Introduction

As a guide, this resource provides information about a variety of strategies and methods to choose the correct strategy for your unique variables. While registries and other resources offer pieces of this information, this tool is a collection of strategies with detailed information about prevention strategy qualifiers.

Through assessment and planning, the need within the community has been researched and goals are set. To meet the goals, an implementation choice must be made. The implementation can come in the form of a program, practice, policy change or policy enhancement. It can address the population through direct contact (direct strategies) or through means that are more community based and not in direct contact with the participants (indirect strategies).

Fidelity is key. Curriculum implementation must be as prescribed by the program developer.  Deviations from this should be cleared with the developer.

More information on How to Select Prevention Strategies  can be located on the Prevention Insights Training Portal: https://iprc.iu.edu/training/courses.php. To access the extensive list of trainings, click the link and create an account. After creating the account, click on List of Trainings and search by title: How to Select Prevention Strategies.

Why We Implement Strategies

The immediate goal of implementing strategies is to raise the low percentiles on positive contributing factors and /or lower risk determinant percentiles that lead to destructive behaviors,

For instance, a high number of people who believe that alcohol use is not risky can lead to high rates of alcohol consumption. In this case, if we can increase the awareness of risk, we will lower the high rate of alcohol use.

Then, in a snowball effect, a change in contributing factors will change the actual use and then change consequences for the community-as-a-whole.

Let’s go back to the belief that alcohol use is not a risky behavior. When people gain the knowledge that alcohol use can hurt us, their attitudes toward alcohol will change and alcohol use will be reduced. This can reduce issues at the community level (consequences) which can include school/work absenteeism and non-gateway drug use.

Goals for using Strategies:

Strategies can be divided into distinct categories. Often layers of different strategies that are categorized in different formats are used to create change. Gaps are often better reduced through multiple layers of implementation. There may also be the need to reach secondary audiences. A mixture of strategy types is best to ensure reach and saturation.

• Priority Population: Who is the specific audience?
• Domain, what are the contributing factors (risk and protective factors) factors that have led to the negative behavior? In which domain does the gap belong?
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Category: What is the best method to reach this audience?
• Setting: Where is the best place to deliver the strategy?
• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Core Strategy Types.

In this guide, strategies are sorted by Target Population, Domain, IOM Category, Setting, Level of Effectiveness and CSAP Core Strategy Type.