These resources have been compiled by the members of the Federal Interagency Coordinating
Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking to assist communities
with planning and implementing programs to prevent and reduce alcohol use by youth.
Additional resources can be accessed through the home page of StopAlcoholAbuse.gov.
Department of Defense (DoD):
DoD is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and military affairs. Alcohol abuse and dependence are incompatible with national security and military readiness, performance, and discipline. The DoD supports the achievement and maintenance of optimal health status for individuals and populations, encourages healthy lifestyle choices, and is committed to the prevention of alcohol consumption by underage military personnel and other beneficiary groups for whom we are responsible. http://www.dod.gov/
Resources:
- U.S. Air Force Institute of Operational Health (AFIOH): The 0-0-1-3 Program: The AFIOH is committed to promoting global health and protecting Air Force warriors and communities by enhancing readiness and effectiveness, and by developing and implementing creative solutions to operational health problems. To this end, the 0-0-1-3 Program at Warren Air Force Base encourages healthy, controlled alcohol use behavior and non-use for those underage as the normative lifestyle choice for young Air Force personnel. The program established safe normative behaviors that move the DoD forward in addressing the health threats of both alcohol and tobacco. The Web sites provide information about training resources, reports on underage drinking, and alternative activities in which young adults can engage.
http://www.usa0013.com
http://www.brooks.af.mil/units/airforceinstituteforoperationalhealth
- U.S. Marine Corps Substance Abuse Program: The Marine Corps substance abuse program is committed to providing Marine Corps plans, policy, and resources to improve and sustain the capabilities of commanders to provide opportunities to prevent problems that detract from unit performance and readiness. The risk of alcohol misuse, rules and regulations about drinking, and alternatives to drinking are provided. Highlighting the negative impact of alcohol abuse, the Web site also features a true story about a young lance corporal’s choice that set back his career in the military.
http://www.usmc-mccs.org/subabuse/alcohol.cfm
- Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention: The “Right Spirit” Campaign: The primary focus of the Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention program is policy and command level prevention education. One of the programs implemented to respond to alcohol abuse in the Navy is the “Right Spirit” Campaign. This campaign focuses on prevention education, deglamorization of alcohol use, alternatives to drinking, and clear and enforceable policy guidance. The campaign stresses responsibility at all levels—leadership, command, shipmate, and individual. The Web sites provide information about available education and training materials, publications, and links to other relevant Web sites.
http://www.npc.navy.mil/CommandSupport/NADAP
http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/hp/alcohol/index.htm
- Army Center for Substance Abuse: Drug and Alcohol Prevention/Education: The Army Center for Substance Abuse Program (ACSAP) supports combat readiness for the operation and management of all elements of the Army’s Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP). The overarching responsibilities of the Center are to develop, administer, and evaluate the ASAP alcohol and drug prevention, training, and education programs. Their objectives are to provide technical support for the ASAP programs, act as the lead agent for Drug Demand Reduction issues, provide professional development and training of all non-medical substance abuse prevention staff worldwide and develop and distribute alcohol and drug abuse prevention training curricula and multimedia products to the Army installations. The Center’s Web site provides links to prevention and educational training material and internet resources for Army Installation alcohol and drug programs.
https://acsap.army.mil/
- VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines: The U.S. Army Medcom, Quality Management Office, provides a Web site of the VA/DoD Clinical Practice guidelines for substance use disorder. Although under development, the Web site contains provider material, patient information, metrics, guidelines for care, and resource materials for all substance abuse disorders.
https://www.qmo.amedd.army.mil/pguide.htm
Department of Education/Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (ED/OSDFS)
OSDFS supports programs that prevent violence in and around schools; prevent use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; involve parents and communities; and are coordinated with related Federal, State, school, and community efforts and resources. The purpose of these programs is to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports student success and academic achievement. The Office also provides funding for character and civic education, correctional education, school health, and alcohol, drug and violence prevention on college campuses. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/
- Environmental Management: A Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Alcohol and Other Drug Use on College Campuses
Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
Despite the concerns of college presidents, heavy episodic or binge drinking on college campuses has often been viewed as a rite of passage for young adults. Some educators have assumed that most heavy drinkers, if left alone, will learn from their mistakes and then approach alcohol consumption with a greater sense of responsibility. This view not only overlooks the deaths and injuries that student drinkers experience each year, but also their negative impact on other students and campus life in general. The purpose of this publication is to present a comprehensive strategy for alcohol and drug prevention in higher education, called environmental management.
