# Presentation: 254485

## Prevention Needs For A Successful Community Program

- Pamela Gillen RN, ND, CACIII
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Other Prenatal Substance Abuse Prevention Outreach Project
- University of Colorado Health Sciences Center/AHEC

## Conception of project

- CDC
- CSAP
- ADAD
- UCHSC/AHEC

## Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

-   Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD) and Colorado Department of Health’s (DCEED) collaborated  in a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Prevention Program with a grant from the CDC.
- State Wide Focus

## Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)/ADAD

-   Prevention Strategies --  ADAD merged strategies with CSAP’S  National Strategies to insure a _common definition_ of what we are doing in prevention.

## UCHSC/AHEC

- Continued the ADAD FAS Prevention Project
- Developed the FAS and Other Prenatal Substance Abuse Prevention Outreach project
- State Wide Focus
- Area Health Education Partners across state

## AHEC MISSION

- Serve the health needs of the state especially rural, minority, and underserved populations through educational outreach.

## AHEC Centers

- Centennial AHEC, Greeley
- Central AHEC, Denver
- San Luis Valley AHEC, Alamosa
- So Eastern Colo AHEC, Pueblo
- Western Colo AHEC, Clifton

## AHEC MAP

## Project Abstract

- Collaborative effort involving numerous community sectors and Health, education, social service, law enforcement and community groups.

- State wide focus utilizing the Colorado AHEC (Area Health Education Center) system to provide program service to all areas of the state.

## ADAD/POP GOAL 

- Reduce Use of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs by Pregnant Women

## ADAD/CSAP STRATEGIES

- Information Dissemination
- Community-Based Process
- Environmental

## Information Dissemination Strategy

- FAS/ATOD material development
- FAS/ATOD  video/ material dissemination
- FAS articles
- FAS Internet / curriculum
- Public service announcements
- Speaking Engagements
- Telephone Information line 1-800 #

## SMART START Brochure 

## Community-Based Process Strategy

- Community  Needs assessment
- FAS/High risk women training
- FAS community development
- FAS/ATOD  multi agency meetings, coalitions, parent support groups
- Technical Assistance

## Environmental Strategy

- TA to community on establishing policy  and developing services for individuals
- Changing Legislation
- Prevention efforts aimed at the state legislatures

## Key  components of program

- FAS/AHEC Partner in each region of state
- Collaborative training
- Multi-media access
- Statewide advisory council
- Statewide Coalition
- Prevention funded position through CSAP block grant funds

## Growing Partnerships

- Criminal Justice
- TASC, Drug Court
- Mental Health
- MHASA, JFK
- Education
- Chaffee County
- Health Care
- Children’s Hospital, Genetics, Denver Health
- Alcohol and Drug Treatment
- Special Connections
- Alcohol and Drug Service providers Association

## Growing Partnerships

- Drug/alcohol prevention Parenting
- Social Services
- Work force
- Community coalitions and organizations

## Parents Support Groups

- What has worked!
- 	*Parent ownership
- 	* Financial support
- 	* Organizational 	support
- 	* Food
- 	* Childcare
- 	* Speakers

## Program Evaluation

- Prevention Stories

- Assessing Outcomes

- MDS

- Prevention Evaluation Partners

- Realizing Individual And Community Possibilities

## What Have We Learned?

- Health care providers are lacking new knowledge regarding FASD diagnosis.
- Many providers are reluctant to diagnosis due to feeling the diagnosis is simply a label.
- Human service providers and health care providers need to collaborate more closely.
- Geographic barriers continue to be a problem for adequate resources.

## What Have We Learned?

- Change happens, but sometimes slowly
- Neutral position enhances capacity building
- Small start up dollars work
- Fostering relationships, networking and collaborating strengthen the project

## Overview

- One office, 2 people
- Expanding Capacity
- Partnerships
- Focused Prevention Efforts
- 6 sites, 3 clinics, multiple trainers
- Vision