Substance Abuse Prevention
The Center for Healthy Communities is committed to working with communities to effectively reduce substance use. We are part of a statewide system of Regional Centers that work with the support of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to follow and promote the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Prevention Framework.
The Massachusetts Statewide Prevention Framework includes these recommendations:
- Apply common methods for assessing local substance abuse prevention needs and resources.
- Promote science-based prevention.
- Promote a risk and protective factor approach to substance abuse prevention.
- Develop and support environmental strategies.
- Support evaluations of prevention programs and related prevention systems.
CMCHC staff assist community groups and agencies to address substance abuse with a variety of services including:
- Training and technical assistance in choosing and implementing effective environmental strategy models and curricula.
- Training and technical assistance in choosing and implementing effective science-based prevention models and curricula.
- Access to a variety of health resources through an extensive library collection.
- Assistance with local data collection and dissemination.
- Support for policy makers and law enforcement in developing and implementing effective regulations to reduce youth access to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
- Support for community coalitions, agency staff, parent leaders and youth leaders through prevention training and professional development.
- Assisting community groups in sustaining prevention efforts through grant writing and locating support and funding.
- Supporting partnerships among local and regional public health organizations such as coalitions and CHNAs.
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© 2006 CMCHC. Designed and managed by Cassandra Andersen