The Council on Alcoholism along with the Partnership for Ontario County, local schools, and communities conducted one of the most comprehensive needs assessments to date, in the Finger Lakes Region. 
     In the Spring and Fall of 2000, students in Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Yates and Wayne counties participated in the Risk and Protective Factor Survey. The survey was developed by researchers David Hawkins and Richard Catalano from the Center for Social Research at the University of Washington. The study surveyed approximately 13,500 Middle and High School students in 26 school districts throughout the five county Finger Lakes region. The study also included a supplemental Parent Survey of approximately 2000 parent households, designed to assess parental attitudes, perceptions and behaviors that influence or deter youth exposure to risk and protective factors.

     The data collected assessed the most prevalent risk and protective factors that youth are exposed to. The risk and protective factors that were analyzed are science-based predictors of problem behaviors in the areas of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, violence, school dropout and delinquency. The ultimate goal in gathering this information is to strategically target and decrease the most prevalent risk factors and to increase protective factors that shield youth from risk. To ensure this study is comprehensive, risk and protective factors were analyzed at the individual, family, school and community levels.

     The Risk and Protective Factor Model is inclusive in that it assesses the traditional "prevalence of drug use," but also includes prime predictors of problem behavior. The data then goes beyond most other surveys in that it prioritizes both identified risk factors and lack of protective factors that are directly correlated with 5 distinct areas of concern: substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school dropout, delinquency and violence.

     The results of this study enable us to be more effective and efficient with current resources by allowing us to strategically plan our prevention priorities and initiatives. The result will be more appropriate interventions targeted to key individuals and at key dynamics affecting drug abuse. We invite schools, public officials, parents - and everyone - to join us in this exciting venture!

     For more information about the study, or for a presentation to your group or agency, please contact the Council on Alcoholism at (315) 789-0310.

ONTARIO COUNTY SURVEY RESULTS

     The Risk and Protective Factor Survey was administered to 6,950 middle and high school students in grades 6-12 in Ontario County Schools. Three important factors to remember with data are: the more risk factors present, the greater the risk for alcohol/drug abuse, crime and violence, teen pregnancy and academic problems or dropping out; while focusing on the multiple risks that young people face, it is equally important to increase protective factors; and the Risk and Protective Model of Prevention incorporates many theories of alcohol/drug prevention. It suggests services designed to decrease risk and increase protection while leaving ample room for creativity and taking into account individual community needs. Therefore it is not a "packaged prevention program" or "one-model fits all" approach. There were 19 Risk and 11 Protective Factors in the survey, represented by one or more scales consisting of one or more items.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF FACTORS AT THE AT-RISK LEVEL:
     In the Finger Lakes Region 27.8% of students showed "No Factors At-Risk", for Ontario Students 35.1% showed "No Factors At-Risk". For "Five or More At-Risk Factors" in the Finger Lakes Region 12.9% of Middle School students demonstrated this, for Ontario Middle School Students 12.8% demonstrated five or more.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF AT-RISK FACTORS: In the Finger Lakes Region 15.3% of High School Students demonstrated "No Risk Factors, versus 19.2% of Ontario High School students. For "Four Risk Factors" 9.3% of the Finger Lakes Region High School Students reported this, versus 8% of Ontario Students; and for "Five or More Risk Factors" 28.6% of the Finger Lakes Region reported this, versus 27.5% of Ontario High School Youth.

QUARTILE I FINDINGS: This represents combining the rank of frequency of risk factors (again, scoring above the average for a risk factor or below the average for a protective factor), with the strength of the relationship of each factor as associated to actual alcohol use, smoking, marijuana use, and other drug use in the 30 days prior to the survey. Factors were rank ordered and statistical quartiles were calculated. The factors of greatest importance are those in the top quartile. Within the quartile, the relative rank is of little importance. All factors in this first quartile should be considered prevention priorities.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR ONTARIO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: Impulsiveness; Sensation Seeking; Favorable Attitudes Toward Anti-Social Behavior; Lack of a Belief in Moral Order; and Rebelliousness.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR ONTARIO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Favorable Attitudes Toward Antisocial Behavior; Having Friends that Use Drugs; Favorable Attitudes Toward Drug Use; Perceived Availability of Drugs; Poor Discipline; Sensation Seeking; Family History of Antisocial Behavior; Rebelliousness; Laws & Norms Favorable to Drug Use.

