Based on information on the Youth Leadership Development Sub-Grant Application, prevention is defined as a proactive process designed to empower individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life event and transitions by creating and reinforcing conditions that promote health behaviors and lifestyles. With that in mind, what better way to engage youth than getting inside their life, while instilling the tools needed for them to stand up and hold firm against day- to- day peer pressure, family and school stress.

 

How do we propose to do this? Utilizing the six key components emphasized by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), the applicant proposes to accomplish this by hosting a five-day youth prevention generalist training for high school students in Region 10. This training will offer workshops in: 1) Cultural Competency; 2) Mission, vision and goals; 3) Media Literacy; and 4) Student Leadership Development as the four core components of leadership.  In addition, the primary eight prevention generalist sessions will also be included in the training. These will include, but are not limited to: 1) Advocacy; 2) Data research; 3) Underage drinking; 4) Tobacco prevention; 5) Illicit Drugs; 6) Gangs; 7) Abstinence/STI education; and 8) Self-Esteem (suicide prevention, bullying and general positive life choices).

 

According to 2000 Census Data Region 10 County’s population is 122,807 with a predominant white population: 71% white, 22% black, and probably underreported 6% Hispanic ethnic breakdown and medically underserved. Since 2000, there has been a tremendous Hispanic resident influx into the region. Hispanic workers have moved to southwest Arkansas to fill agricultural jobs. The leading industry in three of the six PRC Region 10 counties is chicken processing.  Region 10 ranks in the 50 percentile of the state for persons living below the poverty level and 47% unemployed with 1% being the most impoverished/unemployed and 75% the least.

 

The economic fact of all six counties was not the only data assessed. After reviewing the Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment (APNA) and comparing the results from 2002 to 2007, alcohol was the greatest risk factor for youth in Region 10. Five out of the six counties are defined as “dry” counties. When considering the “gateway” drugs of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, 68% of Region 10’s high school students reported using some form of alcohol in their lifetimes, 67% reported using some form of tobacco product and 26% reported marijuana use. This percentage is similar to the state percentage given in the survey. The number of students in grade 12 who reported using alcohol in the past 30 days increased 5.5 percent, 7.9% for tobacco and 7.0% in marijuana.

 

According to the APNA data, youth usage of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) and anti-social behaviors is prevalent in the Region 10 service area. The early onset of usage could be linked to the predominate rural setting of Region 10, specifically elevated and widespread risk factors: availability of drugs and firearms, family management problems/conflict, very limited youth pro-social activities, and early initiation of the problem behavior. Such risk factors “are known to predict increased likelihood of drug use, delinquency, and violent behaviors among [1].” In addition, parental tolerance to substance use is another major risk factor indicated in the 2007 APNA data. This includes: (1) the availability and ease of purchase, both legal and illegal, of any ATOD; (2) the perception of increased social status with alcohol use; (3) the relative inexpensive cost; 4) parental alcohol use as well as lack of appropriate supervision; and 5) positive resource outlets.

 

In January 2008 the Region 10 Prevention Task Force was initiated by the local PRC coordinator. By April 2008, close to 40 individuals from various prevention agencies attended the meeting, expressing interest in expanding the Task Force’s mission to include “addressing identified problem areas of the region.” The prevention agencies of the Task Force include: “What If” Abstinence Education Program, BEAT Tobacco Control, IMPACT Underage Drinking, Region 10 Prevention Resource Center, Learning for Life, UA Cooperative Extension Services 4-H Youth Organization-Sevier Co., Little River, Hempstead, Howard, Miller and Sevier County Hometown Health Coalitions, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Area Health Education Centers Southwest, Arkansas Department of Health and Southwest Arkansas Mental Health and Counseling Center.

 

The Task Force became more organized, similar to that of a community coalition, and engaged in true collaboration with various prevention organizations. The first project of the Task Force was to host a Youth Prevention Generalist Training for high school students from Region 10. A leadership training committee has been created to solely plan, implement and evaluate youth and adult leadership/prevention training. One of the goals of the leadership training committee is to create opportunities for positive participation, provide meaningful activities in the school and community, and promote pro-social behavior in the school and community. Since young people are rewarded for working hard in school and volunteering in the community, they are less likely to engage in problem behavior and substance abuse, this committee is dedicated to having a professional-trained core youth group to provide peer-to-peer prevention education. Furthermore, young people who associate with peers who engage in pro-social behavior are more protected from engaging in anti-social behavior and substance abuse.  Based on this premise, another primary focus of the committee would include creating positive, alternative, pro-social opportunities, both locally and regionally.

 

Of the six counties in Region 10, there are no movie theaters, YMCA/YWCAs, active Boys & Girls Clubs, shopping malls, skating rinks, recreation centers, internet cafes, limited after-school programs or other positive opportunities of interest to the high school students.  

 

B. Description of Target Population

 

According to the “Risk Factors for Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Arkansas 2006”[2], the Prevention Resource Center Region 10’s overall population is 122,807 with children under 18 comprising 23% of that population. Eleven percent of those children are victims of maltreatment, 12.5% of the middle school students have assaulted peers or teachers, 20.8% of high school students have been engaged in school violence. The statistics for tobacco and drug infraction run a close second to violence in both the middle and high schools. There were 93 adolescent pregnancies, 87 of those pregnancies resulted in mothers between the ages of 10 and 17.

