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Beyond the Basics: Topic-Specific Publications for Coalitions

The Coalition Impact:Environmental Prevention

Strategies

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of AmericaNational Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute

About this PublicationCADCA’s National Coalition Institute published aseries of seven primers that coincide with andhelp coalitions navigate the elements of the Sub-stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin-istration’s Strategic Prevention Framework. Thisis the first in a new series—Beyond the Basics:Topic-Specific Publications for Coalitions—thatwork in conjunction with the Primer Series. Theyare meant to assist coalitions expand theirknowledge about planning for population-levelchange. As is true with the primers, they workas a set, however, each also can stand alone.

This publication provides an overview of the envi-ronmental strategies approach to communityproblem solving. It includes real examples of ef-forts where environmental strategies aimed atpreventing and reducing community problemsrelated to alcohol and other drugs were imple-mented. No one approach or set of strategieswill fix every community problem, but with anappropriate environmental assessment, a coali-tion can determine what aspects of environmen-tal prevention will best serve their community.Topics covered in this publication include:

WHAT are environmental strategies and why arecoalitions best suited to plan and implementthem?

WHAT data collection and analysis is essential inthe investigation of environmental conditionsof a community to effectively choose andimplement strategies?

HOW can a coalition build capacity to commit tothe long-term investment that is necessaryfor environmental strategies to succeed?

WHERE do environmental strategies fit into acomprehensive community plan?

HOW will your coalition evaluate the success andimpact of environmental strategies?

CADCA’s National Coalition InstituteThe National Community Anti-Drug CoalitionInstitute (Institute), a part of the CommunityAnti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), servesas a center for training, technical assistance,evaluation, research and capacity building forcommunity anti-drug coalitions throughout theUnited States. The Institute was created in 2002by an act of Congress and supports coalitiondevelopment and growth for Drug Free Commu-nities Support Program (DFC) grantees and othercommunity coalitions.

The Institute offers an exceptional opportunity tomove the coalition field forward. Its mission andobjectives are ambitious but achievable. In short,the Institute helps grow new, stronger andsmarter coalitions.

Drug Free Communities Support ProgramIn 1997, Congress enacted the Drug-Free Com-munities Act to provide grants to community-based coalitions that serve as catalysts for multi-sector participation to reduce local substanceabuse problems. As of September 2010, morethan 1,700 local coalitions have received or arereceiving funding to work on two main goals:• Reduce substance abuse among youthand, over time, among adults byaddressing the factors in a communitythat increase the risk of substance abuseand promoting the factors that minimize therisk of substance abuse.

• Establish and strengthen collaborationamong communities, private nonprofitagencies and federal, state, local andtribal governments to support the effortsof community coalitions to prevent andreduce substance abuse among youth.

Table of ContentsCHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACH 1

What are environmental strategies? 1Roots of environmental approaches 1Advantages of environmental strategies 1

CHAPTER 2: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE 4The Public Health Model 4Institute of Medicine Model—A useful planning approach for coalitions 4A broader look at policy 5Coalitions: The organizational structure for environmental strategies 5

CHAPTER 3: THE SPF AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES 10Cultural implications in assessing the community and planning strategies 10Environmental assessment 11Environmental scanning 12Assess conditions with marketing’s 4 Ps 12Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 12Understanding problem environments 13Involving youth in assessment 14Commitment through capacity building 14Whom do we need around the table? 14Bolstering coalition leaders 16The planning process 17

CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION IN ACTION 19Seven strategies for community change: A brief explanation 19Implementing environmental approaches using the seven strategies 20Media and environmental approaches 22Evaluation of environmental strategy implementation 24Conclusion 26

COALITION EXAMPLESShawnee County Meth Awareness Project 3North Coastal Prevention Coalition 6Hood River County Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Prevention Coalition 15Salt Lake City Mayor’s Coalition on Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs 25

ENDNOTES 29

GLOSSARY 29

RESOURCES 31

The Coalition Impact: Environmental Prevention StrategiesCADCA’s National Coalition Institute 1

This publication launches a new series—Beyondthe Basics: Topic-Specific Publications for Coali-tions—that work in conjunction with the Institute’spopular Primer Series, based on the SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health Services Administra-tion’s (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework(SPF). It can help your coalition start planning andimplementing environmental strategies, but itdoes not provide a set design for any individualcommunity or coalition.

The publication includes brief case studies fromfour local coalitions that have implemented envi-ronmental strategies to successfully address theircommunities’ most pressing issues. Each groupused an environmental approach, but none imple-mented identical strategies in the same ways.Environmental strategies must be tailored to localcommunity characteristics. Your coalition must ad-dress the root causes and local conditions aroundthe specific problem you are trying to change.

What are environmental strategies?Grounded in the field of public health, which em-phasizes the broader physical, social, cultural andinstitutional forces that contribute to the problemsthat coalitions address, environmental strategiesoffer well-accepted prevention approaches thatcoalitions use to change the context (environment)in which substance use and abuse occur.

Environmental strategies incorporate preventionefforts aimed at changing or influencing commu-nity conditions, standards, institutions, structures,systems and policies. Coalitions should selectstrategies that lead to long-term outcomes. In-creasing fines for underage drinking, moving to-bacco products behind the counter, not sellingcold, single-serving containers of beer in conven-ience stores and increasing access to treatmentservices by providing Spanish-speaking counselorsare all examples of environmental strategies.

Roots of environmental approaches1

Interest in the scientific study of environmentalstrategies and the corresponding use of alcohol

policy dates back to the mid-1970s. In the UnitedStates this approach was embraced in the mid-1980s by communities looking for mechanisms toaddress the growing problems of alcohol outlet-related crime and violence, drinking and driving,underage access to alcohol and other community-based alcohol problems.

Three key publications have attracted attention to,provided a foundation for and offered evidencethat by implementing environmental approaches,communities and local municipalities develop suf-ficient power to reduce alcohol-related problems.

These publications include:• Alcohol Control Policies in Public Health

Perspective2—sponsored by the World HealthOrganization (WHO), was published in 1975and drew the attention of governmentsaround the world that sought to rationally ad-dress alcohol availability and consumption.

• Alcohol Policy and Public Good3—anotherWHO-sponsored book, published in 1994,opened the door for increased scientificresearch into the approach’s efficacy.

• In 2003, Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity—Research and Public Policy,4 provided anupdated summary of the significant litera-ture on the evidential underpinnings ofenvironmental approaches.

Today, ample evidence and little doubt exist thatwell-conceived and implemented policies—local,state and national—can reduce population-basedalcohol, tobacco and other drug problems.

Advantages of environmental strategiesEnvironmental strategies can produce quick winsand instill commitment toward long-term impacton practices and policies within a community.But, they also require substantial commitmentfrom various sectors of the community to con-tribute to sustainable community change. Suchapproaches potentially reach entire populationsand reduce collective risk. They create lastingchange in community norms and systems,

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACH


producing widespread behavior change and, inturn, reducing problems for entire communities.

Individual strategies, such as drug educationclasses, are based on the premise that substanceabuse develops because of deficits in knowledgeabout negative consequences, inadequate resist-ance skills, poor decision making abilities and lowacademic achievement. But these efforts, whileimportant in a multiple strategy approach, do littleto independently alter the overall environment inwhich people live and work.

For example, numerous education campaigns andpublic awareness efforts related to heart diseaseexist. We are encouraged to avoid certain foods,exercise daily and get regular check-ups. This in-formation is familiar and repeated often, yet welive in a society where heart disease remains aninsidious public health problem.

Telling individuals what to do is different thanlimiting food options in grocery stores or providingexercise breaks for employees. Likewise, simply

telling an individual that substance use/abuse isdangerous will not necessarily affect their behav-ior in a significant manner.

Individuals do not become involved with sub-stances solely on the basis of personal character-istics. They are influenced by a complex set offactors, such as institutional rules and regulations,community norms, mass media messages andthe accessibility of alcohol, tobacco and otherdrugs (ATOD). When a comprehensive, multi-strategy effort is in place, coalitions contribute toachieving population-level change by focusing onmultiple targets of sufficient scale and scope tomake a difference communitywide.

Costs associated with implementation, monitoringand political action within a community can beconsiderably lower than those associated with on-going education, services and therapeutic effortsapplied to individuals. The bottom line is environ-mental strategies are effective in modifying thesettings where a person lives, which plays a partin how that person behaves.

CSAP’s Centers for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), West CAPT. Environmental Prevention Strategies: PuttingTheory Into Practice Presentation, retrieved from web, http://captus.samhsa.gov/western/resources/ppt/index.cfm, March 2008.

Figure 1: Prevention strategies attempt to alter two kinds of environments

Strategies TargetingIndividualized Environments

Strategies Targeting theShared Environment

Socialize, Instruct, Guide, Counsel Support, Thwart

ALL YOUTH

Norms Regulations

Availability

Family School

FaithCommunity

HealthCare

Providers

INDIVIDUAL YOUTH


Lessons Learned:� Develop actionable steps to implement. Education is necessary to create awareness and start a movement in your

community. However, coalition members and stakeholders need actionable steps to gain momentum. Create and share thebasic tools needed to achieve success. For example, the Shawnee County coalition, through the Kansas Methamphetamine Pre-vention Project, provided technical assistance and resources to local communities to address meth production. They developeda kit with ready-to-use information for neighboring counties to implement similar, but not necessarily identical, strategies.

� Avoid placing blame when bringing others on board. Ask for help and support the efforts of community members. TheKansas Meth Prevention Project worked with the farming community to reduce access to anhydrous ammonia tanks, taking carenot to blame farmers. The coalition educated farmers on the importance of locking their tanks and obtained funding to pay forlocks that they distributed to the local agricultural community. This demonstrated the coalition’s willingness to work with farmersinstead of pointing the finger and expecting them to implement a strategy without support.

� Be creative when presenting to different groups. Present visuals when possible—in Shawnee County, coalition leaders useda map to plot the lab seizures in the community which helped fight denial that the drug problem was permeating everyone’sneighborhoods. Drug seizures were happening throughout the community and did not exclude rural areas, locations near ele-mentary schools, or the local shopping mall.

� Provide small start-up funds to encourage community development. The average funding received in this case was $900per county. It served as a catalyst to convene the community. Once people mobilize around an issue, the possibilities areendless. With the right resources, support and the proper strategies aligned, people can do much with a little money.