PREVALENCE DATA: Reduction in prevalence of use of substances represents the ultimate goal of prevention efforts. The Survey includes numerous items related to student’s reported use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The prevalence data assessed lifetime use, use in the past 12 months, and use in the 30 days prior to the survey. The analysis showed that 56% of Ontario County High School students reported lifetime use of alcohol, 39% reported lifetime use of cigarettes, and 32.3% reported lifetime use of marijuana use. Reported use in the past 12 months showed that 50%% of high school students use alcohol, 27.4% use cigarettes and 27.3% use marijuana. Use in the past 30 days prior to the survey showed that 32% of high school students used alcohol (18.5% reported drinking 5+ drinks), 15.3% used cigarettes, and 19.3% used marijuana.

PARENT SURVEY: In 2000 the Partnership for Ontario County conducted a Parent Survey of 796 households, designed to provide information about attitudes, perceptions and risk and protective factors of parents. The Parent Survey collected data through telephone interviews with a representative sample of parents in the Ontario County school district. Parents perceptions of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use by their children in grades 9-12 were analyzed. Parent’s responses were compared to responses of students to questions about perceived harm from the Risk and Protective Factor Survey.

     More than nine of ten parents believe young people are at moderate or great risk of harm if they use substances. While most middle school students perceive tobacco and other drugs to be harmful, over one in four see marijuana as only a slight risk or no risk at all. Nearly a third do not perceive alcohol as harmful. Among high school students 54.7% see little or no risk from use of marijuana and 36.4% see minimal risk from use of alcohol. Over 83% of parents of middle school students would prefer that their children never use tobacco, only 88% wish they would never use marijuana or other drugs, however, only 15.2% feel the same about alcohol. While 51.5% of parents of middle schoolers want their children to wait until they are 21 to drink, more than one in four (26.8%) believe their children should be taught to drink or allowed to drink before they are 21.

     While 81.1% of parents think they would know if their child drank, only 37% of high school students said their parents would catch them if they drank.

     Over a third of parents and nearly as many students reported that one or more family member had a serious drug or alcohol problem.

     In Ontario County, for items related to Family Conflict and Style, most parents said that they have clear rules, and students agreed in their survey. Students were more likely, however, to say that their families have serious arguments, yell at each other, and argue about the same things over and over.

SCHUYLER COUNTY SURVEY RESULTS

     The Risk and Protective Factor Survey was administered to 566 middle and high school students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 in Schuyler County Schools. Three important factors to remember with data are: the more risk factors present, the greater the risk for alcohol/drug abuse, crime and violence, teen pregnancy and academic problems or dropping out; while focusing on the multiple risks that young people face, it is equally important to increase protective factors; and the Risk and Protective Model of Prevention incorporates many theories of alcohol/drug prevention. It suggests services designed to decrease risk and increase protection while leaving ample room for creativity and takes into account individual community needs. Therefore, it is not a "packaged prevention program"or "one-model fits all" approach. There were 19 Risk and 11 Protective Factors in the survey, represented by one or more scales consisting of one or more items.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF FACTORS AT THE AT-RISK LEVEL:  In the Finger Lakes Region 27.8% of students showed "No Factors At-Risk", for Schuyler Students 0.0% showed "No Factors At-Risk". For "Five or More At-Risk Factors", in the Finger Lakes Region 12.9% of Middle School students demonstrated this, for Schuyler Middle School Students, 20.9% demonstrated five or more.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF AT-RISK FACTORS: In the Finger Lakes Region 15.3% of High School Students demonstrated "No Risk Factors, versus 0.8% of Schuyler High School students. For "Four Risk Factors" 9.3% of the Finger Lakes Region High School Students reported this, versus 17.6% of Schuyler Students, and for "Five or More Risk Factors" 28.6% of the Finger Lakes Region reported this, versus 32.0% of Schuyler High School Youth.

