Union County Community

Prevention Alliance Workgroup

Year 2 Evaluation Report

Prepared by:

Community Evaluation Solutions, Inc.

September 2023

Report Contents

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Background

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The Union County Community Prevention Alliance Workgroup (UC CPAW) has existed in some form since 2016. The coalition was initially developed in collaboration with Union County Family Connection, part of a statewide network of community collaboratives.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded a five-year Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant to the UC CPAW in 2021.

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The goals of the DFC Support Program are to: 1) Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth; and to 2) Reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.

Mission Statement

The mission of the UC CPAW is bringing together community partners with the common goal of reducing substance use among youth in Union County.

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Evaluation Overview

Community Evaluation Solutions, Inc. works collaboratively with Union County Drug Free Coalition leadership to evaluate this initiative. Evaluation activities include:

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Develop and Refine:

Collect and Analyze:

Outcome

Data

Process

Data

Logic

Models

Evaluation

Plan

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Core Measures

* As of 2018, the Georgia Department of Education dropped parent and peer disapproval from the Georgia Student Health Survey (GSHS). The coalition developed a new youth survey to capture data for all 4 core measures.

As a funded Drug Free Community (DFC), the coalition must report core measures data every two years in DFCMe. The four core measures of health outcomes include:

• Reduction in reported past 30-day use;
• Increase in students’ perception of risk;
• Increase in the perception of disapproval by parents*; and
• Increase in perception of disapproval by peers*.

Thirty-day use is a measure of substance use behavior, while perception of risk and parent/peer disapproval act as risk/protective factors.

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UC CPAW, the Union County DFC, based their objectives on two prevalent substances within their community*:

Alcohol

• Maximize perception of risk
• Reduce ease of access

Tobacco (Vape)

• Maximize perception of risk
• Reduce ease of access

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Objectives

* UC CPAW’s logic models provide details about the problem, its causes, DFC activities, and intended outcomes 

  (see Appendices A-B for details).

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Sector Representatives

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Key Activities

During the first year of DFC funding, UC CPAW has carried out many activities including, but not limited to:

1. Used Youth Survey developed in 2022 to address gaps in the data left by Department of Education changes to the GSHS;
2. Implemented a Mentoring Program at Union County Schools;
3. Implemented a Positive Social Norms campaign via billboards;
4. Supported implementation of the Botvin LifeSkills Curriculum at Union Middle School;
5. Broadcast an anti-vape PSA on local radio stations; and
6. Hired a new coalition coordinator.

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Mentoring Program

UC CPAW has implemented a Mentoring Program in all schools in Union County (across all age groups). This year, 83 students have received one-on-one mentoring with adult mentors from the community.

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Demand for the program is high, and the Mentoring Program currently has a waitlist of interested participants. UC CPAW may start a mentoring group (led by the program coordinator) to accommodate waitlist participants.

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Botvin LifeSkills Curriculum

The Botvin LifeSkills Curriculum was taught to all middle school students in Union County this year. This research-validated substance abuse prevention program aims to:

• Promote healthy alternatives to risky behavior
• Increase youth self-esteem
• Teach skills to resist peer pressure
• Enable students to effectively cope with anxiety

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Coalition Meeting Attendance

Coalition meetings had an average

of 8 attendees during Year 2.

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In 2018, the Georgia Department of Education dropped two of the core measures – perception of parent disapproval and perception of peer disapproval – from the Georgia Student Health Survey (GSHS). Since this time, DFC grantees have had to find alternative ways to collect core measures data.

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In 2022, UC CPAW worked with the coalition’s evaluator to develop a supplemental youth survey that was used again this year. This survey included questions on all 4 core measures, as well as additional questions of interest to the coalition focused on ease of access, where youth obtain substances, where youth use substances, and who they use substances with.

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Changes in Data Collection

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Youth Survey

Administered in March - April 2023

Completed by 1,089 students

Approximately 70% of students responded

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Response rates were similar for all grades except seniors, who had a lower response rate.

n = 1089

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Core Measures: 30 Day Use

n = 1028

30-day use of both alcohol and vape products has decreased since 2022. Decreases were seen in both middle school and high school students.

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The UC CPAW Youth Survey was used to collect data in both 2022 and 2023.

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Core Measures: Perception of Risk

n = 1028

Middle school students’ perception of risk for alcohol use and vape use decreased since 2022.

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High school students’ perception of risk for alcohol use and vape use increased since 2022.

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The UC CPAW Youth Survey was used to collect data in both 2022 and 2023.

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Core Measures: Parental Disapproval

Middle school students’ perception of parent disapproval for alcohol use and vape use decreased slightly since 2022.

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High school students’ perception of parent disapproval for alcohol use and vape use increased since 2022.

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The UC CPAW Youth Survey was used to collect data in both 2022 and 2023.

n = 1018

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Core Measures: Peer Disapproval

n = 1018

Middle school students’ perception of peer disapproval for alcohol use decreased and vape use increased since 2022.

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High school students’ perception of peer disapproval for alcohol use and vape use increased since 2022.

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The UC CPAW Youth Survey was used to collect data in both 2022 and 2023.

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Core Measures: Changes from 2022 - 2023

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Most students said it was very difficult or somewhat difficult for youth to obtain substances in Union County.

n = 1018

How easy is it for youth...

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Where do you or your friends usually use . . .

n = 1014

* Most students (95% for both alcohol and vapes) said that they did not use these substances.

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When asked where they think other youth obtain alcohol, the most common response was taking from home without parent’s permission.

n = 1008

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When asked where they think other youth obtain vape products, the most common response was from a friend.

n = 996

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When you use 1) alcohol or 2) vape products or e-cigarettes, with whom you typically use?

n = 1003

* Most students (96% for alcohol and 98% for vapes) said that they did not use these substances.

