Prevention

Prevention And How It Helps?

Providing programs and interventions that take place prior to the onset of a substance use disorder in order to prevent or reduce the risk of developing a behavioral health problem, such as underage alcohol use, prescription drug misuse and abuse, and illicit drug use.

Universal Prevention
Selective Prevention Strategies
Indicated Prevention Strategies

Risk Factors

Risk factors are characteristics (biological, psychological, family, community, and cultural) that precede and are associated with a higher likelihood of negative outcomes. Protective factors are characteristics associated with a lower likelihood of negative outcomes or that reduce a risk factor’s impact

Protective Factors

Community

  • Community life
  • Supportive relationships outside the home (coaches, teachers, etc.)
  • Pro-Social peer group (teams, clubs, etc.)
  • Child’s involvement in religious youth activities
  • Child’s involvement in pro-social activities
  • Child is close to an adult outside the family
  • A reasonably safe, stable environment

Family

  • Strong and affectionate relationships with both parents
  • Strong and affectionate relationships with family members
  • Strong and affectionate relationships with other significant adults
  • Recognition and praise
  • Parental interest
  • Involvement in education
  • Stability and security in family life
  • Parental supervision
  • Child’s attachment to parent
  • Parent’s attachment to child
  • Parent’s involvement in child’s activities

School

  • Active involvement in school
  • Access to high quality early education
  • Commitment to school
  • Attachment to teachers
  • Aspirations to go to college
  • Parent’s expectation for child to go to college
  • Parent’s values about school

Peer Group and Individual

  • Resilient temperament
  • Autonomy
  • Comprising a sense of identity
  • Achievement
  • Self-awareness
  • Independence
  • Self-Motivation
  • Peers have conventional values
  • Parent’s positive evaluation of peers
  • Child’s self esteem
  • Child is close to an adult outside the family
  • Good impulse control
  • Strong sense of self-worth
  • Sense of personal control

Teen Brain Development

Parents FAQ

Parents are their children’s first Teachers

Q. What should I do if I think my child is using drugs?
Q. What are some warning signs of drug use?
Q. How do I talk to my child about drugs and the impact on the body?

Teens FAQ

Q: What can I do if a friend or loved one is doing drugs?
Q: How do drugs effect our development or our body?
Q: How do drugs damage the brain/body?
Q: What is addiction / substance use disorder?

FACT CARDS