QUARTILE I FINDINGS: This represents combining the rank of frequency of risk factors (again, scoring above the average for a risk factor or below the average for a protective factor), with the strength of the relationship of each factor as associated to actual alcohol use, smoking, marijuana use, and other drug use in the 30 days prior to the survey. Factors were rank ordered and statistical quartiles were calculated. The factors of greatest importance are those in the top quartile. Within the quartile, the relative rank is of little importance. All factors in this first quartile should be considered prevention priorities.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR SCHUYLER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: Impulsiveness; Favorable Attitudes toward Anti-social Behavior; Sensation Seeking; Lack of Opportunities for Prosocial Development; Rebelliousness; Rewards for Anti-Social Involvement; Family History of Anti-Social Behavior; Lack of Belief in Moral Order; Personal Transitions/Mobility; Family Conflict; Community Disorganization.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR SCHUYLER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Favorable Attitudes toward Drug Use; Friend(s) who use drugs; Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use; Sensation Seeking; Poor Discipline; Favorable Attitudes toward Anti-Social Behavior; Perceived Availability of Drugs; and a Family History of Anti-Social Behavior.

PREVALENCE DATA: Reduction in prevalence of use of substances represents the ultimate goal of prevention efforts. The Risk and Protective Factor Survey includes numerous items related to student’s reported use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The prevalence data assessed lifetime use, use in the past 12 months, and use in the 30 days prior to the survey. The analysis showed that 52% of Schuyler County High School students reported lifetime use of alcohol, 34% reported lifetime use of cigarettes, and 30.5% reported lifetime use of marijuana use. Reported use in the past 12 months showed that 43.8% of high school students use alcohol, 20.3% use cigarettes and 23% use marijuana. Use in the past 30 days prior to the survey showed that 30.1% of high school students use alcohol, 13.3% reported drinking 5+ drinks, 18.4% use cigarettes, and 16.8% use marijuana.

PARENT SURVEY: In 2000 the Council on Alcoholism conducted a Parent Survey of 224 households, designed to provide information about attitudes, perceptions and risk and protective factors of parents. The Parent Survey collected data through telephone interviews with a representative sample of parents in the Schuyler County school district. Parents perceptions were compared to responses of students.

     More than nine of ten parents believe young people are at moderate or great risk of harm if they use substances. While most middle school students perceive tobacco and other drugs to be harmful, over 40% see marijuana as only a slight risk or no risk at all. Over a third do not perceive alcohol as harmful. Among high school students 20.9% see little or no risk from use of marijuana and 37.8% see minimal risk from use of alcohol. While over 85% of parents of middle school students would prefer that their children never use tobacco and over 95% wish they would never use marijuana or other drugs, however, only 34.6% feel the same about alcohol. While 34.6% of parents of middle schoolers want their children to wait until they are 21 to drink, nearly one in five (19.6%) believe their children should be taught to drink or allowed to drink before they are 21. This is not true for any other substance.

     While 90.4% of parents think they would know if their child drank, only 37.9% of high school students said their parents would catch them if they drank.

     Over a third of parents and slightly more students (30.7% vs 38.4%) reported that one or more family member had a serious drug or alcohol problem.

SENECA COUNTY SURVEY RESULTS

     The Risk and Protective Factor Survey was administered to 1,270 middle and high school students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12, in Seneca County Schools. Three important factors to remember with data are: the more risk factors present, the greater the risk for alcohol/drug abuse, crime and violence, teen pregnancy and academic problems or dropping out; while focusing on the multiple risks that young people face, it is equally important to increase protective factors; and the Risk and Protective Model of Prevention incorporates many theories of alcohol/drug prevention. It suggests services designed to decrease risk and increase protection while leaving ample room for creativity and takes into account individual community needs. Therefore, it is not a "packaged prevention program " or "one-model fits all" approach. There were 19 Risk and 11 Protective Factors in the survey, represented by one or more scales consisting of one or more items.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF FACTORS AT THE AT-RISK LEVEL: In the Finger Lakes Region 27.8% of students showed "No Factors At-Risk", for Seneca Students 33.2% showed "No Factors At-Risk". For "Five or More At-Risk Factors", in the Finger Lakes Region 12.9% of Middle School students demonstrated this, for Seneca Middle School Students, 14.2% demonstrated five or more.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF AT-RISK FACTORS: In the Finger Lakes Region 15.3% of High School Students demonstrated "No Risk Factors, versus 11.7% of Seneca High School students. For "Four Risk Factors" 9.3% of the Finger Lakes Region High School Students reported this, versus 9.7% of Seneca Students, and for "Five or More Risk Factors" 28.6% of the Finger Lakes Region reported this, versus 37.6% of Seneca High School Youth.

