Policy makers and prevention specialists are increasingly calling for a higher involvement of the community in HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention efforts. Realizing that effective community involvement in HIV/AIDS/ATOD prevention efforts requires adequate social and technical resources, the prevention field has focused on building community capacity to develop and implement effective interventions. These efforts, however, are constrained by the lack of operational definitions and research tools needed to implement effective intervention strategies. These limitations are particularly relevant to evaluators that are now being asked to assess "community capacity." The present study examines and tests an operational definition of "community capacity" using analytical techniques borrowed from social network analysis and sociometric theory. Community capacity as it is related to HIV/ATOD prevention interventions is defined in this study as the level of interactions among HIV/ATOD stakeholders that facilitate and promote effective prevention interventions. The study's approach views stakeholders or actors as individuals and examines the HIV/ATOD prevention-related interrelations and exchanges among them as indicators of community capacity. In this regard, all the links, collaborations, and inter-agency relations among four communities located in Boston, New York, Washington, DC and Atlanta affected by HIV and substance abuse problems are examined. These four programs are part of the SAMHSA/CSAP's Integrated HIV/AIDS and Substance Abuse Prevention Program. Using social network analysis, the study explores indicators of capacity building such as resource exchange, collaborations, and referral patterns and relates them to HIV/ATOD prevention efforts.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1. Articulate an operational definition of community capacity; 2. Identify indicators of community capacity in the context of HIV/ATOD prevention; 3. Implement an evaluation methodology to assess community capacity.
Keywords: Community Collaboration, Evaluation
Awards: - Honorable MentionPresenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAMHSA/CSAP)
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.