 

What is the key link between the above-referenced risk factors? According to the U.S. Department of U.S. Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, “ What is known, however, is that maltreatment in childhood increases the risk of problems in adolescence, including juvenile delinquency, drug use, poor performance in school, teen pregnancy, and emotional and mental health disorders.” [3]

 

Based on the information gathered from the APNA results from 2002 to 2007, a clear trend of increased alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) use among youth was established. Why did this occur? The answer became apparent when studying the risk and protective factors outlined in the APNA survey. Looking at each domain, 51.3% of the youth believe there are no opportunities for pro-social involvement in their communities; 43.6% believe their families are not concerned about their opinions, nor do they offer opportunities to meet as a family in a pro-social environment; 39.2% believe their school does not encourage pro-social involvement which directly relates to their lack of school connection and 59.5% of the youth report there is no opportunity to interact with peers in a pro-social atmosphere. There was an alarming 47.9% of the youth who reported they believed there would be no reward for pro-social involvement.

 

The primary target audience will be the high school-age students identified to be participants in the youth prevention generalist training recruited from each of the counties in Region 10. These students will be trained to serve as change agents for the community in relation to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, as well as anti-social behaviors. They will be charged with organizing and training their peers, utilizing community prevention resources, working with adult mentors, and collaborating with other student leaders throughout the region. These groups are known as the “Special Prevention Unit” (SPU). The SPU was created through a collaborative effort among the various Region 10 Task Force prevention agencies. SPU students are individuals who have or potentially have been exposed to the negative effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, but have decided to rise above those pressures and become a peer leader.

 

C. Rationale for Target Audience

 

Based on the APNA data, students the Region 10 counties are at risk for exposure to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, as well as limited positive family interactions.  As demonstrated in the Statement of Need section above, youth in the target service area still need further intervention for ATOD and anti-social behaviors. However, one continuous obstacle is present in all counties: parental usage or tolerance as well as poor parental supervision. The key reason the SPU choice 9-12th graders is to encourage youth and parents to improve their personal growth through increasing self-awareness, expression of feelings, interpersonal communication, and self-disclosure. In addition, all participants are taught social skills, refusal skills, and appropriate alcohol and drug knowledge and healthy beliefs, which provide a strong defense against environmental risk factors leading to negative outcomes for youth. The SPU program also provides parents and other caring adults with family management, family enhancement, and communications training. All participants are provided opportunities to practice these skills in a safe peer-group setting. Additionally the SPU program provides parents and children with strong defenses against environmental risk factors by teaching appropriate skills for personal growth, family enhancement, and interpersonal communication, including refusal skills for both parents and youth.

 

Through implementation of this program, high school-aged youth will experience an increase connection to parent/guardian involvement in their lives, thus promoting more positive choices in relationship to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Risk factors of the identified target population are: availability of drugs and firearms, family management problems/conflict, very limited youth pro-social activities, and early initiation of the problem behavior. Protective factors of the identified target population are: high availability of family resources (DHS, ADH, church-based resources), caring and support among community, high availability of positive peer role models (CIA, MADD, IMPACT, TWTB members and Hometown Health coalitions).

 

D. Recruitment and Retention

 

The first year we began with one pilot group of 9th-12th graders in one high school in Little River County. This group and their school embraced the SPU mission and vision. They have continued on this year with an even greater support within the school district.  Based on the positive outcome of our SPU pilot group we initiated a summer youth prevention generalist training for all 6 counties in the PRC Region 10 service area. The youth prevention generalist training was held.  Each county had student representatives along with adult taskforce members. This developed the core youth leaders in each of the six counties. The training went exceptionally well and the student and their adult counter parts went back to their counties with tools and motivation to begin projects to inform and educated.

 

The importance of the summer youth prevention generalist training is to form a core group of student leaders who will have the tools needed to begin the school year and form the SPU’s in order to implement their local and regional action that was developed at the summer training. The school districts administration and/or teachers selected the students who were trained at the youth prevention generalist training. This will be the continuing method of recruitment. Chaperones will be recruited from the Region 10 Prevention Taskforce Leadership training committee, school personnel, church leaders, and parents/guardians.  Parent packets will be distributed at a local informational meeting prior to the annual summer training. The newly trained SPU’s in an effort to promote retension they will return to their school and /or county and proceeded to recruit new SPU members along with new parent and community support. These students with family support will be asked to voluntarily participate in the SPU program. On average, each site will have 25-30 student participants and their family members, based on three adult volunteer mentors per project site. Adult mentors will be volunteers from the community who will be trained by the Project Director.  The total number of participants for year one of the project is estimated at 180 student participants and 60 taskforce/parent/guardian participants. (Average of 3 adults per 30 students x 6 counties= a student to adult 3:1 ratio)

 

Stage 2: Capacity

 A. Organizational Management & Structure

 

The project applicant, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), is the state’s only health sciences academic center. UAMS is part of the University of Arkansas System and is governed by its Board of Trustees, appointed by the Governor to 10-year terms. (See list of Board of Trustees in appendices) UAMS is one of the largest public employers in the state with almost 9,000 employees, including nearly 1,000 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS and its affiliates, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the VA Medical Center. UAMS will serve as the fiduciary agent of ADAP grant funds.

 

 The UAMS Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is the facilitator of the pre-award grants, contracts, subcontracts and industry-sponsored agreements process. Funding is often contingent on approval of research protocols overseen by the UAMS Institutional Review Board, a division of ORSP. The office also works with persons engaged in non-research projects and programs -- functions such as outreach programs, training and fellowships -- which have an equally important impact on funding within the medical community at UAMS. In addition, the office serves as a conduit of information on grant programs, sponsored programs, the latest funding and research news, medical fellowships, and governmental and non-governmental agencies.

