Jackson County Program Evaluation Project Year 3, Report 1.pdf

Year 2 Round 2July 1, 2009 – June 14, 20101. What successes have you observed or experienced during the first half of the JacksonCounty Alcohol Abuse Prevention/Reduction Project?• The most frequently cited success was that community and student awareness aboutthe project and underage drinking issues has increased since the project began.Several also commented that the project has received positive media coverage andsupport.• Several respondents indicated that the in-school prevention programs seem to havegone smoothly, that students are engaged for the most part, and that they’ve seennotable improvements particularly in LRP participants.• Several respondents indicated that the provision of counseling services in theschools fills an important need and that while participation is somewhat low,significant gains are seen in the students who are involved in treatment.• A few respondents indicated that parents are starting to become involved in thecoalition.2. What problems have you encountered during the first half of the project? How did youdeal with these problems, or what solutions did you come up with to overcome theseproblems?• A problem frequently mentioned was the lack of community support for CMCA andthe project in general, and that the project is still working on increasing awarenessand education, which is behind where they planned to be at this point. Project staffcontinues to make good use of media coverage. Two upcoming events have beenplanned to help address the problem: Shoulder to Shoulder parent training; and aHidden in Plain Sight presentation, which will be enhanced by involvement of thelocal theater group.• Some respondents also mentioned challenges with school-based preventionprograms. The Leadership and Resiliency Program (LRP) appears to present themost challenges. One school did not implement LRP, as they felt they hadinsufficient support for program implementation and success, and one school didn’timplement LRP until second semester. Some respondents indicated that communitysupport for service activities is lacking, and that teachers seem reluctant to take thelead with this program. Staff and school personnel addressed an apparent lack ofengagement on the part of older Project Towards No Drug Abuse participants byhaving them observe a mock alcohol-related car crash and listen to speakerspersonally affected by alcohol-related accidents. In addition, school staff reductionshave posed challenges to maintaining programs, but schools have reassignedresponsibilities to keep the programs running.• Some respondents also indicated that schools aren’t making full use of the availablecounseling services. The counselor has sent letters to school principals, counselors,and juvenile court staff to remind them to be aware of kids who may need treatment,and additional students were referred for treatment as a result.Jackson County GRAA Evaluation Report 59