Residents in Shawnee County, Kans., mobilized to address anincrease in the number of methanphetamine (meth) labsthroughout the county. At the time, Kansas law did not preventpurchasing large amounts of products containing pseudo-ephedrine, a substance commonly found in over-the-countercough and cold medicines and used in meth production. Whentwo local substance abuse prevention professionals entered astore and observed a suspicious sale, they reported it to theirDirector of Regional Prevention and started to plan a commu-nity mobilization strategy to address the problem.

Residents of the county formed a coalition—the ShawneeCounty Meth Awareness Project—incorporating local and stategovernment, law enforcement, agriculture, education and busi-ness, and focusing on reducing local meth production.

The group took advantage of their partnerships and existingrelationships that those partners brought to the table. Thesecollaborations ensured the coalition a high level of capacity toreduce meth production locally.

Guided by ongoing community assessment, the group concen-trated its efforts on limiting access to pseudoephedrine andanhydrous ammonia—commonly used in meth production. Thecoalition’s multiple-strategy approach started with an educa-tion campaign, concentrating particularly on retail merchants,residential landlords and hotel/motel managers and theagriculture community about the issue.

They worked with local farmers to ensure that tanks of anhy-drous ammonia—designed for use as a fertilizer—remainedlocked when not in use. The coalition received funding to sup-port the farming community by paying for the locks.

The Shawnee County coalition’s broad community reachresulted in development of new initiatives; one of which grewinto the Kansas Retail Meth Watch Program, a nationallyrecognized initiative aimed at deterring theft or purchaseof products used in meth production.

Their local successes led to requests from neighboring countiesthat hoped to implement similar strategies. The coalitionthen began to provide training and technical assistance toother communities that wanted to address meth productionand use.

As the movement grew, it gained significant media attentionand opportunities for state-level change emerged. In October2002, the Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project, astatewide initiative was launched to reduce and prevent pro-duction and use of meth in the state. The initiative developeda statewide training program called “Crank it up! CommunityMethamphetamine Prevention Training.”

The grassroots mobilization success of the Shawnee Countyproject demonstrates how community coalitions can createa “domino effect,” starting at the local level, spreading tosurrounding counties and ultimately producing state- andnational-level results.

The coalition advocated for action from the state legislatureand neighboring states began passing meth precursor laws. In2005, Kansas passed a law limiting the sale of ephedrine andpseudoephedrine in retail stores throughout the state. Thislocal effort has spread throughout the United States and con-tributed to an overall reduction in the number of meth labs.

SHAWNEE COUNTY METH AWARENESS PROJECT

Selective Prevention Interventions target specificsubgroups that are believed to be at greater riskfor substance abuse than others. Risk groups maybe identified on the basis of biological, psychologi-cal, social or environmental risk factors known tobe associated with substance abuse and addic-tion. Interventions are designed to address theidentified risk indicators of the targeted subgroup.

Indicated Prevention Interventions targetindividuals who exhibit early signs of substanceuse disorders and other problem behaviors associ-ated with such disorders, including early sub-stance use, school failure, interpersonal socialproblems, delinquency, other anti-social behaviorsand psychological problems such as depression.

Although most environmental strategies areaimed at the general population (universal), theyalso can impact a smaller segment of the commu-nity. The IOM model is, therefore, a useful frame-


CHAPTER 2: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE

Figure 2. The Public Health Model

Agent

EnvironmentHost

Alcohol

Physical &Social ContextIndividual

The Public Health ModelThe public health model demonstrates that prob-lems arise through relationships and interactionsamong an agent (e.g., the substance, like alcoholor drugs), a host (the individual drinker or druguser) and the environment (the social and physicalcontext of substance use).

For example, health risks from smoking becameclear in 1964 with the Surgeon General’s warning.This stepped up efforts to implement tobacco edu-cation and cessation programs. However, signifi-cant reductions in tobacco consumption occurredonly when strategies were implemented to changethe settings (e.g., airplanes) where the agent (e.g.,tobacco smoke) and the host (e.g., flight atten-dants, passengers) came together. Groundbreak-ing, smoke-free policies implemented by majorairlines led to passage of similar policies in work-places and public buildings across the country.Today, many states and localities have enactedand are enforcing Clean Air Laws and pushingsmoking outside of public buildings and spaces.

Institute of Medicine Model—A usefulplanning approach for coalitionsIn 1994, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) proposeda new framework for classifying prevention. TheIOM model divides the continuum of care intothree parts: prevention, treatment and mainte-nance. Prevention interventions are divided intothree classifications--universal, selective and indi-cated. Although the system distinguishes betweenprevention and treatment, intervention in this con-text is used in its generic sense.

Universal Prevention Interventions address thegeneral population with programs aimed at delay-ing substance use and preventing abuse. Partici-pants are not specifically recruited for the pre-vention activities. Universal prevention activitiesalso can include efforts to bring community mem-bers together to plan for services and to changenorms and laws reducing risk factors and promot-ing a more protective environment.


work for classifying environmental efforts. Byimproving systems to better support a subset ofthe community—for example, individuals return-ing to the community after incarceration—bene-fits can be derived for the former inmates, theirfamilies and the population as a whole.

A broader look at policyEnvironmental approaches tend to center onpolicy that shapes perception in communities,homes or workplaces in local, state or nationalvenues. Environmental strategies focus on pop-ulations and affect large numbers of peoplethrough the adoption of systems and policychange and ongoing effective enforcement.

Policies, formal or informal, can be enactedlocally. Informal policy change can occur at ahigh school, police department or with local mer-chants. For example, if local alcohol retailers arewilling to attend merchant education sessionsvoluntarily, formal policy change is unnecessary.However, if your community determines that par-ents and other adults are the main suppliers ofalcohol to underage drinkers, existing ordinancesand laws related to social host issues may requiremore formal policy change.

Do not immediately head to the state house toget laws enacted. In many instances, it is easierfor coalitions to achieve policy success at thelocal level—particularly as they relate to alcoholand underage drinking. Start at home and learnabout existing policies that may simply need moreproactive enforcement.

Continuing enforcement creates lasting environ-mental change. For example, if the local schooldistrict enacts a 24/7 Zero Tolerance Policy,prohibiting students from consuming or posessingalcoholic beverages, enforcement augments theenvironmental work. Consistent enforcement forpolicy violations leads to widespread adoption.Just passing a policy does not ensure that a com-munity will change. Enforcement of a policy thatresponds to a community problem provides thegreatest impact. The consequences for violatinga policy must be appropriate and swift.

Coalitions: The organizational structurefor environmental strategiesEnvironmental strategies are carried out mosteffectively in the context of a community problem-solving process conducted by coalitions. Coalitionscan harness the community’s power to createchange. A well-functioning coalition engagesresidents, law enforcement, schools, nonprofitorganizations, the faith community, youth andother key groups to work in tandem to addresscommunity concerns. Coalitions are well posi-tioned to ensure sustained action on pervasivecommunity problems that have eluded simplesolutions. And, coalitions enable residents tocontribute to making a difference and creating thepolitical will necessary to influence developmentand implementation of lasting policy.

Finally, environmental strategies are cost effectivegiven the potential magnitude of change. Commu-nity mobilization is central to creating population-level change. After data have been collected andanalyzed, coalitions must assess their capacity toeffectively address the identified problem(s). Thisis especially important when using environmentalapproaches. Historically, many coalitions haveconsisted largely of members whose focus hasbeen working with individuals, families and othersmall groups to elicit change in knowledge, skillsand attitudes. Implementing environmental strate-gies requires different skills, such as communityorganizing and/or development, and the involve-ment of different community actors.

Individual strategies Environmental strategies

Focus on behavior and Focus on policy and policybehavior change change

Focus on the relationship Focus on the social, politicalbetween the individual and and economic context ofalcohol/drug-related problems alcohol/drug-related problems

Short-term focus on Long-term focus on policyprogram development development

Individual generally does not People gain power byparticipate in decision making acting collectively

Individual as audience Individual as advocate


Lessons Learned:� Focus on local policies first. You do not have to change state laws or create ordinances to make environmental changes.

Businesses also have the power to change policies. In this case, the coalition approached street fair promoters, gettingthem to understand the scope of the problem. They presented pictures and data, helping them to see the value in banningproducts with pro-drug messages.

� Monitor enforcement of policy. Once a policy change is made, the work is not over because having a policy in writing, doesnot guarantee enforcement! The NCPC members continue to be the “eyes and ears” at street festivals to ensure that vendorsare following the policy. Your coalition may have to take responsibility for such surveillance to guarantee compliance. Law en-forcement in communities often is stretched very thin and they appreciate assistance.

� Take advantage of windows of opportunity for change. It often is difficult to mobilize people around a particular issueunless a significant event is involved. These events can be great levers for changing community norms and attitudes and toget people on board with your coalition’s proposed strategies. In this case, one festival helped raise visibility of the problem.Document it. Take pictures and share them with your community through Web-based photo sharing sites such as Flickr.

� Make it easy for partners to get on board. In this case, the coalition went to the street fair promoters with a plan. They toldthem that the coalition would monitor vendor compliance and would bring this information back to the promoters. The promotersonly needed to agree to change the policy language. Offer support to partners. Business people will be more willing to agree toyour terms if it does not seem like an extra burden for them.

The North Coastal Prevention Coalition (NCPC) servingNorth San Diego County, including the cities of Carlsbad,Oceanside and Vista, Calif., developed a comprehensiveplan to address youth marijuana use when assessmentsrevealed that more San Diego County youth smoked mari-juana than cigarettes. At the time, the community envi-ronment was saturated with pro-drug messages on theradio, in retail stores and at local street fairs. As part oftheir plan, the coalition collaborated with a countywideinitiative called HARM (Health Advocates Rejecting Mari-juana) to eliminate messages portraying marijuana useas “fun” and “harmless.”

The county holds about 40 public festivals each year,making the problem visible to the general community,particularly youth. NCPC leaders determined that theycould have success in eliminating drug paraphernaliaand pro-drug items at local street fairs.

When a music festival, saturated with pro-marijuana mes-sages came to Oceanside, drawing large crowds of youthand young adults, the coalition saw a prime opportunityto document the problem. Coalition members went tothe festival and took a collection of photographs theyused later to advocate for their position and display themagnitude of the problem.