 

Once grant applications are accepted by the granting agency, funding is handled through the UAMS Office of Grants Accounting. The mission of Grants Accounting is to provide exceptional customer service to assist UAMS principal investigators and administrators with the post-award management of grants and contracts. This includes ensuring compliance with the rules and regulations of funding agencies, the preparation and submission of related financial reports and invoices, and maximizing cash flow. All grants and other sponsored projects are processed for setup through the UAMS Grants Accounting office. Once released from ORSP, the Grants Accounting office enters the award into a Master Data Log. The award is distributed to the Grant Accountant responsible for the account setup. Setup includes entering the Master Data and Budget into SAP, updating the Grants Accounting Database, and creating a file. State-sponsored revenue is received by either reimbursement or advancement of funds. No fund balance transfers are made into or out of fund. Revenue is carried at center level and must equal expenses before the account can be closed. UAMS Grants Accounting provides monthly invoice statements to the granting agency for payment of expenses accrued during that timeframe.

 

The project site, UAMS Area Health Education Center-Southwest (UAMS AHEC-SW), is an extension of the UAMS campus in Little Rock. Eight AHECs are located in Arkansas and serve as UAMS’ primary educational effort and means of decentralizing medical and other health professions education throughout the state. UAMS AHEC-SW opened in 1976 as a medical library with three employees and has expanded to include four UAMS-based educational programs, a family medicine residency program, three primary care clinics, a cancer registry, the Texarkana Regional Center on Aging, community outreach services and the largest medical library between Dallas and Little Rock. To date, there are over 100 faculty, staff and physicians employed at UAMS AHEC-SW. UAMS AHEC-SW, located in Texarkana, Arkansas, provides direct and indirect services to seven counties in southwest Arkansas: Lafayette, Little River, Hempstead, Howard, Miller, and Sevier. UAMS AHEC-SW will provide direct services of this proposed project. Our mission is to integrate and extend education, research, and service to our community through teaching, healing, searching, and serving.

 

UAMS AHEC-SW operates under and manages an annual budget of more than $6 million yearly. Since the 1990s, UAMS AHEC-SW has successfully attracted and administered over $8 million in federal, state and private foundation grant funding. UAMS AHEC-SW operates under accounting, purchasing, auditing and contracting policies of UAMS and the UA System. All resources of UAMS are made available to UAMS AHEC-SW as needed to enhance project goals. UAMS AHEC-SW is governed and managed with an administrative team consisting of a Director, Business Manager, and Building Operations Manager and department supervisors. A local community-based advisory committee consisting of the Director, Building Operation Manager and volunteer stakeholders meets quarterly to discuss matters of UAMS AHEC-SW and provide direction for the organization. The Director and Business Manager provide technical assistance on grant projects, including fiscal management, allocation of funds and program development. The Community Outreach and Education Department serves as the primary facilitation of grant-related projects awarded to UAMS AHEC-SW. The Outreach Director works directly with the Director and Business Manager to successfully administer the projects, alongside project staff. (See Organizational Chart in appendices)

 

UAMS AHEC-SW has successfully implemented several local grant projects. These grant-funded projects include: the successful Arkansas Department of Health Community-Based Tobacco Prevention Grant, Breathe Easy ArkTex (BEAT) Tobacco Control; Foundation for the MidSouth grant Mis Amigos: A clinic-based Community Health Worker Project Addressing Access and Resource Building; Susan G. Komen for the Cure-Texarkana Affiliate community grant for breast health education; and two CHRISTUS Foundation grants providing health education and services to underserved residents in the Texarkana and DeQueen areas. Currently, UAMS AHEC-SW is implementing one Arkansas DHS ADAP Prevention Service Program grant in DeQueen, AR, utilizing the evidence-based curriculum, “Early Risers: Skills for Success.”

 

UAMS is committed to nurturing a community that incorporates the values and contributions of multiculturalism into all aspects of UAMS life. Through inclusiveness and diversity, UAMS is committed to equity in the workplace. The UAMS Diversity Committee meets monthly and is comprised of staff, students, and faculty. Dr. Charles O. Cranford, Arkansas AHEC Program/Vice-Chancellor Executive Director, and James McFadin, Assistant Vice Chancellor for UAMS Regional Programs are both members of the committee. Annually, the Diversity Committee sponsors diversity week to highlight the different cultural backgrounds present on the UAMS campus. At UAMS AHEC-SW, we strive for a culturally smart workforce. In the past two years, we have held two staff in-services conducted by nationally recognized speakers on cultural diversity. Additionally, two staff members are being trained through the UAMS Regional Program Medical Interpretation Training Program to provided medical interpretation training for fluent, bilingual medical staff and professionals, as well as culture awareness training to internal staff, as well as staff of community health care agencies and organizations. The first training is slated for January 2008, and will be offered on a quarterly basis.

 

Current UAMS AHEC-SW employee, Tonya D. Domokos, M.S., will serve as the primary project director for this project. However, no salaries or fringe is requested for her position. Currently, Ms. Domokos leads the BEAT Tobacco Control project in Little River, Hempstead, Howard and Miller counties. She works directly with the local Hometown Health Coalitions, serving as chair of the Substance Abuse Committee, respectively. She works to ensure the current BEAT work plan is successfully implemented in a timely manner. Ms. Domokos facilitates 19 Teens with the BEAT (TWTB) high school groups and two Tweens with the BEAT (TweensWTB) middle school groups, helping the groups develop and implement activities for the school and community. She provides training and education for adult and youth coalition members, as well as the community, including civic groups, churches, businesses and schools. Ms. Domokos was a key person in developing the SPU concept for the region. She and other collaborating agencies work directly with the current TWTB groups, as well as other student leadership program in the target counties. The UAMS AHEC-SW Community Outreach Director, Gary D. Miller, provides direct supervision of the Ms. Domokos.  