QUARTILE I FINDINGS: This represents combining the rank of frequency of risk factors (again, scoring above the average for a risk factor or below the average for a protective factor), with the strength of the relationship of each factor as associated to actual alcohol use, smoking, marijuana use, and other drug use in the 30 days prior to the survey. Factors were rank ordered and statistical quartiles were calculated. The factors of greatest importance are those in the top quartile. Within the quartile, the relative rank is of little importance. All factors in this first quartile should be considered prevention priorities.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR SENECA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: There were three Risk factors identified that need full attention: Impulsiveness; Favorable Attitudes toward Antisocial Behavior; and Rebelliousness.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR SENECA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Favorable Attitudes Toward Drug Use; Friend(s) Use Drugs; Family History of Antisocial Behavior; Perceived Availability of Drugs; and Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use.

PREVALENCE DATA: Reduction in prevalence of use of substances represents the ultimate goal of prevention efforts. The Risk and Protective Factor Survey includes numerous items related to student’s reported use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The prevalence data assessed lifetime use, use in the past 12 months, and use in the 30 days prior to the survey. The analysis showed that 64.8% of Seneca County High School students reported lifetime use of alcohol, 59.7% reported lifetime use of cigarettes, and 46.6% reported lifetime use of marijuana use. Reported use in the past 12 months showed that 54.4% of high school students use alcohol, 40.8% use cigarettes and 35.6% use marijuana. Use in the past 30 days prior to the survey showed that 41.1% of high school students use alcohol, 29.5% reported drinking 5+ drinks, 34.2% use cigarettes, and 28.7% use marijuana.

PARENT SURVEY: In 2000 the Council on Alcoholism conducted a Parent Survey of 204 households, designed to provide information about attitudes, perceptions and risk and protective factors of parents. The Parent Survey collected data through telephone interviews with a representative sample of parents in the Seneca County school district. Parents perceptions were compared to responses of students to questions about perceived harm from the Risk and Protective Factor Survey.

     More than nine of ten parents believe young people are at moderate or great risk of harm if they use substances. While most middle school students perceive tobacco and other drugs to be harmful, over a third see marijuana as only a slight risk or no risk at all. Nearly a third do not perceive alcohol as harmful. Among high school students 65.2% see little or no risk from use of marijuana and 40% see minimal risk from use of alcohol. While over 95% of parents of middle school students would prefer that their children never use tobacco and over 95% wish they would never use marijuana or other drugs, however, only 29.4% feel the same about alcohol. While 40% of parents of middle schoolers want their children to wait until they are 21 to drink, nearly one in five (18%) believe their children should be taught to drink or allowed to drink before they are 21. This is not true for any other substance.

     While 88% of parents think they would know if their child drank, only 25.9% of high school students said their parents would catch them if they drank.

     Nearly a third of parents and almost as many students reported that one or more family member had a serious drug or alcohol problem.

     The Risk and Protective Factor Survey was administered to 4,394 middle and high school students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 in Wayne County Schools. Three important factors to remember with data are: the more risk factors present, the greater the risk for alcohol/drug abuse, crime and violence, teen pregnancy and academic problems or dropping out; while focusing on the multiple risks that young people face, it is equally important to increase protective factors; and the Risk and Protective Model of Prevention incorporates many theories of alcohol/drug prevention. It suggests services designed to decrease risk and increase protection while leaving ample room for creativity and takes into account individual community needs. Therefore it is not a "packaged prevention program" or "one-model fits all" approach. There were 19 Risk and 11 Protective Factors in the survey, represented by one or more scales consisting of one or more items.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF FACTORS AT THE AT-RISK LEVEL: In the Finger Lakes Region 27.8% of students showed "No Factors At-Risk", for Wayne Students 18.8% showed "No Factors At-Risk". For "Five or More At-Risk Factors", in the Finger Lakes Region 12.9% of Middle School students demonstrated this, for Wayne Middle School Students, 11.2% demonstrated five or more.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF AT-RISK FACTORS: In the Finger Lakes Region 15.3% of High School Students demonstrated "No Risk Factors, versus 9.6% of Wayne High School students. For "Four Risk Factors" 9.3% of the Finger Lakes Region High School Students reported this, versus 10.7% of Wayne Students, and for "Five or More Risk Factors" 28.6% of the Finger Lakes Region reported this, versus 28.3% of Wayne High School Youth.

QUARTILE I FINDINGS: This represents combining the rank of frequency of risk factors (again, scoring above the average for a risk factor or below the average for a protective factor), with the strength of the relationship of each factor as associated to actual alcohol use, smoking, marijuana use, and other drug use in the 30 days prior to the survey. Factors were rank ordered and statistical quartiles were calculated. The factors of greatest importance are those in the top quartile. Within the quartile, the relative rank is of little importance. All factors in this first quartile should be considered prevention priorities.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR WAYNE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: Impulsiveness; Rebelliousness; Favorable Attitudes Toward Drug Use; and Lack of Social Skills.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Parental Attitudes Favorable toward Drug Use; Favorable Attitudes Toward Drug Use; Parental Attitudes Favorable to Antisocial Behavior; Sensation Seeking; Lack of Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement; Friend(s) Use Drugs; and Rebelliousness.

PREVALENCE DATA: Reduction in prevalence of use of substances represents the ultimate goal of prevention efforts. The Risk and Protective Factor Survey includes numerous items related to student’s reported use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The prevalence data assessed lifetime use, use in the past 12 months, and use in the 30 days prior to the survey. The analysis showed that 66.3% of Wayne County High School students reported lifetime use of alcohol, 53.9% lifetime use of cigarettes, and 36.6% reported lifetime use of marijuana use. Reported use in the past 12 months showed that 38.4% of high school students use alcohol, 20.7% use cigarettes and 19.4% use marijuana. Use in the past 30 days prior to the survey showed that 35.9% of high school students use alcohol, 23.8% reported drinking 5+ drinks, 25.9% use cigarettes, and 18.6% use marijuana.

PARENT SURVEY: In 2000 the Council on Alcoholism conducted a Parent Survey of 686 households, designed to provide information about attitudes, perceptions and risk and protective factors of parents. The Parent Survey collected data through telephone interviews with a representative sample of parents in the Wayne County school district. Parents perceptions were compared to responses of students.

     More than nine of ten parents believe young people are at moderate or great risk of harm if they use substances. While most middle school students perceive tobacco and other drugs to be harmful, over a third see marijuana as only a slight risk or no risk at all. Nearly a third do not perceive alcohol as harmful. Among high school students 58% see little or no risk from use of marijuana and 35% see minimal risk from use of alcohol. While over 85% of parents of middle school students would prefer that their children never use tobacco and over 95% wish they would never use marijuana or other drugs, however, only 15.5% feel the same about alcohol. While 56.9% of parents of middle schoolers want their children to wait until they are 21 to drink, nearly one in five (19.9%) believe their children should be taught to drink or allowed to drink before they are 21. This is not true for any other substance.

     While 79.8% of parents think they would know if their child drank, only 28.6% of high school students said their parents would catch them if they drank.

     Over a third of parents and nearly as many students reported that one or more family member had a serious drug or alcohol problem.

     The Risk and Protective Factor Survey was administered to 322 middle and high school students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 in a Yates County School. Three important factors to remember with data are: the more risk factors present, the greater the risk for alcohol/drug abuse, crime and violence, teen pregnancy and academic problems or dropping out; while focusing on the multiple risks that young people face, it is equally important to increase protective factors; and the Risk and Protective Model of Prevention incorporates many of the theories of alcohol/drug prevention. It suggests services designed to decrease risk and increase protection while leaving ample room for creativity and takes into account individual community needs. Therefore, it is not a "packaged prevention program" or "one-model fits all" approach. There were 19 Risk and 11 Protective Factors in the survey, represented by one or more scales consisting of one or more items.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF FACTORS AT THE AT-RISK LEVEL: In the Finger Lakes Region 27.8% of students showed "No Factors At-Risk", for Yates Students 34.3% showed "No Factors At-Risk". For "Five or More At-Risk Factors" in the Finger Lakes Region 12.9% of Middle School students demonstrated this, for Yates Middle School Students, 11.9% demonstrated five or more.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY NUMBER OF AT-RISK FACTORS: In the Finger Lakes Region 15.3% of High School Students demonstrated "No Risk Factors, versus 21.8% of Yates High School students. For "Four Risk Factors" 9.3% of the Finger Lakes Region High School Students reported this, versus 7.8% of Yates Students; and for "Five or More Risk Factors" 28.6% of the Finger Lakes Region reported this, versus 20.7% of Yates High School Youth.

QUARTILE I FINDINGS: This represents combining the rank of frequency of risk factors (again, scoring above the average for a risk factor or below the average for a protective factor), with the strength of the relationship of each factor as associated to actual alcohol use, smoking, marijuana use, and other drug use in the 30 days prior to the survey. Factors were rank ordered and statistical quartiles were calculated. The factors of greatest importance are those in the top quartile. Within the quartile, the relative rank is of little importance. All factors in this first quartile should be considered prevention priorities.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR YATES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: Impulsiveness; Rebelliousness; Sensation Seeking; Favorable Attitudes Toward Antisocial Behavior; Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use; Lack of a Belief in Moral Order; Lack of Rewards for Prosocial Behavior; Lack of Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement; Parental Attitudes Favorable to Antisocial Behavior; Rewards for Antisocial Involvement; Lack of Social Skills; Personal Transitions/Mobility; Parental Attitudes Favorable to Drug Use; and Favorable Attitudes Toward Drug Use.

QUARTILE I FACTORS FOR YATES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use; Friend(s) Use Drugs; Favorable Attitudes Toward Drug Use; Sensation Seeking; Favorable Attitudes Toward Antisocial Behavior; Perceived Availability of Drugs; Rewards for Antisocial Behavior; Poor Discipline; Family History of Antisocial Behavior; and a Lack of Belief in Moral Order.

PREVALENCE DATA: Reduction in prevalence of use of substances represents the ultimate goal of prevention efforts. The Risk and Protective Factor Survey includes numerous items related to student’s reported use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The prevalence data assessed lifetime use, use in the past 12 months, and use in the 30 days prior to the survey. The analysis showed that 49.2% of Yates County High School students reported lifetime use of alcohol 36.9% reported lifetime use of cigarettes, and 30.2% reported lifetime use of marijuana use. Reported use in the past 12 months showed that 45.3% of high school students use alcohol, 29.1% use cigarettes and 24% use marijuana. Use in the past 30 days prior to the survey showed that 31.8% of high school students use alcohol, 14.5% reported drinking 5+ drinks, 24% use cigarettes, and 15.6% use marijuana.

PARENT SURVEY: In 2000 the Council on Alcoholism conducted a Parent Survey of 122 households, designed to provide information about attitudes, perceptions and risk and protective factors of parents. The Parent Survey collected data through telephone interviews with parents in the Yates school district. Parents perceptions were compared to responses of students.

     More than nine of ten parents believe young people are at moderate or great risk of harm if they use substances. While most middle school students perceive tobacco and other drugs to be harmful, over a third see marijuana as only a slight risk or not risk at all. Nearly a third do not perceive alcohol as harmful. Among high school students 52.2% see little or no risk from use of marijuana and 34.3% see minimal risk from use of alcohol. While over 95% of parents of middle school students would prefer that their children never use tobacco and over 95% wish they would never use marijuana or other drugs, however, only 31.3% feel the same about alcohol. While 45.8% of parents of middle schoolers want their children to wait until they are 21 to drink, 14.5% believe their children should be taught to drink or allowed to drink before they are 21. This is not true for any other substance.

     While 93.9% of parents think they would know if their child drank, only 37.4% of high school students said their parents would catch them if they drank.

