Through common beliefs and expectations about appropriate behavior, communities guide their members in their interactions with one another. In healthy communities, youth are taught and shown that caring, commitment, and mutual protection are expected behaviors. Community awareness and social campaigns offer a means for changing social climates to be less tolerant of substance abuse by minors. Convey that everyone has the right to make a personal choice not to use illicit substances and that it is wrong to pressure anyone else to do so. Advise that substances should never be used to the point of intoxication or when use negatively impacts others.
Schools are an important part of every community.
As a partner in such a collaboration, the school may serve as a base from which an integrated and streamlined system of community programs and support services are coordinated for centralized access. Through comprehensive strategies, schools can gain community allies and access to resources to alleviate such barriers to learning as hunger, lack of medical care, inadequate child care, poverty, teen pregnancy, violence, and other problem conditions. Program staff should know families views on issues that affect them and work with families to achieve their goals. Treat families with respect and focus on making them feel welcome at all times. Reduce the barriers to participation by having a single point of entry to services, simplifying eligibility requirements and procedures, reducing paperwork, and communicating clearly.