 

Through this project, Ms. Domokos will work with community partners to facilitate the SPU groups and youth prevention generalist training retreat. . (A position description and resume for Ms. Domokos and position description for volunteers are included in the appendices as requested). In addition to Ms. Domokos, Kristi Mitchell, Texarkana Arkansas Police Offer, will serve as

 

Current SPU student members will work along with Ms. Domokos, In addition, SPU adult mentors, Hometown Health Coalition Substance Abuse Committee members, and volunteer community members will also be utilized to help facilitate the program, working directly with the Program Director. Adult volunteers will also receive training from the Program Director.

 

Ms. Domokos is currently completing her Arkansas Prevention Certification as a Certified Prevention Consultant. Ms. Domokos will have completed the certification prior to the implementation of this project. Ms. Domokos has previously attended the Prevention Generalist Training, and a letter of completion is included in the appendices. In addition, select TWTB and Hometown Health Coalition volunteers attended a Prevention Generalist Training in August 2008 during a four-day youth leadership program sponsored by the Region 10 PRC Task Force.

 

B. Adequacy of Resources

 

The current desktop computer utilized by Ms. Domokos was purchased in August 2007, and runs Windows XP Professional, using Windows Office 2007. The UAMS AHEC-SW Information Technology Department provides on-going technical assistance for project staff. The Project Director has access to the Internet through a dedicated T1 line via the UAMS server. UAMS AHEC-SW IT Department services all employee computer needs. All stations are kept updated and multiple firewalls are in place to prevention virus infiltration and hacker access. Office space for the Program Director is available on the UAMS AHEC-SW campus. The office has a LAN phone line with long distance access, as well as Internet access to the dedicated T1 line. Funding has been included in the budget for office space, Internet access and phone line.

 

Support of this project will enable UAMS AHEC-SW to continue providing ATOD prevention education, and expand to include other anti-social prevention education to the community. At the end of the three-year project, the Program Director position will continue, contingent upon funds available. Additional funds will be sought to support the position. However, the intention is for youth and adult volunteers to eventually assume some of the responsibilities of facilitating the program. Furthermore, if funding is no longer available for the Program Director, support of the position will be requested in the UAMS AHEC-SW state budget.

 

Stage 3:  Planning

A. Program Goals & Objectives

 

The purpose of this project is to host a weeklong youth prevention generalist training.  This training will offer workshops in; 1) Cultural Competency; 2) Mission, vision and goals; 3) Media Literacy; and 4) Student Leadership Development as the four core components of leadership and eight prevention generalist sessions; 1) Advocacy; 2) Data research; 3) Underage drinking; 4) Tobacco prevention; 5) Illicit Drugs; 6) Gangs; 7) Abstinence/STI education; and 8) Self-Esteem (suicide prevention, bullying and general positive life choices). This entire training has been designed to utilize the six key components emphasized by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) to develop a fundamental and sustaining social change; mission, vision and strategic plan, a broad and diverse that promote collaboration; strong continuous leaderships that influence activities and recruits resources, diversified funding sources, resulting from building strong community partnerships, opportunities for training to promote negotiation, advance communication skills, collaboration and evaluation, to promote feedback for program assessments. Each of our training sessions mirrors these six components. Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, CADAC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stress that to be effective in the area of prevention and youth the efforts must be done community-wide. We have taken this one step further and are training our youth for to be motivated to work as a regional group. At this time they will be focusing on county specific projects, but our long-term vision is to have them implement regional and national prevention efforts.

 

In the field of prevention you do not know what to educate youth on until you can get down to the bare bones and talk to them. That is the idea behind this program to take a mix of students from the region and allow them to tell us what issues they face.  Then to teach them to take the training skills they will receive and create a mission, vision and action plan for their counties. Once they develop their action plans they will have goals and objectives for projects to implement in their communities.  The vision of the Region 10 Prevention Taskforce is to have our youth work together not only county wide but regionally. The long-term goal is a regional movement of youth working towards the same goals of environmental changes, prevention efforts and the continued development of leadership. Prevention being defined as alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, gangs, suicide, bullying, obesity, Internet safety and negative self-images. Leadership is also a core value that we be instilled in the youth. 

 

The applicant has taken a comprehensive approach to include topics inclusive of all five of ADAP’s outlined prevention strategies during the weeklong youth prevention generalist training. All youth and task force members will be given information on local and regional substance abuse-related data and local available resources. To educate the youth, a majority of information presented will include lecture-style sessions utilizing visual props and hands-on activities. In addition to educational sessions, youth will be charged with developing projects to implement in their communities. The youth prevention generalist training serves as an alternative strategy to educate and serve as pro-social, peer-to-peer event. Upon completion of the weeklong training, youth will return to their communities to organize local “Special Prevention Units” (SPU) to implement local and regional substance abuse prevention projects. Through the implemented youth projects, environmental change will take place through decreased ATOD and anti-social norms, standards, codes and attitudes by the community.

 

We have designed the programs goals and objectives to be consistent with the overall purpose of ADAP prevention programs and the applicable State of Arkansas Strategic Prevention Framework outcomes and targeted measures and the National Outcome Measures (NOMS) identified by the request for application.

