To establish the impact of ACEs over multiple years, it is recommended that priority risk and protective factor levels be measured at the local level via tools such as a state level youth survey (such as the Indiana Youth Survey (INYS)), or the CTC Youth Survey, for consistency in measuring Risk and Protective Factor constructs.  If a standardized and regularly administered formal survey of this nature is not available in your community, this 12-item convenience survey may be used to collect data from youth and their parents to measure the intermediate and long-term impacts of Substance-Free Alternative Events (ACEs).

ACE Youth Survey: 

1. How often do you participate in substance-free activities or events in your community? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
2. How confident are you in your ability to resist peer pressure to use alcohol or drugs? (Not at all confident, Slightly confident, Moderately confident, Very confident, Extremely confident)
3. In the past 30 days, how many times have you used alcohol or drugs? (0 times, 1-2 times, 3-5 times, 6-9 times, 10 or more times)
4. How much do you feel you belong to your community? (Not at all, A little, Somewhat, Quite a bit, Very much)
5. How often do you engage in volunteer work or community service? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
6. How wrong do you think it is for someone your age to drink alcohol regularly? (Not at all wrong, A little bit wrong, Wrong, Very wrong

1. How aware are you of substance-free activities available for youth in your community? (Not at all aware, Slightly aware, Moderately aware, Very aware, Extremely aware)
2. How often do you encourage your child to participate in substance-free activities? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
3. How much do you believe substance-free activities help prevent youth substance use? (Not at all, A little, Somewhat, Quite a bit, Very much)
4. How often do you discuss the risks of substance use with your child? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
5. How well do you know your child’s friends? (Not at all, A little, Somewhat, Quite well, Very well)
6. How involved are you in community efforts to prevent youth substance use? (Not at all involved, Slightly involved, Moderately involved, Very involved, Extremely involved)

This survey addresses several key risk and protective factors related to youth substance use, including:

• Community opportunities for prosocial involvement
• Peer and individual attitudes favorable to drug use
• Family management and communication
• Community bonding and attachment
• Individual prosocial involvement
• Perceived risks of drug use

The survey can be administered before implementing ACEs and at regular intervals afterward to measure changes over time. It provides a mix of questions addressing both intermediate outcomes (e.g., increased participation in substance-free activities, improved peer resistance skills) and long-term outcomes (e.g., reduced substance use, increased community engagement) as outlined in the ACE logic model. In addition, the following four-question supplement for both youth and parents links to the Social Development Strategy (SDS) and impacts on protective factors:

Youth SDS Supplement: 

1. How many opportunities do you have to develop new skills through community activities? (No opportunities, Few opportunities, Some opportunities, Many opportunities, Abundant opportunities)
2. How often do you feel recognized or rewarded for your positive behaviors or achievements in your community? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
3. How strongly do you feel bonded to positive role models in your community (e.g., teachers, coaches, mentors)? (Not at all bonded, Slightly bonded, Moderately bonded, Strongly bonded, Very strongly bonded)
4. How often do you apply skills learned from community activities in your daily life? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)

Parent SDS Supplement: 

1. How often do you provide opportunities for your child to be involved in family decision-making? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
2. How frequently do you acknowledge and praise your child’s positive behaviors or achievements? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
3. How strong would you say your bond is with your child? (Very weak, Weak, Moderate, Strong, Very strong)
4. How often do you help your child develop skills to resist negative peer influence? (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)

These supplementary questions directly address the key components of the Social Development Strategy, and  help measure the impact of ACEs on protective factors by assessing:

• Opportunities for prosocial involvement (in both family and community contexts)
• Social and emotional competence
• Recognition for prosocial involvement
• Family attachment
• Belief in the moral order (indirectly, through bonding with positive role models)

By including these questions, you can more directly assess how well the ACE program is implementing the Social Development Strategy and strengthening protective factors in youth and families. This can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms through which ACEs may be reducing substance use risk and promoting positive youth development.