This visual documentation proved extremely helpful whenthe coalition approached the city council to amend anexisting “headshop” ordinance, to require drug parapher-nalia, such as bongs and pipes, to be sold inside licensed

buildings. The city council agreed to the amendment, butthe coalition realized this was only part of the problem.The original ordinance did not prevent street vendors fromselling and displaying items such as t-shirts, jewelry andposters that sent messages to local youth that could beconstrued as supporting marijuana use.

The coalition went to the Chamber of Commerce, thesponsor of “Harbor Days,” an annual festival held at theOceanside Harbor. They believed that if they could compelthe “Harbor Days” event planners to change their policies,others might follow. The coalition worked with the Cham-ber of Commerce to add language to their vendor policybanning vendors from selling “tobacco products, to-bacco/drug paraphernalia or any item that promotes theuse of illicit substances.” This was a huge success, butmany more festivals remained. The coalition had to be cre-ative. Instead of pushing for an ordinance, they decided toget street fair promoters on their side.

One company was responsible for sponsoring most streetfairs across North San Diego County. The coalition calledthe promoters to seek voluntary adoption of a policyagainst the sale of pro-drug items. As they hoped, thechange made by “Harbor Days,” led the promoter tovoluntarily ban the pro-drug items from other fairs.These efforts led the coalition to successfully advocateenvironmental change at 14 fairs throughout the NorthCounty. They continue to monitor activity, ensuring thatfestivals are positive environments for families and youth.

NORTH COASTAL PREVENTION COALITION


Think about coalition membership in terms of abusiness. Successful companies recruit and hireemployees only after an analysis of their skills andabilities. Within a company, leadership strives tocollectively gather the best mix of individuals who,working together, leverage the breadth of theirskills and perform in a cohesive manner. New

projects may mean new employees or an adjust-ment in positions. Approach coalition work in thesame way: a company, with a set of leaders(Board of Directors) and divisions (subcommittees)engaged in planning and implementing the work,while keeping common goals and measures ofsuccess in sharp focus.

Do your homeworkCoalitions that are planning to implement environmental strategies must do a considerable amount of investiga-tion to learn what formal and informal policies exist that influence environmental factors. For example, not know-ing local ordinances related to alcohol and tobacco will hinder progress. Coalitions should learn about state andlocal laws related to the sale of alcohol and tobacco products. In other words, coalitions must do their homework.It becomes the coalition’s job to know everything that might be helpful.

Examples of homework for coalitions:• Locate and read your state’s alcohol/tobacco laws• Locate and read local alcohol/tobacco ordinances/policies• Understand the process for obtaining an alcohol/tobacco retail license• Understand the process for enforcement of alcohol/tobacco retail licenses• Understand the process for creating and modifying local land use regulations, i.e., zoning• Learn about local law enforcement agencies and their roles within your community (i.e., jurisdictions,current efforts)

• Learn about the roles and responsibilities of judicial officers (i.e., magistrates, judges) in your community• Learn the political process in your community (i.e., election cycles, who is currently serving and theiragendas, etc.)

• Conduct a local/state policy analysis (what already exists)• Conduct a power analysis in your community (who has the power to change policy)• Determine what other local agencies are doing to address the problem your coalition is concerned about


ALCOHOL—Public Policies

Yes NoExcise taxes (local)Limits on hours or days of saleRestrictions of density, location, or types of outletsMandatory server training and licensingDram shop and social host liabilityRestrictions on advertising and promotionMandatory warning signs and labelsRestrictions on consumption in public placesPrevention of preemption of local control of alcohol regulation (home rule)Minimum bar entry ageKeg registration/tagging ordinancesCompulsory compliance checks for minimum purchase age and administrativepenalties for violationsEstablishment of minimum age for sellers

ALCOHOL—Organizational PoliciesRestrictions on alcohol advertisements (media)Restrictions on alcohol use at work and work events (businesses)Restrictions on sponsorship of special events (communities, stadiums)Police walkthroughs at alcohol outletsUndercover outlet compliance checks (law enforcement agencies)Responsible beverage service policies (outlets)Mandatory checks of age identification (businesses)Server training (businesses)Incentives for checking age identification (businesses)Prohibition of alcohol on school grounds or at school events (schools)Enforcement of school policies (schools)Prohibition of beer kegs on campus (colleges)Establishment of enforcement priorities against adults who illegally providealcohol to youthSobriety checkpoints (law enforcement agencies)Media campaigns about enforcement efforts (media)Identification of source of alcohol consumed prior to driving-while-intoxicated arrests(law enforcement agencies)

Checklist of policy indicators for alcohol,tobacco and other drugs

This checklist can help you to assess the number and types of policies within your communityand where you might best extend your efforts.

Source: Center for Prevention Research and Development, Institute of Government & Public Affairs,University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Retreived from the Internet athttp://www.cprd.uiuc.edu/Pep/docs/Checklist_of_Policy_Indicators.RTF, March 2008.

Table 1.


TOBACCO—Public PoliciesYes No

Excise taxes (local)Tobacco sales licensing systemProhibition of smoking in public placesPrevention of preemption of local control of tobacco salesRestrictions on advertising and promotionBan on vending machinesCompulsory compliance checks for minimum purchase age andadministrative penalties for violationsMinimum age sales of age 18Warning labelsMandatory seller trainingBan on self - service sales (all tobacco behind the counter)Minimum age for sellersPenalty for underage use

TOBACCO—Organizational PoliciesEstablishment of smoke-free settings (restaurants, workplaces, hospitals, stadiums,malls, day care facilities)Counter advertising (media)Restrictions on sponsorship of special events (communities, colleges, stadiums)Prohibition of tobacco use on school grounds, in buses and at school eventsEnforcement of school policies (schools)Mandatory checks for age identification (businesses)Seller training (businesses)Incentives for checking age identification (businesses)Undercover shopper or monitoring program (businesses)

OTHER DRUGS—Public PoliciesControl of production and distributionZoning and building codes that discourage drug activity and penalties forproperty owners who fail to address known drug activityMandated school policies

OTHER DRUGS—Organizational PoliciesEmployer policies (businesses)Surveillance of high-risk public area (law enforcement agencies, neighborhoodwatch groups)Enforcement of zoning and building codes (law enforcement agencies,building authorities)Appropriate design and maintenance of parks, streets, and other public places(e.g., lighting, traffic flow) (city agencies, housing authorities)Enforcement of school drug policies (schools)


In this chapter, we take a look at theelements of the Strategic PreventionFramework (SPF) and how each re-lates to environmental approaches.No “cookie cutter” response to envi-ronmental strategies exists. You can-not select a “model” program andhope it will work in your community.You must do your homework—studyyour community, know the people,the neighborhoods and, yes, the localcontext. Then your coalition can craftenvironmental strategies tailored toyour community characteristics.

CADCA utilizes the SPF to assistcommunity coalitions in developingthe infrastructure needed forcommunity-based, public healthapproaches that can lead to effectiveand sustainable reductions in alco-hol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD)use and abuse. The elements shownFigure 3, at right, include:

• Assessment. Collect data to de-fine problems, resources, andreadiness within a geographic area toaddress needs and gaps.

• Capacity. Mobilize and/or build capacitywithin a geographic area to address needs.

• Planning. Develop a comprehensive strategicapproach that includes policies, programs,and practices creating a logical, data-drivenplan to address problems identified inthe assessment.

• Implementation. Implement evidence-basedprevention strategies, programs, policiesand practices.

• Evaluation. Measure the impact of the SPFand the implementation of strategies,programs, policies and practices.

The elements of sustainability and cultural compe-tence—central to community-based approaches—are shown in the center of the graphic indicatingtheir importance to each of the other elements.

Cultural implications in assessing thecommunity and planning strategiesCoalitions considering implementation of environ-mental strategies need to work with diverse popu-lations within their communities. Representativesfrom those communities must be involved as earlyas possible to avoid miscommunication or percep-tions that “outsiders” want to change their norms,traditions, policies or environments. Environmen-tal strategies planned without consideration ofcultural impact will not be accepted by the largercommunity and most likely will not produce thedesired results. Such involvement also requiresthat the coalition commit to fostering culturalcompetence at all levels of activity. The Institute’sCultural Competence Primer may help yourcoalition and is available in PDF format online atwww.cadca.org.

CHAPTER 3: THE SPF AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES

Figure 3. SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework


Note: in many communities across the country,problem environments tend to be concentrated ineconomically disadvantaged, minority neighbor-hoods. These areas often have a high concentra-tion of liquor outlets, liquor and tobacco billboardsand advertisements, as well as abandoned hous-ing that foster illicit drug use. These communitiesoften are marginalized and disenfranchised andhigh-risk conditions exist that would not be toler-ated in more affluent neighborhoods. Communitycoalitions must involve formal and informal lead-ers from such communities to bring about mean-ingful environmental change that will lead to im-proved community health in areas that are dispro-portionally impacted by myriad problems.

Carefully consider how your coalition will addressissues of cultural diversity and competence as youwork through the elements of the SPF. For exam-ple, how will you conduct an accurate assessmentof diverse sectors of your community? How willyou ensure broad representation of minority popu-lations in your coalition? How will you build capac-ity in economically disadvantaged communities?How your coalition responds to these issues likelywill determine your ultimate success in imple-menting environmental strategies and reducingsubstance abuse rates in your community.

Environmental assessmentCoalitions should take the necessary time tocomplete an assessment that includes key factorsto determine the most appropriate environmentalstrategies for a community. Create a picture ofthe state of affairs locally and surface problemsthe community sees as its most pressing issues.Move beyond just collecting student consumptionand attitudinal data for a more detailed under-standing of the deep-rooted causes in the commu-nity. The Institute’s Assessment Primer providesin-depth information on how to complete a com-munity assessment and is available in PDF formatonline at www.cadca.org.

Data collection can present challenges. Coalitionsshould seek data on their targeted geographicarea and/or create data that are aggregated downto the level they need (i.e., zip codes, a town, etc.).

When searching for data, remember to collectthem at the smallest level necessary to thoroughlyunderstand the issues in the target population orcommunity. It may be necessary to dig deeper asyour data investigation progresses. If the countyhas been chosen as the targeted area, then col-lecting county-level data is a good place to start.