 

DOMAIN
   

OUTCOME
   

PREVENTION

Abstinence
   
Abstinence from alcohol and drug use
   
§  30 Day Substance Use –non-use reduction in use

§  Perceived Risk of use

§  Age of first use and

§  Perception of disapproval

 

Crime/Criminal Justice

 Decreased criminal justice involvement 

§  Drug related crime; alcohol-related car crashes and injuries

 
Access/Capacity
   
Increased access to services (service capacity)
   
§  Number of person served by age, gender, race, and ethnicity

 

Objective 1: Abstinence

To decrease the onset and use of ATOD, sexual activity, suicide, bullying and self-mutilation in youth by 20% within region 10.  To increase the perception of disapproval for youth ATOD use by 15% or 35% to 50%. To increase the youth perception of ATOD risk and harmfulness of use from the region average of 38% to 50%.

 

 Actions to support object:

·         By providing an annual workshop/training that will allow students to begin upcoming years with the same tools, skills and knowledge on how to design an action plan in the prevention arena and to make fully informed positive life choices.

·         Through the training all students will begin with a mission and vision statement so they are fully aware of their purpose.

·         Through the training all students will receive education on how to read and interpret Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment Data for their counties and region.

·         To decrease the onset of ATOD, sexual activity, suicide, bullying and self-mutilation through increased awareness of the dangers of early use.

·         By providing interactive training, which will allow youth to role-play their involvement in town hall meetings, school board and city council presentations will instill in them the skills to effectively communicate an action plan to the community at large and community stakeholders.

·         By teaching the youth the how to research and interpret data. They will be able to utilize obtained knowledge through research into an effective media campaign. A media campaign can include short video dramatizations of underage drinking crashes or social hosting dangers.

·         To educate the students on the resources available to them when implementing the action plans they design.

Outcome:

 

    * If an annual training is provided for the youth which will provide updated educational information, and skill instilling tools on how to design and implement an action plan for prevention of ATOD and positive life choices, then the youth in the region will have begin to implement the activities outlined in their action plans throughout the grant cycle. By including the youth in the design and implementation of the action plans for their region and county, ownership in solving the ATOD risks in their communities will increase through a perceived increase of pro-social interaction with peers. This is an increase in protective factors in all domains.

·         If the youth leave the training with a clear mission and vision statement which defines their purpose in the battle against youth ATOD usage, then they will know what actions need to be taken to decrease youth ATOD involvement. Through involving the youth in designing the mission statement there will be an increase in opportunities for pro-social involvement. This is an increase in protective factors in all domains.

·         If  the youth are made familiar with the Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment data, then an informed assessment can be made on what actions need to be take, what areas of ATOD are dominant risk factors and how they may increase the protective factors in their region and county.

 

Objective 2: Decreased Criminal Justice Involvement

Decrease ATOD related crime from an average of 9% to 5%. Decrease ATOD related automobile wrecks or crashes by 10%.

 

Actions to support objective:

·         Quarterly regional meetings and trainings opportunities which will allow youth to role play their involvement as change agents in town hall meetings, school board and city council presentations will be offered and encouraged. Through these roles playing opportunities the youth will gain understanding on the need for environmental changes and how they can become change agents for enforcing underage drinking laws, clean indoor air acts, and perceived tolerance for youth ATOD usage.

·         Monthly meetings will be implemented to organize a countywide media campaign through video, print and PSA productions. Youth will be encouraged to plan, organize and collaborate with community resources on all media activities. Youth generated videos or dramatizations on underage drinking and social hosting and the connection between ATOD use and sexual activity, suicide and bullying will be created.

Outcome:

 

·         If quarterly training opportunities are made available to youth to provide them knowledge on how they can become change agents on environmental issues, then they will develop an desire to become involved in the process of working with the community, family and peers to develop positive change in their region and county. Through and increase in youth involvement in environmental change the perceived reward for pro-social involvement will increase from an average of 45% to 55%. This is an increase in protective factors for the youth in all domains.  An increase in protective factors will decrease the risk of criminal involvement.

·         If the youth are involved in a media campaign which is not limited to advertising, but will include short videos or dramatizations of underage drinking crashes or social hosting dangers, then the youth can gain the knowledge they need to plan, organize and implement a clear and informative video production to present county and regional wide. Their involvement in the production of the media campaign will increase the perceived risk of ATOD use. The media campaign will increase the awareness of the connection of ATOD use and sexual activity, suicide and bullying.

 

Objective 3: Increased Access to Services (Service Capacity)

 

Actions to support objective:

·         Through the annual training and the monthly meetings that follow the youth will be given the opportunity to meet and work one-on one with prevention agent representatives, such as IMPACT Underage Drinking, BEAT Tobacco Control, MADD, SADD, What if Abstinence Program, L.O.V.E. Let Our Violence End and Y.E.S. Teams.

·         An adult coordinator will be assigned to each county as their prevention liaison for all services. This liaison will arrange for prevention agents to attend monthly meetings. The youth will also be encouraged to become involved in county hometown health coalitions, which will provide them with increased knowledge in resources available to them.

Outcome:

    * If the youth are offered the opportunity to meet and work closely with prevention agents then there will be an increase in awareness of the service available for them to utilize as they work on planned projects and activities. One of the main resource the youth will utilize the regional PRC and the training they will offer to the prevention agencies and youth leaders on annual APNA data.

 

If an adult liaison is assigned to each SPU then the lines of communication between the Region 10 Prevention Taskforce and the SPU will remain open and clear.