www.higheredcenter.org
- Setting and Improving Policies for Reducing Alcohol and Other Drug Problems on Campus
Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
Setting and Improving Policies for Reducing Alcohol and Other Drug Problems on Campus: A Guide for School Administrators has been written for administrators—including college presidents, vice presidents, deans of students, and deans of residential life—at both 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education who are responsible for developing and implementing alcohol and drug policies on campus.
www.higheredcenter.org
- The Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse in Secondary Schools
This program provides resources for local school districts to develop and implement innovative and effective alcohol abuse prevention programs for secondary school students. In many States, secondary schools include middle schools as well. Since its inception, the program has funded 128 school sites throughout the United States.
- Preventing Underage Drinking in Schools
This online course examines the issue of underage drinking and provides participants with examples, tips, and resources on how to address this critical problem through their schools and communities. The material identifies "best practices" and highlights effective programs. An excellent how-to for schools and anyone working on preventing underage drinking through middle and high schools, the material provides suggestions for engaging community partners, parents, law enforcement, and the judicial system as active partners in the effort to reduce underage drinking. A variety of resources for parents, teachers, and community groups are also provided.
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/training/alcohol/index.html
Department of Health and Human Services /Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC's mission is to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. Consistent with that mission, CDC conducts and supports research to improve knowledge about underage drinking and to develop effective prevention strategies. CDC assesses the nature and extent of underage drinking and its consequences; tracks progress in addressing this problem through surveillance activities and epidemiological studies; addresses underage drinking as a risk factor in programs designed to focus on specific health problems such as injury and violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and fetal alcohol syndrome; evaluates the effectiveness of prevention policies and programs; and works to train new researchers in alcohol epidemiology and build State research capacities. http://www.cdc.gov/
Resources:
- Life’s First Great Crossroad
We are all too familiar with today’s portrayal of teenagers—rebellious, difficult, and driven by peer pressure. However, what we don’t see is that kids often start making good or bad choices before their teen years. Often referred to as the tween years, children between 9–13 years of age (grades 4–8) are straddling the fence between childhood and choice. On the one hand, they are beginning to branch out in their lives, looking to new horizons and taking on new responsibilities. Yet, as children, they still look to their parents for guidance about what is right and what is wrong; they still longingly seek approval and support from the adults who surround them. Tweens are facing life’s first great crossroad: the decisions they make today will last a lifetime. If we reach them now, we can help them grow into healthier adults.
http://www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign/research/PDF/LifesFirstCrossroads.pdf
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Enhanced Enforcement of Laws to Prevent Alcohol Sales to Underage Persons—New Hampshire, 1999–2004; June 4, 2004
In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (Public Law 98-363) was passed, requiring States to raise to 21 years the minimum age to purchase and publicly possess alcohol. Although the law has contributed to substantial reductions in underage drinking and alcohol-related motor-vehicle crashes, alcohol use and binge drinking rates among youths remain high in the United States, and efforts by youths to purchase alcohol from licensed establishments frequently are successful.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5321a2.htm
- Alcohol and Other Drug Use Prevention Fact Sheet
The School Health Policies and Programs Study assesses school policies and programs at the State, district, school and classroom levels. This fact sheet gives statistics about alcohol and other drug use prevention efforts in elementary, middle, and high schools.
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/shpps/1994/pdf/fs-aod.pdf
Department of Health and Human Services/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
The mission of NIAAA is to “conduct research focused on improving the treatment and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems to reduce the enormous health, social, and economic consequences of this disease.” NIAAA has expanded its focus on underage drinking based on recent research findings from several different disciplines, including the NIAAA epidemiological survey NESARC and studies on brain development during adolescence that suggest increased vulnerability to consequences of alcohol exposure. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
Resources:
- Alcohol Research & Health: Alcohol and Development in Youth: A Multidisciplinary Overview, Volume 28, Number 3, 2004-2005
The recent National Research Council and Institute of Medicine report, Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility, underscores the dangers of underage drinking, even when the level of drinking falls short of a diagnosable condition. This report also proposes a strategy to begin to address this issue. This issue of Alcohol Research & Health is a first step in National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) efforts to bring the developmental perspective to bear upon the problem of underage drinking.