     Nearly 33% of parents and nearly as many students reported that 1 or more family members had a drug or alcohol problem.

     Prevention is a process, not a "stand alone" program. It must encompass all domains of the community, not just the school. Communities That Care recommends that for prevention to be effective, we must mobilize and engage all members of the community who have a stake in healthy futures for children and youth. These include elected officials, youth, parents, law enforcement, schools, family serving agencies and organizations, the faith community, the business community, and residents. We must establish a shared vision, a common language, and a collaborative planning structure to integrate diverse community efforts addressing youth and family issues. We must establish priorities for action consistent with a data-based profile that addresses community strengths and challenges, defines clear and measurable outcomes, and identifies gaps. We must select programs and strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness to fill gaps, then we must monitor implementation of programs, policies and practices, and evaluate progress toward desired outcomes.

     Among the prevention continuum there are three types of prevention: symbolic-based, logic-based, and science-based. Symbolic-based prevention is a universal prevention approach that creates awareness around substance abuse issues, logic-based programs are grounded in logic that if a program is put into place it will help deter unhealthy behaviors, and science-based programs are based on research that have demonstrated effectiveness when implemented. Any and all prevention efforts are valuable, though, and there is a wide variety of strategies and activities to choose from. More than ever we have many tools and resources that help to identify science-based programs and strategies. Organizations such as the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services, and others have developed guidelines for effective and promising prevention programs to be used as a guide for prevention programming and implementation. In addition, environmental strategies such as addressing community norms, laws, and availability of substances are other approaches designed to help communities change unhealthy behaviors. We can make a difference in many ways, for example, by encouraging youth to engage in prosocial involvement, creating laws and norms with an anti-use message, enforcement of policy that deter underage use, developing healthy beliefs and clear standards that penetrate the entire community, and providing opportunities for youth to learn new skills and receive recognition for healthy behaviors.

      Also, we cannot underestimate the importance of personal involvement and bonding. Spending time with your children, knowing your child’s whereabouts, mentoring children in your community, monitoring involvement at parties, and being clear about expectations of behavior are all effective ways to increase healthy development and behaviors with children... consistent parental involvement is a powerful dynamic.

      For more information on research-based models and best practices in prevention, you can access the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol/Drug Information, the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), or the Center for Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) through this Council on Alcoholism’s website (at www.councilonalcoholism.net).

     Conducting a needs assessment and analyzing data are necessary components for developing and implementing an effective action plan that addresses substance abuse issues through prevention efforts.

     In this regard, the Council on Alcoholism has assisted both county governments and community coalitions by sponsoring the Risk and Protective Factor and Other Prevalence of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Survey in Wayne, Seneca, Yates and Schuyler Counties. In addition we have provided technical assistance to communities within the Finger Lakes Region by helping to analyze the data, consult on strategic prevention planning, and mobilizing communities to integrate this information into existing and newly developed community systems. The Council co-sponsored a regional training with the Partnership For Ontario County to offer an advanced training in the Risk and Protection Framework for key leaders within the region. The Council has and will continue to provide numerous presentations on the Risk and Protective Factor data to various levels of community and school leaders such as Community Service Boards, Town Supervisors, Law Enforcement Officers, Judges, School Superintendents, Parents, Human Service Workers, etc. In addition we have advised, participated in, and supported community forums and speak outs throughout the region. Furthermore, the Council has also begun to work with several communities to begin doing resource assessments and collecting archival data to ensure we have a comprehensive base of information to develop effective prevention programs specific to individual community needs.

     The Council is committed to continuing to raise awareness utilizing all prevention techniques. It is a means to ensure our children have an opportunity to live, play, and grow free from harm of substance abuse. This is a job we cannot do alone. Only with the help from families, schools, and communities can we create an environment that supports our children and protects them from harm. We need you to get involved by joining local county coalitions, school PTA/PTC, County Community Service Board Subcommittee’s on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, local Girl/Boy Scouts, or any other group or organization that encourages healthy beliefs, opportunities for youth to engage in prosocial behavior, bonding and attachment, and healthy community investment.

     For more information on how to get involved please call the Council on Alcoholism at (315) 789-0310.

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