only for their intended purposes; and (d) illegal drugs and tobaccoare not used at all. (SAMHSA/CSAP)

15. Violence Prevention The goal of violence prevention is to prevent the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, that is (a) self directed (against oneself), (b) interpersonal (against another person), or (c) collective (by or against a group or community) that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, maldevelopment, deprivation or physical, psychological or spiritual harm. (adapted from World Health Organization)

16. Expected Outcomes • A solidified Prevention Intervention Team to support continued collaborative prevention activities at the state and local levels; • A strategic plan that will guide future prevention efforts for youth substance use and violence prevention efforts in schools; and • Continued support for schools to provide safe, disciplined and drug-free learning environments that promote academic achievement.

17. Expected Outcomes Improved Indicators: • Violence • Substance Use • Resiliency

18. Indicators Violence – Students who did not go to school on one or more days during the past 30 days because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to and from school • Students who have been in a physical fight on school property in the 12 months prior to the survey • Students who have been bullied in past 12 months • Students who carried a weapon on school property in last 30 days

19. Indicators Substance Abuse- • Students who report current (30-day) marijuana use • Students who report current (30-day) alcohol use • Students who report/used painkiller to get high

20. Indicators Resiliency - • 2 indicators: Students who report participating in pro-social activitiesat school and outside of school • 3 indicators: Students who report having an engaged and supportive adult at home, school and in the community.

21. What Works? • Evidence-based strategies to address youth substance use and violence in schools

22. Building Capacity for Preventing Youth Substance Use and ViolenceAssessment and Strategic Planning Session Results

23. Assessment Results • Surveys • Online through Survey Monkey • Schools (164 responses) • Non-Schools (183 responses) • Additional Data and Information • Youth surveys at local, state and national levels • Data from state and national surveillance and research

24. Additional Data/Information • NM Youth Risk and Resilience Survey • Some improvements in risky behaviors • Serious concerns, especially in the areas of drug use, alcohol use at an early age, suicide attempts, and violence • Differences in rates of risky behaviors seen in American Indian, Hispanic and White youth and between girls and boys

25. Additional Data/Information • SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health • Youth who had been exposed to some kind of substance use prevention message were less likely to report past month use of alcohol use, cigarettes, or illicit drugs than youth who had not had such prevention messages

26. Additional Data/Information • Sexual Minority Students Engage in More Risky Health Behaviors • Students who identify themselves as sexual minorities (gay, lesbian, bisexual) are more likely to engage in health-risk behaviors that contribute to violence, behaviors related to attempted suicide, tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, sexual behaviors, weight management and unintentional injury.

27. Additional Data/Information • Prevention Institute Links Between Violence and Learning Fact Sheet • Violence and/or the fear of violence ….. interfere with learning and success in academics. • Recommend school policies that ensure safe and supportive environment.

28. GOAL I: Strengthen Knowledge and Skills of Individuals, Providers and Communities • Regular assessment of: • Status of problem • Needs • Resources • Gaps • Broad dissemination of results

29. Strengthen Knowledge and Skills • Data – applies to all component areas: • Youth substance use, including over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and violence • At the local school, district and tribal levels • How to find, interpret and use data • Community involvement in understanding and using

30. Strengthen Knowledge and Skills • Data – applies to all component areas • Need broader database with local and tribal data • Data sharing among all – and especially among state agencies that collect data about youth • One-stop, user-friendly clearinghouse for data & information – NMPED website suggested

31. Strengthen Knowledge and Skills • Parent/family involvement • DIFFICULT; engage parents more meaningfully • Strategies: • Family liaison and mentoring programs • School health/wellness councils • Funding and incentives for parent participation, • Family education, coordination and leadership • Cultural competency

32. Strengthen Knowledge and Skills • Youth engagement and empowerment • peer-to-peer mentoring, • youth advisory councils and prevention coalitions – with staffing and funding • service learning (community service), and • youth employment

33. Youth Responses • Apply to most Component Areas • Respect – listening to ideas • Involvement in planning; want to be part of solution • Education on causes and effects of drugs • Skills and better sex education