- Make a Difference, Talk to Your Child About Alcohol
This guide is geared to parents and guardians of young people ages 10 to 14. Keep in mind that the suggestions offered in the guide are just that—suggestions. Trust your instincts. Choose ideas you are comfortable with, and use your own style in carrying out the approaches you find useful. Your child looks to you for guidance and support in making life decisions—including the decision not to use alcohol.
Web Sites:
- College Task Force Materials Kit and Web Site
This comprehensive report summarizes the results and recommendations of the 3-year NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking. The Task Force was comprised of college and university presidents, researchers specializing in college alcohol use, and selected students. The report contains information on the consequences of excessive and underage college drinking, recommendations for possible interventions, and suggested areas for future research.
The task force on college drinking materials kit is available both as a download on the Web site and from NIAAA. It includes three brochures that are also available separately including What Parents Need to Know About College Drinking; What Peer Educators and RAs Need to Know About College Drinking; and What College Presidents Need to Know About College Drinking. The materials kit also includes the guide book Reducing Alcohol Problems on Campus: A Guide to Planning and Evaluation. Fact sheets are also available including Parents: Help Your Teens Party Right at Graduation; and Fall Semester—A Time For Parents to Revisit Discussions About College Drinking.
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov
Department of Health and Human Services/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA’s mission “is to build resilience and facilitate recovery for people with or at risk for substance abuse and mental illness.” SAMHSA works to reduce underage drinking by supporting underage drinking prevention activities in States and communities, promoting the use of evidence-based practices, educating the public, and collaborating with other agencies and interested parties. http://www.samhsa.gov/
Resources:
- Reach Out Now National Teach-In
To further alert children, parents, and teachers about the dangers of underage alcohol use, and to reinforce the messages in these school-based materials, SAMHSA encourages prominent national, State, and local leaders to conduct Teach-Ins for fifth- and/or sixth-grade classrooms nationwide during April each year. The already-prepared Teach-In curriculum focuses on the lessons in the Reach Out Now materials.
http://www.teachin.samhsa.gov
- SAMHSA Model Programs
The SAMHSA Model Programs featured on this site have organizations and workplaces across America, and have provided help to fight substance abuse and other related high-risk behaviors.
- Too Smart To Start Implementation Guide
The materials contained in this guide are designed to help you plan and develop an initiative to educate 9- to 13-year-olds and their parents about the harms of underage alcohol use and to support parents and caregivers as they participate in their children’s activities.
http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/html/tsts-impl/index.aspx
Web Site:
Department of Justice/Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DOJ/OJJDP)
OJJDP provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports States and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families. Since 1998, OJJDP’s central underage drinking prevention initiative, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws, is a nationwide State- and community-based, multi-disciplinary effort that seeks to prevent access to and consumption of alcohol by minors, with a special emphasis on enforcement of underage drinking laws and implementation of best and most promising practice programming. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/
Resources for Regulatory Strategies for Preventing Youth Access to Alcohol: Best Practices
- Strategies to Reduce Underage Alcohol Use: Typology and Brief Overview
This document provides a summary of the various strategies commonly used to reduce underage drinking and indicates the level of effect that might be expected from each strategy. The information is designed to assist States in setting priorities for activities to be funded with block grant money.
- Reducing Alcohol Sales to Underage Purchasers: A Practical Guide to Compliance Check Investigations
This document indicates the importance of enforcement in retail establishments as the cornerstone of enforcing underage drinking laws. It provides the essential elements of carrying out compliance checks using minors or young-looking adults.
- Schools and the Community: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Environment
Schools have long been central to community-based alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention programs. The programs often focus on educating children when they are very young.
- Strategic Media Advocacy for the Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws
Media coverage is often an important component in prevention and also an essential component of enforcement. This guide provides practical information on using media effectively to bring about better enforcement of underage drinking laws.
This list is only a sampling of the research-based, best practice documents that are available to the public from the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center. Documents related to the cost of underage drinking nationally and for each State, plus information pertaining to the enforcement community, are available for downloading at www.udetc.org/Publications.htm.