 

B. Rationale for Approach/Program Selection

The SPU program while not modeling The Creating Lasting Family Connections, “CLFC” program, we will be taking key highlights from this recognized program. The “CLFC” has demonstrated results in reducing alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use, delaying onset of ATOD use, and reducing uncontrolled and violent behavior with youth. The program has been recognized as an effective science-based program by the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (2007)[4], Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (2002), the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (1996), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (2006), the U.S. Department of Education (2000), the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (2001), and the International Youth Foundation (2000)[5].

 

Based on the evaluation outcomes of the 2008 youth prevention generalist training the results indicate this program had a positive motivational influence on the students who attended.  This training mirrors the annual adult training offered by the PRC. It is also a reflection of the MidSouth Summer School training that is offered by UAMS/ADAP/APNet.  Through this annual training the adults are given an opportunity to network, soak in new information in the field of prevention and treatment and participate in hands on projects they can carry to their communities for the following school year.  We want to offer this opportunity to the youth as a reward for their continued involvement in their community, county and region. Given the youth and adult interest and continued participation the Region 10 Prevention Taskforce voted to host this event annually.  The 2009 youth prevention generalist will be enhanced by increasing the amount of youth and adult participants and by the guidance we will seek from the “CLFC” program.

 

Stage 4 Implementation

 

A. Description of Approach/Program Selection

Since the 2008 youth prevention generalist training, the Region 10 Prevention Taskforce has formed an SPU committee that focuses solely on the sustainability of the youth SPU locally and regionally. Also the taskforce has formed a committee that focuses on the planning, implementation, securing of funds, and evaluations of the youth prevention generalist training. Since the August 2008 youth training, the SPU committee has been working directly with these newly formed groups to help sustain them. The leadership training committee has begun planning the 2009 training. This will allow immediate program implementation upon approval notice of grant funds.

 

The youth prevention generalist training content follows CSAP’s guidelines and is designed to mirror the adult prevention generalist training offered by the Region 10 PRC.  The training will include leadership presentations, prevention specific workshops, networking opportunities, media literacy, and interactive educational activities.  The workshops that will be offered during the training are: 1) Cultural Competency; 2) Mission, vision and goals; 3) Media Literacy; and 4) Student Leadership Development as the four core components of leadership.  In addition, the primary eight prevention generalist sessions will also be included in the training. These will include, but are not limited to: 1) Advocacy; 2) Data research; 3) Underage drinking; 4) Tobacco prevention; 5) Illicit Drugs; 6) Gangs; 7) Abstinence/STI education; and 8) Self-Esteem (suicide prevention, bullying and general positive life choices). The week long training is a precurser for the year long continuing education the youth will receive through monthly meetings, quarterly inservices and community projects.

 

Tonya Domokos, UAMS employee, will serve as the project director ensuring all grant projects and reporting requirements are met.   Ms. Domokos will serve in an unpaid capacity and work directly with the Region 10 Prevention Taskforce leadership training committee and the SPU committee to ensure the success of this project. The Leadership Training Committee Chair, Kristi Mitchell, Texarkana AR, City Police Department, will work to plan and implement the 2009 youth prevention generalist training.  The SPU Committee Chair, Adrean Stinnett, “Teen Life Choices” youth development director, has and will continue to meet with SPU and adult taskforce members to implement an organized chain of communication, provide SPU regular in-services, plan and implement regional SPU events.  All the afore mentioned positions are nonpaid and have committed to work together in a collaborative effort to bring area prevention agencies together in the effort to educate and training area youth in general prevention and leadership.

 

The 2009, youth prevention generalist training will be a week long event, held at an appropriate off-site facility with adult chaperones on a 3:1 student adult ratio. At this time the training site is undetermined. The leadership training committee is working on training locations. The site will be located outside of Region 10, to ensure an equal footing for all participants. Since the service area encumbuous 6 counties, transportation will be provided. Permission forms, medical releases, media permission will be secured prior to the training. All meals and snacks will be provided to youth and chaperones during the training. Educational binders are given to each participant. The binders include: 1) A yearly planner; 2) resources numbers and contact information; 3) handouts from presented lectures; 4) portfolios; 5) tools for action plans, evaluations and fund raising and; various incentive items.  See 2008 youth prevention generalist training catalog in appendices.

 

B. Coordination with Other Agencies

The Arkansas Child Behavior Counsel is actively recruiting organizations to provide after school programs for the growing number of youth in the target age group who have negative parental influence, live with a substance abuse user or have been classified as having violent or aggressive attitudes due to home or family situations. According to the Arkansas Council of Mental Health there were over 6,000 Arkansas children admitted to in-house mental facilities in 2006. According to Danny Stanley, Director of the Arkansas Council of Mental Health, the primary reason for this grossly high number is the lack of resources available such as after school programs, prevention interaction programs for children and parenting skill development classes. Mr. Stanley has expressed an extreme interest in utilizing our program in the four counties to be served. The Region 10 Prevention Resource Center currently works closely with the applicant to promote anti-ATOD education and activities. A letter of support is provided by the PRC outlining current projects and activities. Additionally, the local PRC coordinator was one of the first trainees in the state under the original “Creating Lasting Connections” (CLC) program.

 

The Region 10 Prevention Task Force SPU Committee will work directly with grant program director to utilize current links to schools involved with the “Special Prevention Unit” (SPU) program as pilot sites for this project. We will work closely with pilot school personnel for referrals of students with high priority needs. The prevention agencies of the Task Force include: “Teen Life Choices” Abstinence Education Program, BEAT Tobacco Control, IMPACT Underage Drinking, Region 10 Prevention Resource Center, Learning for Life, L.O.V.E., Let Our Violence End, UA Cooperative Extension Services 4-H Youth Organization-Sevier Co., Little River, Hempstead, Howard, Miller and Sevier County Hometown Health Coalitions, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Area Health Education Centers Southwest, Arkansas Department of Health and Southwest Arkansas Mental Health and Counseling Center.

