The Prevention Resource Repository at Wake Forest University School of Medicine supplies resources to help community-based substance misuse prevention organizations and coalition effectively implement state of the art prevention practices.
Our mission is to support communities in their transition to results-oriented substance misuse prevention practice by:
- Providing substance misuse prevention data resources to assist communities in assessing and prioritizing local needs
- Supporting preventionists in conducting a substance misuse prevention community needs assessment
- Developing best practice guidelines for substance misuse prevention and assisting communities in their implementation and identification of evidence-based prevention strategies
The Information Guide Series provide communities, coalitions, prevention providers, and other entities involved in substance misuse prevention resources to effectively implement best practices in prevention.
Communication campaigns
Communication campaigns utilize purposeful promotional strategies to change norms, behaviors, and policies via marketing and advertising techniques. Communication campaigns can counteract the negative impact of substance advertising (e.g., tobacco and alcohol). Communication campaigns can also influence the way that stakeholders, including the media, think about issues, and shift the focus from an individual behavior to a systems or environmental focus. Policies can be distinguished as either formal or informal policy, depending on the environmental strategies used and the agency that implements the policy.
For more information on using communication campaigns in substance misuse prevention see the information guide series on Effective Substance Use Prevention Communication Campaigns.
View Communication Campaign Guidelines
Policy
Policy can play an important role in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention efforts. Coupled with stronger enforcement, policies can shift the focus on solving substance misuse related problems from the individual to the community settings in which a substance is obtained and used. The focus becomes regulating the sale, use, consumption, promotion, or consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Strengthened local substance related policies and enforcement efforts have the capacity to change attitudes, behaviors, community norms, and consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. For more information on using policy for substance misuse prevention see the information guide series on implementing and supporting policies to prevention alcohol, tobacco, and other drug misuse.
Courses on Policy
- View Courses
- Select "Our Courses"
- Search for "Policy"
Two courses available
- Introduction to the Power of Policy Change
- 10 Steps to Policy Change
Youth Engagement
Youth Engagement refers to prevention organizations effectively engaging youth as leaders or partners in planning, tailoring, implementing, or evaluating prevention programming. The goal of YE is to improve the quality, reach, and effectiveness of prevention efforts meant for youth.
Youth engagement is not itself a “strategy” for prevention; rather, it is an approach that can be used alongside numerous prevention strategies.
For information, tips, and tools about deciding whether, and how, to incorporate youth engagement into your prevention programming see the Information Guide Series on Engaging Youth to Improve Substance Misuse Prevention.
View Youth Engagement Guidelines
Prevention Workforce Training and Tools
The Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network provides training, technical assistance, and tools to improve the quality and delivery of substance misuse prevention effort. For information on these offerings see the PTTC Network education and resource pages.