Today’s approach to environmental strategies hadbeginnings more than 150 years ago when Dr.John Snow—a pioneer in the science of epidemiol-ogy—was able to stem an outbreak of Asiaticcholera in South London by tracing it to a singlesource of polluted water.

By interviewing families of victims where the out-break occurred, he was able to identify a singlepump as the epicenter of the outbreak. And, bycreating a map that showed all the pumps in theSouth London area in relation to cholera deaths,he convinced authorities to remove the pump han-dle, stopping the spread of cholera immediately.

This example of the benefits of well-researchedepidemiology forms the foundation for environ-mental assessments being conducted by coali-tions today. Snow used both qualitative data(personal interviews) and quantitative data(mapping locations of deaths) to make his case.Further, he looked at where the deaths weremost concentrated to pinpoint the source ofthe infection and compel skeptical policymakersto take action.

Community assessmentIssues may be considered “pressing” when:a. The problem occurs frequently (FREQUENCY)b. The problem has lasted for a while (DURATION)c. The problem affects many people (SCOPE)d. The problem is intense (SEVERITY)e. The problem deprives people of legal or human rights(SOCIAL IMPORTANCE)

f. The problem is perceived to be important (PERCEPTION).

University of Kansas Community Tool Box, retrieved from the Internetat ctb.ku.edu, March 2008. Used with permission.


Environmental scanningEnvironmental scanning is a useful assessmentmethod coalitions can employ to gather visible in-formation on local conditions surrounding alcohol,tobacco and other drugs. In determining the envi-ronmental strategies that best fit your community,coalitions may find it valuable to physically assessthe landscape. Using the context of substanceuse/abuse as a starting point, coalitions canbecome sensitive to environmental cues evidentwhen viewing the community context.

To conduct an environmental scan, your coalitionmust first develop a methodology to documentthe information. This includes questions you wantanswered and the ability to collect additional infor-mation that comes to the forefront during thescanning process. Recruit coalition members andenlist other community residents (i.e., law enforce-ment officers, youth, etc.) who will complete thescans and bring back the information.

While conducting a scan, visit local alcohol out-lets, other retail and commercial properties, resi-dential neighborhoods, parks and recreation areas(rivers, streams, wooded areas, etc.). Collect infor-mation about what you see, including the numberof billboards, advertising, lighting, signage, loca-tion of police and fire stations, schools, day carecenters, churches and other physical elements ofthe community. Take photographs and post the onyour coalition’s website, blog or social networkingsite such as Flickr or Photobucket (photo sharingsites). Use the data gathered to further informyour assessment process and alert your coalitionmembership of environmental elements that werenot previously discovered.

Assess conditions with marketing’s 4 PsWhen engaging in environmental scanning, workto find conditions that make illegal or excessivesubstance use and abuse easier. A concept knownas the marketing mix, or marketing’s four Ps, canhelp identify issues your coalition may need toaddress. Consider:Price: How much does a 22-ounce beer cost when

compared to a 12-ounce can of soda? Is alcoholless expensive in certain settings or time of day?What is the excise tax on tobacco?

Product: Do specific products appeal to certainpopulations (i.e., alcopops or flavored ciga-rettes)? Is beer provided in single cans with ahigh alcohol content?

Promotion: What Happy Hour regulations exist(i.e., time, price of alcohol, etc.)? Does the com-munity allow “2 for 1 specials?” Are there com-munity festivals that revolve around alcoholuse? What are the regulations related to freesamples of wine at the grocery store or chewingtobacco on a military base?

Place: Is beer next to soda in the cooler of localconvenience stores? Do “beer caves” makelarge amounts of cold beer available? Are prod-ucts displayed where they can be stolen easily?

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)In addition to the data sources already listed, theprevention field has sophisticated technology thatcan further illustrate the context of the environ-ment and its current conditions.

Figure 4. Marketing’s Four Ps

The marketing mix, or 4 Ps of marketing, can help coalitionsdetermine where in the community change needs to occur. Fora community environmental approach, the target market seenabove informs initiative planning and implementation. Graphicadapted from NetMBA.com.

Product

Place Promotion

Price

TARGETMARKET

Through Geographic Information Systems(GIS), information can be digitally mapped,creating visual displays that indicate problemenvironments or “hot spots” of activity. For ex-ample, GIS mapping can have one layer thatshows the locations of alcohol outlets acrossa county; a second that indicates areas whereunderage drinking violations have occurredand a third illustrating crimes including van-dalism, public intoxication and loitering. Inareas where the data are concentrated, acoalition can pinpoint an area of high activitywhere environmental factors should be inves-tigated further. Where are alcohol retail out-lets and crime rates most concentrated? GISmapping provides correlations among datasets, so communities can determine problemsettings and move toward addressing the en-vironmental factors that create opportunitiesfor high-risk behaviors and related crime.

Learn more about GIS mapping on the FindYouth Information website, www.FindYouthInfo.gov. Many states and law enforce-ment and military agencies utilize GIS map-ping in their day-to-day operations. Checkwith your local police or National GuardBureau for help in compiling GIS maps for yourcommunity. See the Resources Section onpage 31 for more information.

Understanding problem environmentsFor success in planning environmental strategies,determine what specific locations in the commu-nity might be considered high-risk or problematic.For example, during the course of a communityassessment that includes environmental investiga-tion (i.e., environmental scanning and GIS map-ping), a community discovers that there is a highdensity of alcohol outlets within a two-block areaof the downtown district. In that area, crime, suchas vandalism, noise ordinance violations and drugdealing, also are significant. Understanding this, acoalition may identify environmental factors—i.e.,overgrown vacant lots or bars that allow underagepatrons to drink—that must be addressed.In some instances, a single outlet can wreakhavoc on an entire community. GIS mapping can


show how one “bad apple” can affect the commu-nity. Dealing with that one location might improveconditions in the entire community.

Consider demographic and geographic featureswithin the environmental context. Pay close atten-tion to the following:

• Lakes and rivers: Are youth allowed to usetheir parents’ boats on the water with little orno supervision? Are boat patrols a regularpart of enforcement activities?

• Homes with large land areas: Are theseareas ideal for underage drinking parties?

• Homes with basements: Can youth easilyconceal a party from negligent adults?

• Youth with working parents: Is supervisionan issue?

• Rural communities: Are the driving distanceslong and do they contribute to driving underthe influence? Are open fields or woodedareas common gathering spots for youth?

Figure 5: Sample GIS map

The map illustrates a GIS map indicating the correlation in the crimerate (including loitering, vandalism, noise ordinance violations, drugdealing, public drunkenness and robbery) and alcohol outlet densityin a five county area. Crime rates are shown by color (with darker colorindicating higher crime rates), while alcohol outlets are illustrated bypins in the map.


• Economically disadvantaged communities:Are abandoned buildings used for drugsales or use?

• Major highways/ports: Does your city have amajor highway or port that becomes part ofthe trafficking issue and increases the localsupply of illegal drugs?

Again, communities must consider ALL salientfactors when determining where problem environ-ments are and how to most appropriately plan toaddress them.

Involving youth in assessmentYouth involvement in coalitions is essential andyoung people can become great “data detectives.”They may see the community through a differentlens than most adult coalition members. Youthcan be recruited and organized to carry out inter-views with neighborhood residents, count andmap alcohol and tobacco outlets and locate andphotograph settings to further illustrate local con-ditions. They can create and administer surveysand present data in easy-to-understand reports,and coordinate town hall meetings and recruitparticipants. See the case study on page 15 tolearn about how the Hood River Coalition engagedyouth in the environmental assessment process.

The context in which a young person lives certainlyinfluences his/her behavior and how that contextbecomes an influence is different than that of anadult. With adult support and guidance, youthhave the skills and ability to go out into the com-munity and collect information. And, their knowl-edge of technology can be invaluable. Involvingand utilizing their skills in GIS mapping is not onlyan effective way to get this type of data collectionunderway, but also to educate youth on the princi-ples of environmental strategies and how physicaldesign can be modified.

Commitment through capacity buildingSuccessful implementation of environmentalstrategies does not happen overnight. Resultstake long-term commitment from coalitionmembers and membership must be adapted andadjusted as implementation progresses. Imple-

menting environ-mental strategiesrequires more com-munity involvementthan individualstrategies and re-quires participationof those most af-fected for craftingand carrying outsolutions.

Coalition membersshould becomesavvy agents ofchange to modifyrisky environmentsand affect improve-ments in systems todiscourage alcohol,drug and tobaccouse. Remember,the strategies and tactics needed to bring aboutenvironmental change differ from those requiredto select and implement programs for individuals.

Coalitions that employ environmental approachesmust learn to generate political capital and garnersupport from those in positions of authority.Elected officials, school and hospital administra-tors, business and labor union leaders, faith andcultural organizations and media all have thepower to shape policies and deploy resources.When such leaders also are coalition members,they can act as catalysts for change by enlistingsupport from others in their sphere of influence.Encourage them as “champions for change” forthe coalition’s policies and practices.

Whom do we need around the table?Determine whether your coalition includes all thestakeholder groups it needs to improve the likeli-hood that your initiatives will succeed. Using theproblem(s) identified from your communityassessment data as a starting point, ask the fol-lowing questions to begin to analyze if your coali-tion membership is comprehensive:

DFC requirements

DFC coalitions must include aminimum of one member/representative from each ofthese 12 community sectors:• Youth (persons less than orequal to 18 years of age)

• Parents• Business community• Media• Schools• Youth-serving organization• Law enforcement agencies• Religious or fraternalorganizations

• Civic and volunteer groups• Healthcare professionals• State, local, or tribalgovernmental agencies

• Other organizations involvedin reducing substance abuse


Lessons Learned:� Involve youth in your coalition work. Youth are powerful and persuasive advocates that can speak on behalf of the

coalition to key leaders and stakeholders in the community. Youth can push the coalition to do the work because theyare anxious for results. Involve them in the assessment and evaluation processto help paint a picture of theenvironment, using methods such as GIS mapping, photography and video. However, involving youth takesplanning to facilitate success.

� Build capacity through training opportunities. The coalition’s affiliation to the Oregon Research Institute was a keycomponent to their success because of the training provided. Never underestimate the power of training. It can greatlyincrease a coalition’s chances for success. The coalition leader was taught community mobilization; focusing on specificskills including working with the media, networking with key leaders, sharing data, and motivating and engaging commu-nity members. Active youth members also received training that built their capacity to reach their goals.

� Work with your community. The Hood River Coalition had little pushback from the community because of their overallapproach and their deep roots in the community. It is best if you can keep the coalition from being the “bad guy.” Work withbusinesses, not against them. Provide incentives and reminders to keep community members involved.

From 1992 to 1999, the Hood River County Alcohol Tobaccoand Other Drug Prevention Coalition, in partnership with theOregon Research Institute in Eugene, Ore., implemented Proj-ect SixTeen, to prevent and reduce tobacco use by adults andyouth in their community. The project was comprehensive, in-volving multiple strategies to reduce access and sales oftobacco to underage youth, increase perception of harm andparental disapproval of tobacco and increase tobacco-freeplaces and events.

What is unique about Hood River’s strategies is they involve-ment of youth in every step of the coalition process. Thecoalition engages youth as agents of change in its action planbecause of the receptive environment toward youth in theoverall community. Involving youth in coalition work empowersthem, builds their leadership skills and bonds them to thecommunity. They also can show the community youth’s role inpositive community change.

To recruit youth members to assist in developing coalitionactivities, coalition leaders began in the local high school.They identified interested youth in classrooms and studentclubs to help implement strategies and activities to mobilizethe community to reduce exposure to tobacco smoke, de-crease exposure to tobacco advertising and create barriers totobacco sales to underage youth. By first engaging youth inposter contests, t-shirt exchanges and strategy development,the coalition strategically planned for how to systematicallyachieve the goals of their initiative.

Youth passionately expressed their desire for stronger schoolpolicies prohibiting tobacco use on school grounds, at commu-nity events and in local restaurants, retail outlets and othervenues where youth gathered. They worked closely with school

administrators and presented to the school board fact-filledand persuasive arguments supporting a tobacco-free campus.These efforts led to adoption of policies restricting tobaccoadvertising, paraphernalia, use and possession in the schools,on campus and at school events. The policies applied to allstudents, employees and visitors to the school and banned to-bacco use on campus outside of regular school hours.

The success of these efforts empowered youth to address thetobacco issue beyond school grounds. They worked to extendthe school policy to include local restaurants, bars, motels andbusinesses; advocating for a Smoke-Free Workplace Law inHood River County. They presented in front of city councilmembers, county commissioners, and individual businesses,among others to influence change. Youth created petitions atthe high school, and surveyed peers, to demonstrate to localbusiness owners that banning smoking in their facility was aprofitable decision.

As a result of their hard work, 87 percent of local restaurantsand bars voluntarily adopted tobacco-free policies before thefirst state laws were passed in 1998. In addition, three localbusinesses removed vending machines from their bars andeight Quick Stop groceries put tobacco products behind thecounter. Once these local businesses were on board, thecoalition youth were prepared to present their successes atthe state level. These efforts helped lead to the passage ofOregon’s Smoke-Free Workplace Law in 1999. The coalitioncontinues to engage about 30 youth in prevention work eachyear through youth-led education, media and testimony tolocal and state policy makers on the impact of second handsmoke and the need to increase the tobacco tax as aneffective reduction tool.

HOOD RIVER COUNTY ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG PREVENTION COALITION


• Who is directly affected by the problem(s)?• Who else cares enough to want to solve the

problem(s)?• Who benefits if the problem is resolved?• What individuals or groups can resolve the

problem?Resist the urge to respond to these questions withthe common answer, “Everyone!” Identify specificenvironmental conditions that underlie problemsand clearly identify those groups and individualswho can enhance your efforts—human resources,community resources, political power, etc.

In the environmental approach, the community isnot simply the site for the intervention, but the ve-hicle for change. To truly reflect community needsand solutions, coalitions must include residentsand others who experience the alcohol and otherdrug-related problems directly, on a regular basis.These might include residents living near a parkwhere drugs are sold and consumed; teenagerswith direct knowledge of underage drinking par-ties and the effects on their friends and class-mates; or persons recovering from addiction whounderstand how relapse and recovery are affectedby high-risk environments where alcohol and otherdrugs are easily available.

People who directly experience a problem aremore invested in finding solutions. In the finalanalysis, community members can help sustainenvironmental change strategies by overseeingthe implementation of efforts over the long term.Take the opportunity to learn and cultivate yourcommunity members’ skills, talents, abilities,interests and resources. Your members willremain active when they are called to contributeto the cause. Remember that coalition membersneed to feel as though there is purpose anddefinition to their role within the coalition.

Bolstering coalition leadersCoalition leaders set the tone for their coalition’scapacity to engage the community from grass-roots to policymakers. As a coalition leader, yourmain role is as a community mobilizer. Individualsin leadership positions must be able to clearlyconvey what environmental strategies are and whythey should be a focus of the coalition. Relation-ship building and collaboration are vital to sustain-ability and must correspond to the coalition’scollective vision for long-term commitment andmeasurable community change.

Engaging law enforcement and judicial officersEnvironmental strategies that require law enforcement agencies can be part of a comprehensive, multi-strategyapproach. The coalition’s role is to investigate existing policies and procedures that can benefit the community.Learn how your coalition can help local law enforcement in analyzing gaps and enforcing current laws.

Consider tapping into non-traditional law enforcement agencies (i.e., game wardens, natural resource officers,code enforcement, animal protection, fraud investigators, etc.). These agencies face the same problems as the citypolice or county sheriff’s departments, but in a different environment or context. Coalitions in rural communitiesshould consider these agencies valuable partners in addressing environments that are more difficult to reach.

Judicial officers and systems are a large part of policy enforcement. Without their support, violators may not beconvicted or consequences may not be enforced. Consider how the coalition can make their job easier. Failure toengage local judicial officers may hinder the forward progression of enforcement operations and create tensionamong local law enforcement and the judges they stand before in court. Coalitions can seek Attorney Generals’opinions to support law enforcement and help them effectively defend cases.

In doing your homework, coalitions should:• Investigate current arrangements among all local law enforcement agencies regarding enforcement (multi-ju-risdictional agreements, multi-aid agreements, etc.)

• Work to improve and bolster relationships between law enforcement agencies• Involve local judicial officers and systems prior to an increase in enforcement operations (i.e., ComplianceChecks, Shoulder Taps, DUI Enforcement)


Coalitions that provide direct services or whosemembership consists predominantly of serviceproviding organizations may find environmentalstrategies difficult to implement. Thus, grassrootsmobilization that includes residents, parents,neighborhood associations, formal and informalleaders is essential. These individuals can becomethe voice of change without the fear of repercus-sion from an employer or appearing to be actingsolely in their employers’ interests.

Informal leaders can be as effective and influen-tial as formal leaders. For example, residents arethe “eyes and ears” of the community and canhold policy makers and other institutions account-able for ensuring that system changes and poli-cies are enforced on an ongoing basis.

Leaders—formal and informal—can benefit fromtraining that develops the skills required to planand implement environmental strategies. Someexamples include, but are not limited to:

• Community mobilization including relationshipbuilding skills;

• Training on environmental strategies and theireffects;

• Analyzing and developing effective, enforce-able policies, including the process for develop-ing local land use restrictions;

• Appropriate engagement of media;• Knowledge of how local, state and federal gov-

ernment processes operate;• Knowledge of community policing;• Knowledge of alcohol and other drug-related

community problems;• Knowledge of how local decisions are made

and who makes them;• Strong communication and facilitation skills;

and• Comfort working in environments with consid-

erable community dialogue and disparateopinions.

These are skills generally associated with commu-nity mobilizers—people who motivate others intoaction, fade into the background and share creditfor success. Emphasize the community process toengage residents and key stakeholders in defining

issues and participating in the development andimplementation of environmental solutions.

Your coalition must continue to build its benchstrength, planning for growth and change overtime. Good leaders move coalition partners andother stakeholders from the simple to the com-plex, mediate disagreements and coach membersto represent and articulate coalition positions.

The planning processLike the processes of community assessment andcapacity building, coalition planning works bestwhen it incorporates multiple sectors of the com-munity. Coalition leaders must make planning aninclusive process, beginning with the prioritizationof the root causes identified in the communityassessment and acknowledgement of underlyingconditions, such as high crime locations.

The choice of how to name and frame issuesshould reflect what works for your community,the language that motivates citizens into actionand sets the stage for a comprehensive responseto shared problems. Listening to communitymember—beginning with assessment—andinvolving them throughout the planning processlays the strong foundation a coalition needs tochange environments. Refer to the Institute’sAssessment and Planning Primers for moreinformation on data collection and developing alogic model to inform your coalition’s process forselecting interventions and activities.

Choosing environmental strategies and planningfor their implementation should be carefullymapped out by the coalition. Again, no singlestrategy will provide the desired results and local-izing strategies is allowable and encouraged. Acarbon copy of what was done in another commu-nity will not be the best solution for your commu-nity. To achieve real, long-term success, take thetime to think through what is viable and what willcreate the identified changes. See page 18 for achart that illustrates examples of environmentalstrategies aimed at specific problems.


Strategy Alcohol Tobacco Illicit Drugs

Environmental policies to limit access

Purchase lawsCompliance checks:Minimum purchase agelaws actively enforced

Removal of cigarettemachines

Laws prohibiting sale,possession anddistribution

Price controlsExcise tax;Ban on “2 for 1” drinkspecials

Excise tax;No free tobacco sampleson military bases

Increase supply reduction toraise prices

Restrictions on retailsales or sellers

Limit number of saleslicenses within acounty/city/town

Synar checks;Limit number of saleslicenses;Fines for selling to youth

Land use ordinancesenforced on blighted/abandoned properties;physical design changes(increase lighting; plantshrubs, etc.);restrictions on sale ofpseudoephedrine andephedrine and other methprecursor chemicals

Environmental policies to influence norms

Legal deterrence

Zero Tolerance laws foryouth under 21 years;You Use/You Lose laws;Social Host lawsSource InvestigationPrograms

Fines for selling tobaccoto youth

Workplace initiatives;Asset forfeiture laws

Counteradvertising Ban alcohol sponsorship;Advertising restrictions

Surgeon General’sWarning/The TruthCampaign;Restriction on samples andcoupons;Ban television advertising

National Anti-Drug YouthMedia Campaign ads/websites

Adapted from Environmental Prevention Strategies: An Introduction and Overview, Deborah A. Fisher, Ph.D.,used with permission.