The local Hometown Health Coalitions will be advised of the project and asked to provide volunteer support as needed.  Local agencies involved with the project will be updated through regular Task Force, Committee, and Hometown Health meetings, email, and telephone contacts.

 

The above mentioned agencies coordinate and interface to make the most use of limited funding sources. Through a collaborative effort of the taskforce action plans are structured to utilize resources to a maximum benefit to all.  One brief example of the collaboration that has been forming throughout the taskforce is the parent packet of the 2008 youth training. The packet is a visual example of how each agency has contributed to this one project. The medical forms were taken from “Teen Life Choices”, rules of conduct came from the 4-H Youth Organization, Parent informational letter was dedrived from Teens with the BEAT and the list goes on. Another example of collaboration is how the Region 10 PRC offerred their facilities for meetings, work days and they were a keynote speaker/trainer for the APNA data at the youth training.  For this grant purpose we have provided letters of support and commitment from taskforce members, community partners, hometown health coalition, schools and the Region 10 PRC.

 

C. Action Plans and Timelines

See appendices

 

D. Program Sustainability Plan

The vision behind the collaborative union between the taskforce members is to be able to begin a project of this magnitude with the confidence we will be able to continue with or without funding support. The first youth prevention generalist training in 2008 was completely funded by small grants, community donations, personal donation and in-kind support from participating agencies. The total raised for the first youth training was over $20,000.  For the 2009 training we are seeking this grant as supplemental funds while actively securing the remainder of funds from other entities. This project had been determined to be an annual event in our Region.  If funding should cease, the taskforce will identify other funding options to continue this worth project. The needs of the SPU during the school year that precedes the training will have little or no monetary demand. The SPU’s will have a local financial plan once the summer training is complete.

 

Stage 5 Evaluation

Program Evaluation

Ms. Domokos will conduct the summative and formative evaluation, which should begin in the final 6 months of the project based on the measurable objective outlines in the grant proposal.

 

The evaluation process will require an assessment of the objective outcomes and answer the following questions.  Have the objectives as stated in the action plan been met?  If so, what are the results of the objectives? Was there a positive impact on the sub-groups defined in the grant proposal?  Were the current goals met?  Do the activities and action plans of the program bring them closer to the long-term goals?  If the objectives have not been met then the evaluator would determine why.  In conclusion, the evaluator would be required to make recommendations for improvement of the program. We would implement a summative and formative evaluation plan.

 

The evaluation design would be conducted as a goal-based/summative evaluation with quantifiable objectives for the process and the outcome section of the evaluation. The diagnostics would determine the need for awareness, education, motivational support, and training within identified sub-groups throughout the school year.  This would include the collection of data to determine program impact, i.e. pre/post test, surveys, questionnaires, and interviews.

 

The process/formative evaluation would be used to document the progress and success of the intervention areas. Because residents in the service area experience different levels of information and are very diverse, this portion of the evaluation would address the implementation of the grant programs that are proven effective based on the Center for Disease Control’s endorsement.  The formative evaluation would be utilized to determine baseline data through assessment of records and surveys.  The process evaluation would determine which activities have been implemented, who implemented the activities, and what target area has been reached through the activities. This portion of the evaluation would also determine whether partnerships and resources have been utilized to help implement activities and events as planned. The programs’ strengths and weaknesses would be identified.

 

The outcome portion of the evaluation would measure the direct outcomes of the program. The evaluation would address the extent to which the intervention areas have achieved their previously stated goals. Outcome evaluations would also used to assess the impact of the program on the stated short-term, intermediate, and long-term objectives as stated in the action plan.

 

DATA COLLECTION

Data collection for this study was done by utilizing two instruments. One was a thirty-eight-question questionnaire with three sub-categories. The second instrument was participant interviews. Three sets of interview questions were designed, one for students, one for parents and one for community leaders.

 

Questionnaire

The questionnaire was a thirty-eight question questionnaire with three sub-categories: (1) leadership skills (2) leadership roles, occupations and attributes and, (3) short answer. The first section, leadership skills, was comprised of thirty- two questions and uses the Likert Scale. The Likert Scale asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement to a statement presented, responses range from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The questions will address different leadership skills taught by the program. The questionnaire was presented in print form through a mail in addition to an online format utilizing a free survey program called SurveyMonkey. We chose the online format one of our tools for gathering data due to the need for a quicker response rate. “Fewer steps for respondents; when using a survey site, we will use SurveyMonkey for submission of the survey was online with a link to guide respondents to the survey and a button to submit it which will produce quicker response rates” (Lidz & Rosenbaum, 2007, p. 2). According to Don Dillman’s The Tailored Design Method, a six-step approach was essential to having a successful response to an online questionnaire. Step one was the initial mailing of a cover letter to all participants explaining the purpose of the questionnaire along with the paper form of the questionnaire. The second step was an email from a designated study email to the participants with a link to the online survey. Step three was a thank you card to those participants who have returned the questionnaire or who have participated online. The fourth step was a resending of the link. The fifth step requires a follow up telephone call to ensure all participants received both the cover letter and the emailed link. The last contact would be to resend the link from a personal email to ensure the participant’s have received the email and no spam blockers have prevented the transmission.

