Substance abuse prevention is a relatively new science and is approached by use of comprehensive strategies, which are implemented by each subcommittee level. Comprehensive Substance Abuse Prevention strategies are the ways and means to which the problem of substance abuse is attacked here at the Task Force. This should give some insight to how our work is done.

• Information Dissemination: Involves those activities which provide awareness and knowledge of the nature and extent of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use, abuse, addiction and their effects on individuals, families, and communities.

An example of Information Dissemination-"Task Force Update" radio program and newspaper column.

• Education: Involves two-way communication, aims to affect critical life and social skills, including decision making, refusal skills and systematic judgment abilities, and interaction is the basis of it's activities.

An example of Education Strategies-Youth Committee Annual Conference.

• Alternatives: Provides for the participation of the target populations in activities that exclude ATOD.

An Example of Alternative Strategies-Youth Committee service projects.

• Problem Identification and Referral: Aims at identification of those who have indulged in illegal/age inappropriate use of ATOD, assesses if behavior can be reversed through education, this strategy does not include my activity designed to determine if a person needs treatment.

An example of Problem Identification and Referral-Student assistance programs.

• Community Based Process: Aims to enhance the ability of the community to more effectively provide prevention and treatment services for ATOD abuse, includes organizing, planning, enhancing service implementation, inter-agency collaboration.

An example of Community Based Process-Substance Abuse Coordinating Team's Professional Development Trainings.

• Environmental: Establishes or changes written and unwritten community standards, codes and attitudes, thereby influencing incident and prevalence of the ATOD used in the community, enforcement component, social marketing component.