Department of Labor
http://www.dol.gov/
Resources:
- Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace
Abuse of alcohol and other drugs by workers of any age creates significant but avoidable workplace hazards. Research indicates that adolescents who work longer hours may be more at risk for alcohol and drug abuse. This site helps employers develop workplace prevention programs that improve worker safety and health.
http://www.dol.gov/workingpartners
- GetFit Web Site
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
This Web site offers employers and other work organizations a free way to provide workers and their family members with confidential access to credible information about physical health, mental health and drug and alcohol use.
http://www.atgetfit.net/sitemap.aspx
- Workplace-Based Substance Abuse Prevention and Early Intervention for Young Adults
This report provides background information for workplace-based substance abuse prevention and early intervention for adolescents and young adults.
http://dwp.samhsa.gov/YIW/Pages/Background.aspx
Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT/NHTSA)
NHTSA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs. The Agency develops, promotes, and implements effective educational, engineering, and enforcement programs, to end preventable tragedies and reduce economic costs associated with vehicle use and highway travel, including underage drinking. Every State has a Highway Safety Office (HSO), located in various State agencies, that carry out the NHTSA mission in their State. The following link provides contact information and tips in partnering successfully with the HSOs: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/
outreach/TipsandTactics/pages/TOC.htm.
Resources:
Materials relating to youth traffic safety and underage drinking/alcohol-related driving can be ordered from the NHTSA Web site (www.nhtsa.gov) unless otherwise indicated. Available materials include:
- SMASHED: Toxic Tales of Teens and Alcohol—underage drinking documentary with lesson plans, produced by HBO Family, distributed in partnership with Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving (RADD), and NHTSA. www.noys.org
- Community How-To Guide On Underage Drinking Prevention—nine-piece guide for communities addressing coalition building, needs assessment and strategic planning, evaluation, prevention and education, enforcement, public policy, media relations, self-sufficiency, and resources.
- Safe Lanes on Campus: A Guide for Preventing Impaired Driving and Underage Drinking—describes prevention strategies that campus and community prevention coalitions can consider when developing strategic plans to combat these issues.
- Teens at Risk: A Parent’s Guide to Underage Drinking—a family-life tool developed by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and NHTSA for use by employers to reach children/young drivers of employers. www.trafficsafety.org
Web Sites:
A wealth of material is available on NHTSA’s Web site, www.nhtsa.gov. Links are included to the agency’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.a0bd5d5a23d09ec24ec86e10dba046a0/), information on Traffic Safety—Impaired Driving (http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.18e416bf1b09b6bbbf30811060008a0c/), and a separate NHTSA Web site dedicated solely to impaired driving and underage drinking/alcohol-related driving is available at www.stopimpaireddriving.org.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ex officio
With responsibilities under 46 consumer protection and competition laws, the FTC uses law enforcement and consumer/business education to protect consumers. The FTC monitors alcohol advertising for unlawful practices and compliance with self-regulatory policies, and reports to Congress when appropriate. http://www.ftc.gov/
Resources:
- FTC 1999 Alcohol Report
This 1999 report reviews alcohol self-regulatory efforts to avoid targeting minors. It recommends that industry improve enforcement by adopting third party review of compliance, and reduce underage exposure to alcohol ads by changing the current placement standards that allow advertising in media where as much as 50 percent of the audience is under 21. Report:
http://www.ftc.gov/reports/alcohol/alcoholreport.htm;press release: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/09/alcoholrep.htm
- FTC 2003 Alcohol Report
This report evaluates changes in self-regulatory practices since 1999, including adoption of an improved ad placement standard and improved third party review by the spirits industry. It evaluates whether FMBs are targeted to minors. The report concludes that while advertising self-regulation is designed to reduce the number of ads seen by minors, a comprehensive alcohol policy also must address underage access to alcohol, including noncommercial sources (friends and family). Report: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2003/09/alcohol08report.pdf; press release: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/09/alcohol.htm
- FTC Consumer Education project
In 2006 the FTC will launch www.dontserveteens.gov, a consumer education Web site about the importance of complying with laws regarding underage access to alcohol.
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
The principal purpose of ONDCP is to establish policies, priorities, and objectives for the Nation's drug control program. The goals of the program are to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences. Part of ONDCP’s efforts relate to underage alcohol use. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
Resources: