Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools

Midwestern Prevention Project

http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/modelprograms.html
http://www.childtrends.org/Lifecourse/programs/MidwesternPreventionProject.htm

Goals: To help youth see the tremendous social pressure to use drugs and find way for them to avoid the use and those situations. They do this through school, parents, the community and the media.

Target Outcomes: The reduction of adolescent drug use and the involvement of parents and community.

Populations: From early adolescence through middle and late adolescence. Programs begin in 6th and 7th grade.

• 1000 middle school students
• 20 teachers
• 12 parents
• 3-4 principals
• 4 student leaders

Problem: Adolescent drug use and community involvement.

Intervention:

• Mass media programs
• School program and frequent boosters
  • Role playing models in class
  • Discussion groups with student and teachers
  • Homework assignments to involve parents
• Parent educational organization
  • Parent principal committee
• Community organization and training sessions
• Local policy changes:
  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Tobacco
• Parent-Principal committee that meets to review policy and parent-child communication training
• All programs deliver a constant anti drug message via all three components

Resources needed:

$175,000 minimum over a 3 year period
• Costs of teacher, parent and community leader training
• Curriculum materials for school-based program
• $4000 for each group trained
• $100-125 for each trainer manual
• $7 for each student workbook

Outcomes:

• 40% reduction in daily smoking
• Similar reductions in marijuana use and alcohol use through grade 12
• Prevention shown through age 23
• Increased parent child communication
• The program also led to more development of prevention programs, activities and services among the community

Assessment:

• Regular meetings to assess programs and to improve them