Examples of environmental policies for alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs

Table 2.


The environmental strategies approach recognizesthat risks associated with substance use are, inpart, a function of the interplay between the envi-ronments where an individual uses and the sub-stances he/she uses (agent). In the environmentalapproach, place matters. We recognize that man-aging the availability of alcohol and other drugs inspecific environments impacts the substances in-dividuals choose and the amount they use. Thesedecisions determine the level of risk individualsand communities experience. The ability to shapeindividual’s behavior by structuring what is ex-pected or permitted in specific environments canreduce alcohol- and other drug-related problems.

Seven strategies for community change:A brief explanationSeven methods that can bring about communitychange have been adopted as a useful frameworkby CADCA’s Institute. Each of these strategies rep-resents a key element to build and maintain ahealthy community. In the planning process, utilizeall seven strategies to be as comprehensive aspossible to achieve population-level change. Whenfocusing on implementation of environmentalstrategies, consider the types of information, skill-building and support activities necessary to moveyour interventions forward. You will see that thestrategies overlap and reinforce each other.

CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION IN ACTION

Seven strategies to affect community change1. Provide information—Educational presentations, workshops or seminars, and data or media presentations (e.g., publicservice announcements, brochures, billboard campaigns, community meetings, town halls, forums, web-basedcommunication).

2. Enhance skills—Workshops, seminars or activities designed to increase the skills of participants, members and staff(e.g., training, technical assistance, distance learning, strategic planning retreats, parenting classes, model programsin schools).

3. Provide support—Creating opportunities to support people to participate in activities that reduce risk or enhanceprotection (e.g., providing alternative activities, mentoring, referrals for services, support groups, youth clubs, parentinggroups, Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous).

4. Enhance access/reduce barriers**—Improving systems and processes to increase the ease, ability and opportunity toutilize systems and services (e.g., access to treatment, childcare, transportation, housing, education, special needs,cultural and language sensitivity).

5. Change consequences (incentives/disincentives)—Increasing or decreasing the probability of a specific behavior thatreduces risk or enhances protection by altering the consequences for performing that behavior (e.g., increasing publicrecognition for deserved behavior, individual and business rewards, taxes, citations, fines, revocations/loss of privileges).

6. Change physical design—Changing the physical design or structure of the environment to reduce risk or enhanceprotection (e.g., parks, landscapes, signage, lighting, outlet density).

7. Modify/change policies—Formal change in written procedures, by-laws, proclamations, rules or laws with writtendocumentation and/or voting procedures (e.g., workplace initiatives, law enforcement procedures and practices, publicpolicy actions, systems change within government, communities and organizations).

**Note: This strategy also can be utilized when it is turned around to reducing access/enhancing barriers. When communitycoalitions establish barriers to underage drinking or other illegal drug use, they decrease its accessibility. Preventionscience tells us that when more resources (money, time, etc.) are required to obtain illegal substances, use declines.When many states began to mandate the placement of pseudoephedrine-based products behind the pharmacy counter,communities experienced a significant decrease in local clandestine methamphetamine labs. Barriers were put into placethat led to a decrease in the accessibility of the precursor materials for meth production.

The list of strategies were distilled by the University of Kansas Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development—a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. Research cited in selection of the strategies is documented in the Resources andResearch section of the CADCA website, www.cadca.org. The Institute uses this list by permission of the University.


The first three strategies—provideinformation, enhance skills andprovide support—assist in educating thepublic, raising awareness and helpingindividuals make healthy choices. Gen-erally they affect small numbers of indi-viduals and are too weak to impact thecommunity at large. These strategiesoften are necessary if you are workingin a community where denial of and lim-ited knowledge about the current prob-lem is prevalent. But, they can provideinitial information necessary to bring acommunity together around an issue.

Since the first three of the seven strategies focuson impacting individuals, they have obvious limita-tions and probably will not, by themselves, achievemeasurable change in substance abuse rates inyour community. However, the last four strategiesare environmental in nature and when utilized in amulti-strategy plan can form the basis of a com-prehensive approach along with the first three.

Implementing environmental approachesusing the seven strategiesMoving through assessment, naming and framingthe existing problem, identifying root causes andlinking them to strategies that directly addresslocal conditions requires broad-based communityinvolvement. Environmental strategies appeardaunting, but can lead to powerful results. Be-cause of their impact, they are worth the effortand attention to continual maintenance over time.

On page 23, we include a portion of a samplelogic model with specific examples for comprehen-sive environmental strategies to help reduce youthtobacco use. As we address each of the strategiesin this section, we will illustrate additional sampleactivities that might be used to plan and imple-ment a comprehensive environmental approach.

Provide information: This strategy includes townhall meetings, websites, billboard campaigns,and Public Service Announcements (PSA). Com-munities may air PSAs to provide informationabout campaigns to reduce to drinking and driving

around the holidays. This adds to the community’sknowledge of local efforts, but in isolation wouldnot create long-term change.

Enhance skills: Tactics include media advocacy,youth training on refusal skills, parenting classesand training local treatment professionals in pre-vention concepts. Parenting classes can comple-ment environmental strategies when social hostissues are uncovered, presenting the opportunityto educate parents about laws related to providingalcohol to underage youth on private property.

Provide support: Support includes substance-freeactivities for youth, support groups and clubs. Ifa community determines through its assessmentprocess that many youth are cited for underagedrinking during certain hours, substance-freeactivities can be offered during those times. Con-currently, local law enforcement can carry outproactive community policing efforts.

Enhance access/Reduce barriers: Environmentalstrategies often are associated with modifying set-tings to reduce risk through the implementation ofpolicy, however, systems change to increase theease of utilization also can be viewed as a popula-tion-focused approach. Make access to the basicservices community members require to leadhealthy and productive lives a priority.

For example, increase accessibility to services forindividuals who do not speak English or whereEnglish is not the first language by providing par-

� Hours/Days of Sale

� Clean Air Laws

� Happy Hour Ordinance/Laws

� Advertising Ordinance/Laws

� Land Use Ordinances

� Responsible Beverage ServerTraining

� Fake ID Enforcement

� Party Patrol/Controlled PartyDispersal

� Outlet Density Reduction

� Open Container Ordinance

� Festivals• Beer Gardens

� Third-Party Transaction• Shoulder Taps• Social Host• Source InvestigationPrograms

� Compliance Checks

Common environmental strategies for coalitions


enting classes in the language most appropriatefor the community. For example, providing parent-ing classes, as part of a comprehensive plan to in-form and educate parents about the dangers ofsubstance use by youth, in Spanish reduces thebarriers for the Spanish-speaking community.

Change consequences--incentivesand disincentives: Environmental strategies gener-ally include consequences (incentives and disin-centives). For a policy to be effective afteradoption, active and consistent enforcement ofincentives (rewards) or disincentives (penalties)must be swift and appropriate.

For example: your coalition’s assessment revealsthat the fine for simple possession of marijuana is$250 and 30 days in jail for the first offense. Bytoday’s standards, this may seem inadequate as adeterrant to use. Your coalition may advocate foran increase not only in the monetary fine, but alsoin the length of prison or jail time or diversion intoa treatment program. An even more effective wayto utilize this type of strategy is to have these fines(or a portion of them) re-routed back to commu-nity prevention efforts.

All 50 states have enacted Zero Tolerance forDriving Under the Influence (DUI) laws for peopleunder age 21. These laws, often referred to as“Use and Lose Laws,” maintain that when a youngperson is cited for underage drinking and driving,he/she will lose his/her license for a specifiedperiod of time. Not all states mandate the sameperiod of time. Increasing the time that a youngperson loses his/her license can bolster theimpact of the Zero Tolerance laws.

Look at this strategy in another way: Offer publicrecognition to those who perform a desired behav-ior, i.e., incentives. For example, when a localmerchant alerts law enforcement that youth under21 years old are using altered and false forms ofidentification to obtain alcohol, your coalition canreward the merchant in a variety of ways. Be surethat the recognition includes local media to in-crease the likelihood that other businesses will actin the same manner.

Change physical design: The risks associated withspecific environments can be reduced throughchanging the design of the setting. Because sub-stance abuse problems have a close nexus withcrime and violence, a coalition working on environ-mental strategies naturally would urge law en-forcement to target specific settings where alcoholand other drug sales and use are visible.

Alcohol- and other drug-related crimes can be re-duced using environmental strategies and, whenproperly implemented, can improve the safety andlivability of specific areas or whole neighborhoods.Strategies that focus on changing the physicaldesign seek to modify the conditions that give riseto criminal behavior. Examples of physical designstrategies include, cutting back or eliminating fo-liage that provides cover for drug sales, increasinglighting at crime hot spots, and cleaning up aban-doned properties that are used for drug use.

Picture a neighborhood with a park in the middle.Some community members may not want to haveit lit at night to discourage people from using thepark after dark. The attempt to prevent noise lateinto the night because the lights provide the abilityto use the park’s facilities, may create a play-ground for underage drinking or other drug use.Communities must consider how changing thephysical design will work and if it can provide over-all protective measures to increase public safety.

Abandoned houses and other buildings can be-come havens for drug trafficking, drug use andother crimes. In areas where this is a problem,policy can be enacted that requires the town/city/county to board windows and doors of abandonedproperties to maintain safe conditions. A betterapproach would include a comprehensive set ofstrategies to improve affordable housing, organizeresidents to improve the physical appearance oftheir properties and deter open air drug markets.

Change or modify policies: Policies are concretetools used to reduce risk or to modify settings inways that benefit the public’s health. They can beformal or informal and are designed to structurecommunity norms, which effect behaviors.


With enactment of Clean Air Laws across thecountry, communities are seeing full-scale normchanges related to smoking. Not long ago,cigarette machines were everywhere—in every bar,restaurant and club. They usually were tuckedaway in the darkest corner, leaving them unmoni-tored and disregarding laws related to legal pur-chase age. Today, it is much more difficult to findcigarette vending machines in public locations.Convenience stores keep tobacco products behindthe counter, not easily accessible to store patrons.

