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Prevention

Prevention/Intervention Strategies
By keeping people from abusing drugs or alcohol, prevention programs protect individuals, families, and communities from the negative effects of abuse.  Baltimore’s prevention services are delivered by community-based providers.  All prevention service providers deliver one or more Center for Substance Prevention (CSAP), evidence-based prevention curricula.  Evidence-based programs have been proven to reduce substance use and abuse.

bSAS funds state-certified treatment and prevention programs.  Clients include youth who have experimented with drugs and those at risk for future use.  Families and communities also benefit from prevention programs.

Prevention programs are based on six strategies keyed to target audience, timing, and the nature of the risk at hand. 

1.       Information – newsletters, speakers, special events, Internet-based content, and advertising

2.       Education – life skills training, problem-solving, leadership skills training, and conflict resolution

3.       Problem Identification – hotlines, parent groups, and student assistance programs

4.       Alternative Activities – field trips, inter-generational programs, arts, clubs, and sports

5.       Community Mobilization and Support – supporting and coordinating groups that share goals to solve problems

6.       Environmental and Social Policy Change – efforts to identify, create and change relevant public policies, ordinances, and laws to benefit the community

Risk Factors

1. Personal Factors

·          Academic failure/little attachment to school

·          Early disruptive behavior

·          Friends who use drugs

·          Attitudes favorable to drug use, crime and violence

2. Within the Family Factors

·          Parental use or favorable attitudes toward drug use

·          Family problems, such as Lack of clear expectations Low level of parental supervision Inconsistent or excessively severe discipline Frequent family conflict

3. Within the School Factors

·          Early academic failure

·          Lack of commitment to learning/to school

·          Early disruptive behavior

4. Within the Community Factors

·          Favorable attitudes toward drug use

·          Economic deprivation

·          Social isolation

·          Low neighborhood attachment

·          Community disorganization

·          Many neighborhood changes

·          Frequent family moves

·          Availability of drugs

Protective Factors

1. Strong bond to

·          Family

·          School

·          Positive friends

·          Community institutions

2. Strong commitment to healthy

·          beliefs

·          values

·          rules

·          expectations

3. Skills to

·          resist negative social influences

·          solve problems

·          make good decisions

·          resolve conflicts

·          participate in healthy activities

4. Opportunities to use those skills

5. Reward or Recognition for success!

Directory of Prevention Services

For a complete list of available Prevention programs and services, please refer to the 2006 Provider Directory on this website.

Resource Center

The bSAS Prevention Services Office maintains a well-stocked video library offered on loan for the residents of the City of Baltimore.  Easy-to-read literature that addresses numerous aspects of substance abuse is available free of charge.

For more information on the prevention of substance abuse, call 410.637.1900 and ask for the Prevention Services Office.  You may also reach them by email at: gjiggetts@bsasinc.org