34. Youth Responses – cont’d • Supportive education • Support for job skills • Someone they can trust • Reverse perception they are to blame for problems • More financial and community support for youth in New Mexico

35. Youth Responses – cont’d • Included in and provided support from partnerships that address education and positive youth development • Collaboration by initiatives and organizations working on educational projects • Clubs that don’t revolve around sports

36. Youth Responses – cont’d • Alternatives to suspension • Positive recreation activities • Family involvement • Increasing access to School-Based Health Centers and holistic supports

37. Strengthen Knowledge and Skills • Professional development and staff capacity buildingneeds: • Staff wellness and support • Continuing education support, including Head to Toe – time, funds, substitute teachers. • Information on signs/symptoms of SA and violence – and strategies.

38. Strengthen Knowledge and Skills • Evidence-based programs • Screening, assessment, intervention and treatment that can be provided in schools to staff and students • Which programs are most effective and why • Professional development resources (effective) • Head-to-Toe school health conference • Mentoring/supervision by behavioral health professionals

39. GOAL II: Foster Coalitions & Networks Collective Impact: • A common agenda (shared vision for change) • Shared measurement systems – and indicators • Mutually reinforcing activities • Continuous communication • Backbone support organizations (Children’s Cabinet, BH Purchasing Collaborative, SHACs, Community Health Councils, Tribal Health Councils)

40. Foster Coalitions & Networks • Restorative Approaches • People best placed to resolve a conflict or a problem are the people directly involved • Skills-based training can develop both restorative skills and attitudes • The ultimate aim of the training and the approach is to build a strong, mutually respectful, safe and inclusive school community in which everyone feels valued and heard.

41. Foster Coalitions & Networks • Barriers to coordination/collaboration: • Time, resources, and politics • Effective – youth coalitions • Needed: • Engagement of ALL stakeholders • An effective, accountable coordinating infrastructure at the state level • Coordination and collaboration at the local level • A “one-stop” website (interactive, user-friendly) with access to information/data

42. GOAL III: Influence Policy & Legislation • Most helpful policies – state, tribal, local: • Tobacco, alcohol and drug-free campuses; • Bullying prevention; • School wellness; and • Compulsory school attendance • Policies need to be reviewed and enforced consistently. • Tribal policies need to be updated and enforced.

43. Influence Policy & Legislation • Limited funding has negatively impacted ability to provide programs/personnel. • Policies needed: • FUNDING – investment by decision-makers at all levels • Support for programs, staff, communication and collaboration • Time for students to access programs and staff

44. Influence Policy & Legislation Advocacy - effective: • Youth engagement in policy initiatives • School health education programs • Social marketing/public awareness campaigns • Staff continuing education

45. Influence Policy & Legislation Advocacy– needed: • Parent/community involvement • Leadership & collaboration • Advocacy training • Staff &time • Community, family and youth in partnership influence decision-making about resource allocation

46. GOAL IV: Change Organizational Practices • School staff who support overall curriculum are most valuable resource and program – and GREATEST NEED. • Staff recruitment and retention an issue. • Next most desired is professional staff provided by local and state agencies.

47. Change Organizational Practices • Standardize use of strengths-based approaches in schools to provide positive behavior supports and restorative practices • Improve communication with multiple modalities to connect with students and families • Provide opportunities for schools and community provider to understand each others’ cultures

48. Change Organizational Practices • Schools need technical assistance (support and guidance), information, strategies and referral sources – especially to deal with substance abuse (including prescription drugs), bullying, and suicide. • Community-based organizations (CBOs) want to and provide services/personnel in schools; do not always feel welcomed by schools.

49. Change Organizational Practices • Needed: • Evidence-based programs when they show clear effectiveness and cultural competency. • Option to implement practice-based, culturally competent programs that fit with local values • Program evaluation to determine what works best.

50. Change Organizational Practices • Needed: • Redesign schools to meet student learning styles and needs • More middle school programs • School-based health centers (90% in favor) • Full service community schools approach (77.1% in favor)