As a result of Clean Air Laws, smoking rates havedeclined and evidence exists that environmentalstrategies are responsible.5 Smoking environ-ments are now mainly outdoors. In fact, manybusinesses do not allow employees to smokewithin a certain distance of the entrance. Thischange could be considered a model when devel-oping and advocating for policy implementation.

In addition to understanding the long-term effectsof policy change, communities should considerthe effort necessary to monitor and actively en-force policy. Coalitions must plan for policy changewith those who will enforce it.

Across the country, communities pass ordinances/laws mandating merchant education for alcoholretailers. Good planning determines who will en-force such programs and track the retail industrybefore enacting the policies. Establish systems toensure that policy analysis, development, imple-mentation and enforcement are supported by in-stitutions and policymakers.

Media and environmental approachesMedia plays an important role in the implementa-tion of environmental approaches and good rela-tionships with media representatives and staff arevital to your long-term communication strategy.Traditional media outlets—newspapers, radio andtelevision stations—should continue as key part-ners with community coalitions. New, social mediathrough the Internet and mobile phones provideadditional, often inexpensive, channels for com-municating and networking with your members,partners and community at large.

However, you must consider the information gath-ered in your community assessment when deter-mining which media outlets and channels are bestsuited for your community. Remember also thatcommunication activities alone have little chanceof creating the long-term, sustainable change yourcoalition is trying to achieve.

Plan and implement a social marketingcampaign. A social marketing campaign will takeyour coalition beyond a simple communicationsplan. Social marketing is the application of mar-keting strategies developed in the commercialsector to solve social problems where the bottomline is behavior change. Both commercial andsocial marketing focus their efforts on reachingtarget markets which will be identified in yourcoalition’s environmental assessment. (See theMarketing’s 4 Ps in Figure 4 on page 12).

Like environmental strategies, successful socialmarketing campaigns utilize multiple strategyapproaches and incorporate much of the workthat coalitions already are doing in their planningand implementation. Tactics and channels ofcommunication used in a social marketing cam-paign will be determined by the problem yourcoalition is addressing and may utilize traditionalmass media such as newspapers, radio and televi-sion; new or social media such as blogs or textmessaging; and non-traditional media such asweekly bulletins in houses of worship or posters inbarber shops or beauty parlors.

Teach students to understand messages throughmedia literacy classes. Media literacy classes helpstudents better understand the “language” of im-ages and sounds used throughout today’s media—particularly advertising—teaching them the tacticsused to entice the general public to buy productsor use services. Think about Mr. Clean—if he waswearing a greyed t-shirt with ketchup and mustardstains would you buy his products? Or if the Kee-bler elves baked cookies that rated “just ok” on the“deliciousness” meter, would you crave them asyou walk down the aisle of the grocery store?

Media literacy classes take students beyond clean-ing products and cookies and help them under-


The ProblemIs...

Tobacco userates areincreasingamong youth

But why?

Tobaccoproducts areeasy to get

But why here?

Tobaccoproducts aresold to youthdespite agerestrictions

But why here?

Intervention/Action

Provide information: Post signs thatread “We don’t sell tobacco products topeople under the age of 18” in storesthat sell tobacco products.

Enhance skills: Train merchants tocheck identification for persons purchas-ing tobacco products.

Provide support: Offer tobacco cessa-tion classes at the local youth center forteens who have already begun smoking.

Enhance access/reduce barriers:Translate merchant education materialsinto Spanish and other languages.

Change consequences: Increase taxeson cigarettes; provide public recognitionfor retailers who do not sell tobaccoproducts to youth.

Change physical design: Placetobacco products behind the counter inretail outlets.

Change or modify policies: Removetobacco vending machines from barsand restaurants

Figure 6: Sample Logic Model for EnvironmentalApproach using the Seven Strategies


stand the advertising messages put out by tobaccoand alcohol companies. In fact, media literacy—understanding the “bill of goods” being sold by thetobacco companies—provided the genesis for thepopular and successful Truth campaign, developedby the American Legacy Foundation.

Enlist support for policy change using mediaadvocacy. Media advocacy is the process ofdisseminating policy-related information throughthe mass media, especially to affect action, policychange or to alter the public's view of an issue. En-list and cultivate media partnerships from the ear-liest stages of your coalition development. Theirability to reach community members andinfluence attitudes will be invaluable when youare ready to plan and implement the strategiesthat will change local systems or policies.

Pay attention to the way local media frame issues.Reports on drunk driving accidents involving teensoften indicate that only the driver bears responsi-bility and rarely focus on community issues suchas the number of alcohol outlets willing to sell tominors, availability at community events, etc.Frame your issues to reflect message(s) agreed onby coalition members. Keep your message consis-tent whether you are sending a press release, oped piece or Letter to the Editor, or responding to arequest for an interview on a new story related tounderage drinking and driving. Your coalition’smessage must move community members tosupport the change your group advocates.

Evaluation of environmentalstrategy implementationEvaluating implementation of your environmentalstrategies is different than your larger, morecomprehensive coalition evaluation which entailsdocumenting your coalition’s contributions topopulation-level change. Evaluation of your envi-ronmental strategies involves tracking the imple-mentation of each strategy, including:1. Process the coalition uses to implement the

environmental strategy (e.g., development ofan ordinance, number of merchant educationtrainings provided, etc.)

2. Extent to which the environmental strategy haspenetrated the community (e.g., percent ofrestaurants completing merchant education,percent of alcohol outlets that display “WeCard” signs, etc.)

3. Success of the individual environmental strat-egy (e.g., merchant education implementedcommunitywide, what percent of restaurantspass compliance checks or if alcohol outletdensity decreases does associated crime andmayhem decline?)

Environmental strategies have many moving partsso it is critical for the coalition to track these earlysteps carefully to understand if a particular strat-egy is having the intended effect. For example,your coalition decides to implement an educationcampaign focused on decreasing availability of to-bacco to minors with the aim of persuading localmerchants to display signs that indicate they willnot sell tobacco to minors.1. Document the process used to engage and

educate merchants. This may include trackingdissemination of materials, number of visitsto merchants, percent and distribution of mer-chants targeted, development of an Memoran-dum of Understanding (MOU) for merchants tosign, etc. However, just because your coalitionhas engaged in a targeted merchant educationcampaign does not mean that all the mer-chants have bought on to it or have changedtheir behaviors.

2. Determine the extent to which the “We Card”signs are displayed in stores. This requirestracking what percent of tobacco outlets in thecommunity display the signs. If you have 50merchants that sell tobacco in your city butonly five of them are consistently displayingthe sign, then your strategy does not have suffi-cient depth. Remember as a coalition, you arefocused on large-scale change, so you need tomake sure that your environmental strategiespenetrate the entire community environment.

3. Determine if the strategy is bringing about theintended outcome—are fewer merchants sell-ing tobacco to individuals under 18 years ofage? This requires conducting compliancechecks with tobacco retailers.


Lessons Learned:� Know your key stakeholders. The coalition worked closely with local law enforcement, because their State ABC does not

have an alcohol enforcement division. This means that the enforcement of Utah’s alcohol laws is the primary responsibilityof local police and sheriff’s offices, along with the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Liquor Enforcement Section.

� Assess the level of community awareness on the issue and address the gaps. Are community members aware of the prob-lem? Are they supportive of the coalition’s proposed environmental strategies and policy changes? Some communitiesmay be easier to mobilize than others. It takes time to change people’s minds. Be prepared to educate your communitybefore proposing specific strategies and policy change.

� Make sure the strategy fits your community. You will be more likely to achieve your desired goals if you use strategies thatalign with your assessment findings. It is necessary to keep a pulse on community data, as well as your coalition’s capacityto address changes. This will be different in each community.

� Know your state liquor laws, who enforces them and how they are enforced. Coalitions should work to understand thevarious levels of law enforcement on the state and local levels. Different agencies have different powers and jurisdictionalboundaries. Multi-jurisdictional agreements can be incredibly helpful to the success of enforcement operations. Also,states and localities vary on who can regulate licensing and alcohol sales. When conducting compliance checks, there isusually a criminal ticket written to the individual involved in the illegal sale of alcohol to an underage, undercover buyer.The alcohol license also can be endangered, but not all law enforcement agencies have the power to do this. Take the timeto understand your state’s regulations when it comes to ticketing the actual seller and the alcohol license holder, as theymay differ depending on the law enforcement agency.

See the Resources Section on page 31 for more information on environmental strategies focusing on underage drinking.

When assessments indicated that alcohol was being used bymore youth than tobacco or any other drug, the Salt Lake City(Utah) Mayor’s Coalition on Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs,began mobilizing their community to address the problem.Rates in Salt Lake City exceeded state rates at every gradelevel for lifetime and 30-day use and community stakeholderinterviews revealed the community was ready for change—55 percent reported alcohol or other substance abuse weremajor problems facing the community.

Coalition leaders became aware of a program called EASY(Eliminate Alcohol Sales to Youth) that limits youth access toalcohol at grocery and convenience stores. The programman-dates training for retailer employees, implements retailer com-pliance checks, and increases penalties for retailers that sellto minors.

Coalition leaders made the decision to push for this policychange in their state. The coalition planned a series of stepsthat would lead them to their ultimate goal. First, they neededto educate the community on the harms of underage drinking.They disseminated information to parents and other key stake-holders, and presented data to the Utah Department ofAlcoholic Beverage Control (UDABC), local law enforcementand legislators, advocating for implementation of the EASY

program. The coalition educated community members thatcontrolling youth access to alcohol needed immediate atten-tion, and that implementing the EASY program was feasible,and could drastically improve retail outlet compliance.

The collaboration with its key stakeholders really drove the ini-tiative along. The Salt Lake City Mayor’s Coalition built strongleadership capacity. Their membership includes representa-tion from the UDABC, MADD Utah and local law enforcement.They collaborate closely with their state Division of SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health. These partnerships and other mobi-lization efforts contributed to Utah being the first state toenact the EASY program statewide in 2006. In addition, legis-lators allocated funding to implement a statewide media andeducation campaign called ParentsEmpowerd.org. The cam-paign educates parents on the dangers of underage drinkingand the role they play in preventing the behavior.

