Applying the Strategic Prevention Framework to Plan for Prevention Results that Can Be Documented

1. Applying the Strategic Prevention Framework to Plan for Prevention Results that Can Be Documented Coalition Academy Workshop September 5, 2013

2. Agenda • 3:00 • Overview of the SPF and the first step in planning for results, developing a Community Logic Model • 3:15 • Practice developing a Community Logic Model • 4:15 • Taking the Community Logic Model into a plan for prevention

3. The Strategic Prevention Framework • An intentional process that helps us make informed, data-based decisions about our prevention work

4. Assessment • helps us • understand the substance use problem(s) in our communities. • identify the risk factors and protective factors that are related to the substance use problems in our communities.

5. The Prevention Plan • provides the “map” for guiding our prevention efforts for addressing the substance use problems in our communities.

6. To move from needs assessment to a prevention plan that focuses on results requires a well thought out Theory of Change

7. Example:

8. An essential intermediate step: • the Community Logic Model.

9. The Community Logic Model • A tool that helps us • focus on the key learnings from the assessment process and • use these learnings to identify the most effective evidence-based strategies that will form the foundation for our prevention plans.

10. Ohio’s Strategic Prevention Framework Strategic Plan Map

11. The Community Logic Model • There are just four parts to the Community Logic Model:

12. The Problem Statement • details the substance use or community perception issue(s) that the coalition will address and provides information about the magnitude of the problem • responds to an urgent community need

13. Problem Statement • articulation of the prevention issue(s) the coalition will address

14. The Problem Statement • The coalition’s priority substance(s)and target populations(s)are clarified in the problem statement, based on data obtained through the needs assessment process. • Example: • Young adults, ages 18-25, in Spring Valley report consumption of alcoholic beverages at a significantly higher rate than the average for the state.

15. Substance Use • Further articulates the substance use data that supports the problem statement. • Answers questions, who? what? where? and when?

16. Substance Use • A succinct summary of use of the priority substance in the coalition’s community

17. Substance Use • The description of substance use by the target population is spelled out with data that supports the problem statement. • Example: • Young adults in Spring Valley who were surveyed in 2011 reported consuming alcoholic beverages an average of seven days in the 30 days prior to the survey.

18. Intervening Variables • identify the conditions in the community that influence the occurrence and magnitude of substance use/misuse. • Risk Factors • Protective Factors • can be addressed by prevention strategies.

19. Intervening Variables • A short list of the most important risk factors for use of the priority substance • The factors that have been shown to be especially problematic in facilitating or complicating substance use and risk behaviors in the community.

20. Intervening Variables • May include protective factors that have been shown to be especially helpful in mitigating substance use and risk behaviors in the community.

21. Intervening Variables

22. Intervening Variables: Risk Factors • Example: Social norms support approval of alcohol use. Contributing factor: Parents permit underage drinking; family inclusion at alcohol events Data source: XYZ survey, 2011 Contributing factor: Drinking, including binge drinking, considered a rite of passage. Data source: Young adult focus groups, 2012 Contributing factor: Young adults consider drinking as a bonding activity. Data source: Young adult focus groups, 2012

23. Intervening Variables: Protective Factors • Example: Social norms support disapproval of misuse of prescription drugs. Contributing factor: An overwhelming percentage of young adults report the belief that using prescription drugs in a manner other than as prescribed to them is very harmful. Data source: XYZ survey, 2011

24. Prevention Strategies • Identification of evidence-based strategies that relate directly to the identified risk and protective factors

25. Prevention Strategies • must address a targeted substance use pattern

26. Prevention Strategies • must tie directly to risk and protective factors identified as intervening variables

27. Prevention Strategies • Prevention strategies align with the key risk and protective factors and direct resources to the target population • Examples:

28. Prevention Strategies: Utility • Appropriate for the target population and priority substance • Culturally appropriate • Consider any available information about other settings where the strategy has been deployed and similarities/differences with the target community

29. PreventionStrategies: Feasibility • Cultural feasibility, given the values of the community • Political feasibility for the community and for the coalition and its partners • Community readiness for prevention activities • Administrative feasibility for the coalition and its partners • Financial feasibility • Availability of resources, including training, technical assistance, and monitoring or evaluation tools

30. Developing a Community Logic Model • Target substance: prescription drugs • Community: Spring Valley, a small rural community in SW Ohio • Target population: 18- 25 year olds

31. 1. Define Substance Use for 18-25 Year-Olds in Spring Valley • 10 minutes: • What data might a needs assessment reveal about the use of prescription drugs by 18-25 year olds in Spring Valley? • What “rises to the top” as the most important data that informs our understanding of the problem? • Develop a few (no more than 3) bullet points that describe the prescription drug problem for 18-25 year olds in Spring Valley.

32. 2. Define the Problem • Share out from small groups and develop consensus on what defines the prescription drug problem for 18-25 year olds in Spring Valley. • Draft a succinct Problem Statement that captures the most salient issue with 18-25 year old use of prescription drugs. This statement will be the focus of the coalition’s prevention work.

33. 3. Define Intervening Variables (Risk and Protective Factors) • 10 minutes: • What data might a needs assessment reveal about potential intervening variables affecting the use of prescription drugs by 18-25 year olds in Spring Valley? • Rate your intervening variables for 1) relationship to the problem and 2) the ability of the coalition to address • Now, determine the most important variables (no more than 3) that affect the problem defined in our draft Problem Statement.

34. 4. Define Prevention Strategies • Last step (10 min.): • Identify one or more strategies the coalition can use to address the prioritized intervening variables. • Consider utility (appropriateness for target population) and feasibility of each strategy.

35. Next Steps: Theory of Change • Once strategies have been defined, the coalition can flesh out its theory of change by articulating an outcomes chain – the desired impact as well as long-term and short-term measurable outcomes they expect to obtain. • IMPACT = measurable reduction of consumption in the community

36. Theory of Change

37. Next Steps: Theory of Action • The next step is to spell out the coalition’s theory of action in a program logic model that graphically depicts the coalition’s program theory. Here, the coalition details inputs (resources), specific activities, and outputs of those activities.

38. Ohio Strategic Prevention Framework Strategic Plan Map

39. Thank You! Debbie Zorn, Director University of Cincinnati Evaluation Services Center Member, Ohio SPF-SIG Evaluation Team Debbie.Zorn@uc.edu 513-556-3818