Substance Use Prevention Coalition Addresses Teen Substance Use Prevention

 

[February 19, 2025] 

The Substance Use Prevention Coalition (SUPC) met on Thursday morning February 13 to review data from the 2024 environmental scan. The meeting was virtual due to inclement weather. Grace Irvin led the meeting which offered an overview of the Strategic Planning Framework (SPF) and how it relates to the recent environmental scan.

The SPF includes Assessment, Capacity, Planning, and Implementation and supports preventing teen substance use. Research shows that the greater exposure to drugs, the greater likelihood to take risks, and the more susceptible teens are to substance use disorder. Prevention works. Research indicates that youth who have not used alcohol, tobacco, etc. by age 20 are unlikely to do so. Prevention requires strategic planning and evidence-based planning. Outcome-based prevention identifies problems and addresses them with the goal of population-level change. Core components include sustainability and cultural competence.

Assessment with both quantitative and qualitative data is important. Assessment includes surveys, archival data collection, key informant interviews, focus groups, and environmental scans. Data analysis then reviews magnitude, trends, and state comparison. It is important that data is sound, so it should be representative, recent, collected periodically, valid, and consistent.

The SPF encourages utilizing capacity-mobilizing resources. Local problems require local solutions. Irvin presented a brief survey to SUPC members to identify community organizations and groups that would support substance use prevention, but might be missing from the SUPC.

The SUPC discussed the environmental scan completed in the summer 2024, including the prevalence or lack of required warning signage at vendor locations, the low prices of alcohol, and the colorful packaging that appears to appeal to youth.

Partner Organization Updates

SUPC, Lincoln Memorial Hospital, ROSC, and others will have tables at the Wellness Expo at the Lincoln Park District on Saturday, March 1 from 9:00 to 12:00.

Oxford House has new facilities for both men and women in Springfield and a new house for women is opening in Champaign. More information is available at www.oxfordhouse.org.

Logan-Mason ROSC has a meeting Thursday, February 20. Discussion is underway about starting a recreational pool league at Hope on Fifth.

The next meeting of the Community Health Collaborative is March 6 at 8:30 a.m. at Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The next SUPC meeting is Thursday, March 13 at 9:00 a.m.

[Stephanie Hall]