Healthy communities, healthy states: A targeted community effort to build local prevention system capacity to reduce underage drinking and related problems

The Human Service Agency (HSA) in Watertown, South Dakota is part of a statewide, community-based network working to prevent problems associated with alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. Watertown data has indicated significant issues, particularly among youth and young adults. Juvenile arrests for underage drinking, marijuana possession, and driving under the influence (DUI) have increased over the years, and 17-24 year olds constitute nearly 40% of all local DUI arrests. Compliance checks of Watertown alcohol retailers in 2009 found that nearly 15% sold alcohol to youth. School truancy rates reached 19% in 2008, with only 51% of students reporting that their families had clear rules or consequences or monitored their whereabouts. Even fewer (29%) reported that parents and adults modeled positive, responsible behavior. HSA's attempts to organize community efforts to address these issues have been enhanced by participation in a statewide transformation initiative led by the SD Department of Human Services' Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, with technical assistance from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. The initiative has resulted in enhanced community capacity to use epidemiological approaches, engage in targeted prevention system development and outcome-based planning, and implement public health approaches. As a result, HSA and its community partners have significantly expanded their efforts to include environmental prevention, and to build prevention infrastructure locally and in the surrounding five-county catchment area. This presentation will provide a community perspective on this change initiative, and describe successes and key lessons learned to date.