Prevention honors and reinforces resiliency in children and youth. Prevention strengthens protective factors for children and youth. Prevention reduces risk factors for children and youth. Prevention is active instead of reactive. It is initiated before problems occur.
Prevention is targeted to groups of people and systems rather than just individuals.
Prevention requires cooperation and collaboration among schools, families, communities, social service organizations, policymakers, police officers, and the media. Prevention emphasizes promising prevention strategies that can be used by families, schools, and communities. These strategies are specific to ATOD use and promote general health and well-being. Maxine Womble, director of the Midwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities, stresses the need for using multiple strategies to teach all children about the dangers of drug use . A text version is available.