 

The leadership roles, occupation and attributes sections are presented in a checklist format. From the section checklist the participant will indicate how they perceive leadership. The checklist will help determine the participant’s definition of a leadership role, occupation and what characteristics a leader should have. For current students the checklist will measure future goals concerning leadership in the community. A comparison of the responses was made and reported in a narrative manner. The leadership role section contains a list of eighteen selections. The leadership occupation section contains twenty selections. The leadership attributes section was a list of characteristics that the participants will choose from, these characteristics were taught and encouraged in the “SPU” program. This section also asks the participant to rank the characteristics according to their opinion of its importance. The ranking scale ranges from one to twenty with one being the most important and twenty being the least important.

 

The short answer section will help determine howSPU provided opportunities for the participants to practice leadership skills. Participants were contacted by phone prior to the questionnaire being mailed out. This will allow the necessary parental permission to be given and alert the participants of the study. In addition to mailing the questionnaire it was presented online through SurveyMonkey. The link for the survey was sent to all participants with an active email account. All questionnaires were given a one month deadline to be completed and returned. The interviews will follow immediately after the questionnaires have been analyzed and recorded. The answers of the participants was recorded on an excel spreadsheet and compared to gather a percentage analysis of the similar responses.

 

Interviews

The second tool was open-ended response interviews. Open-ended question allows for more elaborations and details to be revealed. Data was gathered through face-to-face interviews with “SPU” participants (current and former as per sub group), teachers, sponsors, parents, community leaders and school administration that have actively been involved in the youth outreach program. These interviews were used to determine if the “SPU” program has made an impact on the community. A sample of the interview questions for the community leaders: (1) What was your association with theSPU Tobacco Control’s youth outreach program “SPU”? A follow up question would be; (1) Given you association with the program can you describe your perception of the youth program? Parents were asked questions such as: What positive attitude and behavior did/do you notice in your child/children as a result of their participation in the SPU youth  program? With a follow up question that asks for an example of the behavior. Student questions will relate to their experience in the program for example: In what ways do you think the “SPU” program taught you to contribute to the community? Rounding out the student portion of the interviews the question: Will you continue to be an active member of your community after graduation? will be asked. All interviews were audio recorded with the permission of the interviewee. Data gathered from the interview responses will give the researcher insight to personal experiences from participants, parents and community leaders. All three interview category selections will give the data needed for comparison analysis.

 

A narrative description of the interviews will be taken from the pre-recorded interviews. The data collected will be analyzed to develop the final grant report.

 

Instrument Validity/Reliability

Questionnaire

The survey was tested by a pilot group students. Their responses were reviewed prior to the questionnaire being implemented on paper or online. Through the pilot test the question, “Do these questions give the responses needed for this study?” was answered. If the test did not give the responses needed revisions would have been made and the group would have been retested.

Interviews

“A major challenge in constructing any interview, however, was to phrase questions in such a way that they elicit the information you really want” (Airasian, Gay & Mills, 2006, p. 419).

The researcher intends to face this challenge. A test group combined of each study group was interview prior to the actual study beginning. This will help solve the problem of not having the questions that illicit the information needed for the study. Both instruments were tested with a random selection of participants to help ensure content validity and reliability.

 

DATA ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study was to find out what impact the youth outreach program, “SPU” has had on the development of leadership skills in student participants and on the community. Data for the study were gathered through: 1) a 38-item questionnaire administered to students who were current and former members of the “SPU” program; 2) follow-up interviews of selected students based on the responses to the questionnaire items; and 3) interviews with selected community stakeholders who had some associations with the SPU program. The stakeholders interviewed consisted of parents of current or former members of the SPU program, politicians representing communities where the program was established, and school and youth leaders.

The questionnaire was a thirty-eight-question questionnaire with three sub-categories: (1) leadership skills (2) leadership roles, occupations and attributes and, (3) three open-ended short response items. The first section, leadership skills, comprised of thirty- two questions and uses the Likert Scale. The Likert Scale asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement to a statement presented, with responses ranging from (1) strongly agree to (5) strongly disagree. The questions addressed different leadership skills taught by the program.

The information gathered from the questionnaire enable me to answer Research Questions 1-3 on how current and former SPU students perceive the effectiveness of the leadership components of the SPU program. Both the questionnaire and student interview data enable me to answer Research Question 4, which was to determine the differences, if any, in the perceptions of effectiveness by current and former students. The interview data from community stakeholders enable me to answer grant objectives, which was to see if community stakeholders perceive the “SPU” program to be effective in developing leadership skills of the student participants.

 

Data from the different instruments are presented below.

Questionnaire

The questionnaire consisted of: 1) 11 items soliciting demographic information other than general background information such as name, age, and gender, 2) 31 Likert Scale items soliciting information about perceptions of the SPU program, 3) a checklist of leadership roles and leadership occupations that participants currently hold or hope to occupy in their communities, and 4) the final section of the questionnaire was formatted in open-ended short answer. The short answer section will help determine how SPU provided opportunities for the participants to practice leadership skills. This section also gives the participants a venue to offer suggestions and recommendations.


[1] 2007 APNA student survey, pg. 6.

[2] Risk Factor for Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Arkansas2006

Prepared for Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services

Division of Behavioral Health Services Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention

By Randolph L. Peterson University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business Institute for Economic Advancement Census State Data Center, Children’s Research

Publication 07-07

[3] Office of the Department of Justice, In the Wake of Childhood Maltreatment.

Series: OJJDP Published: August 2007,31 pages

 4] http://nrepp.samhsa.gov/programfulldetails.asp?PROGRAM_ID=126

[5] http://www.copes.org/clfc-program.php