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Coalition Survey Outcomes

Ten (out of sixteen) coalition members responded to the Coalition Survey. Most or all respondents agreed or strongly agreed with these statements:

The coalition staff is supportive and competently facilitates meetings, and provides oversight, training, and technical assistance to members and leaders. (All Respondents)

Our coalition focuses on data collection, needs assessment, outcomes, and identified impacts to set and meet its goals. (All Respondents)

Our coalition understands the community and includes its people, cultures, values, habits, and traditions in its work. (9 out of 10 Respondents)

Our coalition has access to needed resources. Resources refer to four types of capital: environmental, in-kind, financial, and human. (9 out of 10 Respondents)

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Conclusions & Next Steps

The coalition has implemented a variety of prevention activities this year which have reached a large number of Union County youth and families.

The majority of middle and high school youth in Union County responded to the supplemental youth survey, which allowed the coalition to collect crucial core measures data. UC CPAW should continue to use and refine the supplemental youth survey in Year 3.

Data from the supplemental youth survey indicates that 30 day use of both alcohol and vape products has decreased between 2022 and 2023.

The coalition should attempt to meet more often and increase meeting attendance by continuing to engage new community members. Feedback from the coalition survey may provide some insights on these goals.

The coalition should revise the logic models and evaluation plan yearly and develop work plans based on their logic models.

Appendices

From 2022 to 2025, reduce favorable community norms toward alcohol use (e.g., expectations for generational use, celebration of illegal production and consumption of alcohol)

by 3%

Problem

Causes

Strategies & Activities

Short Term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Long Term Outcomes

Underage Drinking

in Union County

Perception of Risk of Harm from Alcohol Use is Low

By 2023, increase

youth perception of

risk of harm from alcohol use by 2%

From 2024 to 2031, reduce the percentage of Union County youth who reported 30-day use of alcohol

by 2%

Provide Information: Educate youth and parents about the negative consequences of youth alcohol use (physical health, mental health, legal, etc.)

Build Skills: Use Botvin LifeSkills curriculum to increase youth self-esteem and confidence, and teach skills to resist peer pressure to drink alcohol

Provide Support: Use mentoring program to provide support to youth in choosing not to drink alcohol

Physical Design: Use Positive Social Norms Campaign to provide messaging (e.g., via posters in schools) to youth emphasizing that the majority of Union County youth do not drink alcohol

Youth Access

to Alcohol

at Home

(both with and without parent permission)

By 2023, reduce youth drinking alcohol at home (without parent permission) by 2%

By 2023, reduce youth drinking alcohol at home (with parent permission) by 2%

From 2022 to 2025, reduce youth access to alcohol at home by 3%

Provide Information: Provide information to parents about legal consequences of youth alcohol consumption and provision of alcohol to minors

Build Skills: Educate parents about the secure storage of alcohol in the home

Provide Support: Use “Hidden in Plain Sight” to support parents in identifying youth alcohol use and communicating with their kids about it

Access/Barriers: Encourage parents to utilize bottle locks or other alcohol securing devices to deter youth alcohol use

Physical Design: Use Positive Social Norms Campaign to provide messaging (e.g., via billboards) to parents on the importance of underage youth being healthy and substance free

Alcohol Logic Model

Note: All outcomes will be assessed using the Supplemental Youth Survey in 2023.

From 2022 to 2025, increase youth perception of harm from vaping tobacco by 3%

Problem

Causes

Strategies & Activities

Short Term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Long Term Outcomes

Youth Tobacco

(Vape) Use

in Union County

By 2023, increase youth knowledge of the negative health effects of vaping tobacco by 2%

From 2024 to 2031, reduce the percentage of Union County youth who reported 30-day use of vape tobacco by 2%

By 2023, reduce youth use of vape products at home (without parent permission)

by 2%

By 2023, reduce youth use of vape products at home (with parent permission) by 2%

From 2022 to 2025, reduce youth access to vape products at home by 3%

Local Conditions

Youth do not believe vaping puts them at risk

Underage youth vape frequently

Perception of Risk of Harm from Vaping Tobacco is Low

Provide Information: Educate youth and parents about the negative health effects of vaping tobacco, and emphasize that vaping devices contain high concentrations of nicotine

Build Skills: Use Botvin LifeSkills curriculum to increase youth self-esteem and confidence, and teach skills to resist peer pressure to vape tobacco

Provide Support: Use mentoring program to provide support to youth in choosing not to vape tobacco

Rewards/Consequences: Educate youth about the disciplinary consequences of underage tobacco use

Access/Barriers: Work with youth coalition members to identify “hot spots” for vaping in schools

Underage youth have many ways of accessing vape products

Youth are using vapes in more places than other substances

(single use, quick moments to vape unlike “smoke breaks” and event-like usages)

Youth Access to Tobacco Vape Products at Home

(both with and without parent permission)

Provide Information: Educate parents about consequences of youth vape use through anti-vape PSA

Build Skills: Educate parents about the secure storage of vape products in the home

Provide Support: Use “Hidden in Plain Sight” to support parents in identifying youth vape use and communicating with their kids about it

Access/Barriers: Use social media messaging to encourage parents to securely store any tobacco vape products in the home to prevent youth access

Physical Design: Use Positive Social Norms Campaign to provide messaging (e.g., via billboards) to parents on the importance of underage youth being healthy and substance free

Tobacco (Vape) Logic Model

Note: All outcomes will be assessed using the Supplemental Youth Survey in 2023.