COMMUNITIES MOBILIZING FOR CHANGE ON ALCOHOL
OVERVIEW
Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol is a program designed to engage various community institutions-such as alcohol merchants, schools, and law enforcement-in a joint effort to decrease alcohol abuse and drunk driving among adolescents and youth. An experimental evaluation reveals that communities with this program experienced declines in drunk driving arrests for youth 15-20.
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM
Target population: Community level media campaign to focus on youth ages 15-20 who are at risk for engaging in drunk driving
Community organizers, hired in each program community, worked with several community institutions, including local public officials, law enforcement, alcohol merchants, the media, and local schools, to affect community policies and reduce underage access to alcohol over the course of 2.5 years (Wagenaar, Murray, & Toomey, 2000). During the program implementation period, there were changes in alcohol retail policies and practices, in media attention to alcohol issues, and in law enforcement practices.
Costs associated wtih the program include initial setup with computer and supplies ($3,000), monthly expenses for food, mileagle, phones, etc. ($300-$500 per month), and salary for community organizer ($40,000/year).
EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM
Wagenaar, A.C.,
Evaluated population: 15 Midwestern communities
Approach: 15 Midwestern communities were randomized to a community-organizing program ("Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol") or control condition. Comparisons were made based on city data on arrests and traffic crashes for the six years prior to and the three years spanning the program implementation.
Results: When compared with the control communities, the program communities saw a decline in drunk driving arrests among young people ages 18 to 20 years and among adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 years. There was no measurable impact on MVCs, although the authors note that the study did not have a strong ability to detect any changes in MVC occurrence.
SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION
Link to program curriculum: http://www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol/manual/index.shtm
http://www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol/cmca/index.shtm
www.yli.org/prevention/programs/cmca.php
References:
Wagenaar, A.C.,
SUMMARY & CATEGORIZATION
Program categorized in this guide according to the following:
Evaluated participant ages: 15-20 / Program age ranges in the Guide: 15-21
Program components: community/media
Measured outcomes: behavioral problems
KEYWORDS:
Alcohol Use, Driving and Driving, Youth, Adolescence (12-17),
Community-based, Arrest Rates, Young Adulthood (18-24), Community/Media,
Behavioral Problems, White or Caucasian, manual, co-ed, cost, Any substance use.
Program information last updated 8/14/07.
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© Child Trends 2003 |
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