Since its inception, the program has been successful in in-creasing alcohol retail compliance rates in Salt Lake City.Compliance rates rose from 66 percent to 79 percent after thelegislation’s passage. Over time, as more trainings and repeatcompliance checks are implemented, the compliance rates areexpected to increase.

SALT LAKE CITY MAYOR’S COALITION ON ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUGS


The same evaluation process should be applied toenvironmental strategies focused on changingpolicies. For example, your coalition wants to passa Teen Party Ordinance aimed at reducing thenumber of parties where underage drinking oc-curs. The ordinance levies fines against propertyowners to cover the law enforcement costs whenpolice respond to a disturbance caused by a party.

In that case, the coalition should document theprocess used to pass the ordinance, such as devel-oping the ordinance, getting community supportfor the ordinance and getting the ordinancepassed. Then the community needs to track en-forcement of the policy—is law enforcement re-sponding to calls for service for parties that areneighborhood disturbances and are the appropri-ate penalties being implemented? When it comesto tracking the number of problem parties, thisnumber may go up initially because it is beingtracked systematically for the first time. However,the evaluation of the success of this policy changeshould show decreases over time.

The intent of evaluating your environmental strate-gies is to understand how well you are implement-ing these targeted communitywide interventionsand if the environmental strategy is successful.However, be aware that evaluating your environ-mental strategies does not mean that you havealso evaluated the totality of your coalition workwhich consists of many strategies. Evaluation ofspecific environmental strategies is just one pieceof information that feeds your larger coalition eval-uation. For more information on coalition evalua-tion, please refer to the Institute’s EvaluationPrimer, available in PDF format online at,www.cadca.org.

ConclusionAdoption, implementation and enforcement ofenvironmental strategies cannot be accomplishedunless many segments of the community aremobilized. Organizing the community for changeis a core function of an effective community coali-tion. Addressing issues of access and availability,location and density, restricting public use, deter-ring law breaking and restricting marketing in pub-lic places are all strategies that coalitions acrossthe county are successfully tackling every day.

We hope this publication helps more coalitionsmove beyond planning and implementing pro-grams and services that concentrate on individualbehavior to a more comprehensive and multifac-eted set of actions that modify the environment inwhich alcohol, tobacco and other drugs are soldand consumed. Many resources on the topic exist.For further information, see the Resources sectionon page 31 or go to the Resources and Researchsection of the CADCA website, www.cadca.org.

Additionally, the Institute offers free technicalassistance to community coalitions. You mayrequest technical assistance through theCADCA website, by sending an e-mail [email protected] or by calling 1-800-54-CADCA(1-800-542-2322), ext. 240.


Environmental Strategy Sales/Use

TrafficCrashes DWI Violent

Crime1 Suicide Long-Term HealthConsequences 2

Price controls � � � �3 � �

Density restrictions � � � � �

Minimum purchase age laws � � �4 �

Impaired driving laws � �

Restrictions on use �

Selling/serving controls � �

Counteradvertising �5

1 violent or assaultive offenses = rape, robbery, assault, and homicide2 cancer or cirrhosis mortality3 rapes and robberies4 youth homicide5 effects for tobacco only

Environmental Prevention Strategies: An Introduction and Overview, Deborah A. Fisher, Ph.D., used with permission.

Prevention effects of environmental strategies

The table below shows the range of effects that have been found as a result ofa variety of environmental strategies.

Table 3.


Implementing environmental strategies is part skill and partart form. Acting strategically with a focused goal and begin-ning with the end in mind, increases the chance of waging asuccessful campaign and enables ongoing adjustments asyour coalition carries out its work. The steps below are de-scribed in a linear way, but often overlap and circle back. Activ-ities depend on local conditions. Environmental work can beunpredictable and full of twists and turns. Use these steps tomobilize the community to engage in environmental strategiesso your coalition can inform the community—residents, busi-nesses, agencies and stakeholders—about existing conditionsand begin to plan actions necessary to create change.

State the issue to be addressed. Interventions should begrounded in a well-developed assessment reflecting key issuesand contributing factors (root causes and local conditions). Indefining issues, clearly identify who will be impacted as theycan become allies or opponents to the coalition’s work. Iden-tify potential barriers and ways to steer around or sway publicopinion to your side as you move through the process. Createan Action Statement indicating what the policy/system changewill create, who will benefit and who can make it happen.

Collect data to establish a basis for the proposed policy orsystems change.Many of your data will emerge from the com-munity assessment. Understand that policy change is intendedas long-term and could become law. Changes that cause sys-temic overhaul can affect multiple institutions and, therefore,should be planned carefully. Ensuring the reach of policy orsystems changes and the capacity to maintain it over time isvital. To address drug dealing and problem environments thatfacilitate it, coalitions must address conditions that increasethe likelihood of drug dealing. A policy related to boardingabandoned buildings could address drug dealing if the areasare deemed ideal for such behavior.

Create a case statement. Case statements take many forms,but always define the nature and extent of the issue from anenvironmental perspective and describe how the proposed re-sponse addresses the issueand the implementation process.Case statements are not action statements. They are public ex-pressions that enable the coalition to describe the issue in away that reflects its understanding and vision of an appropri-ate environmental response. A sample case statement is avail-able in the Resources and Research section of the CADCAwebsite, www.cadca.org.

Draft policy language. Enlist coalition members to workthrough the policy response. Drafting policy helps stake outthe coalition’s position, fosters better understanding of localconditions and creates a more level playing field with the entitythat has the power to enact it. CADCA's Policy Change Toolbox

(http://www.cadca.org/policyadvocacy/prevention_works/policy-change-toolbox) offers excellent resources and examples.

Use media advocacy. The use of local media to support thecoalition’s work is essential to further the success of environ-mental strategies. Media advocacy provides a venue that sup-ports appropriate framing of the message, develops strategiccommunications and shapes local opinions to support thecoalition’s work. Keep your efforts on the local radar. SubmitLetters to the Editor and meet with editorial boards to maintainmedia involvement. Cultivate relationships with local reporterswho are interested in your coalition’s issues to ensure that yourmessage is published. Actively involve media by providingthem opportunities to ride along with law enforcement duringcompliance checks. Continuously update your coalition’s story.

Mobilize support and provide community education. Buildingsupport for your coalition’s goals requires a careful analysis ofwho in the community has the power to assist or block your ef-forts. Policy development, adoption and enforcement oftencreate opposition—learn where the support and opposition lie.For each policy campaign, determine who the decision makersare; what their self-interest is in relation to the coalition’s work;who are potential allies; and what are the risks to coalitionmembers and partners as the work moves forward.

Successful implementation of environmental strategies andpolicy enactment requires strong support from key influencersand grassroots community members. Coalitions must exploreoptions and decide that local policy change is needed. Then,they must decide how to get their message out. Local councilmeetings are open venues where coalitions can present theirviews on local problems and possible solutions. Engage yourmembership to meet with local officials who can affect policy;such relationships are essential to coalition capacity.

Ensure enforcement. Policies must be enacted and enforced.This holds true whether the policy addresses serving alcohol atdinner parties or locking up meth precursor chemicals in localstores. Someone must ensure that the policy is followed. Manycommunities pass policies or laws about which no one isaware. Avoid that issue by engaging stakeholders responsiblefor enforcement from the beginning of the process. This gener-ates buy-in and allows the policy to be shaped to make en-forcement as easy as possible. Most often, implementation isjust the beginning of the actual environmental strategy.

Evaluate coalition effectiveness. Policy development andadoption takes time. Done well, it lays a foundation for subse-quent enforcement. Coalitions sometimes bypass evaluationof what went well and what could be improved. But, evaluationis central to maintaining a vibrant group that can recruit newpeople and make corrections in its own process as needed.

Community mobilization to create environmental change—a summary


24/7 Zero Tolerance Policy: Written policy in a school/school district. It allows schools to provide consequencesto youth who are involved in alcohol, tobacco or otherdrug-related behavior even when they are not on schoolproperty, during school hours or while participating in aschool-related function.

4 Ps of marketing: Product, price, place and promotion arecommonly referred to as the 4 Ps of marketing or themarketing mix. They can be used together to help deter-mine strategy around a target market or population. Ina coalition context, they can help inform planning andimplementation of initiatives.

Alcohol Purchase Survey: Use of individuals older than 21to test whether an alcohol retailer consistently checks forproper identification prior to the sale of alcohol.

Clean Air Law: Law prohibiting smoking indoors (i.e., publicbuildings, restaurants, airplanes, etc.) or within a shortdistance of public entrances.

Community assessment: A process of gathering, analyzingand reporting information, usually data, about your com-munity. A community assessment should include geo-graphic and demographic information, as well as acollective review of needs and resources within a commu-nity that indicates what the current problems or issuesare that could be addressed by a coalition.

Compliance checks: An enforcement operation where anundercover, underage buyer works with law enforcementto test the compliance of a tobacco or alcohol retailerwith local and state laws.

Counteradvertising: In its broadest sense, it refers to thedissemination of prevention messages through themedia. These messages run counter to pro-alcohol ortobacco advertisements. Counteradvertising can occurvia the same media as pro-alcohol or advertising—namely, in print publications (magazines, newspapers,etc.), in outdoor media (billboards, transit ads), in broad-cast media (television and radio), over the Internet, bydirect mail and through promotional techniques, such assponsorship of sporting and entertainment events.

Dram Shop Law: Refers to an alcohol establishment'spotential financial liability for serving alcohol to an intox-icated or underage person who later causes injury to athird party (i.e., in a drunk driving crash). This law nor-mally only covers businesses and not private parties.

Environmental scan: A form of community assessment thatinvestigates the physical elements within a communitythat can contribute to alcohol, tobacco or other drug use.

Environmental strategies: Environmental strategies areprevention efforts aimed at changing or influencingcommunity conditions, standards, institutions, struc-tures, systems and policies.

Geographic Information System (GIS): The use of digitizedmaps to view, understand, question, interpret andvisualize data in ways that reveal relationships, patterns,and trends in a specific geographic area.

Keg Registration: The tagging of kegs for the purposes ofknowing the source of alcohol in an underage drinkinginvestigation. The purchaser identified on the tag couldpotentially be charged with a crime of providing alcoholto an underage person.

GLOSSARY

ENDNOTES1. Babor, Thomas, et al., Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity—Research and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, USA; 2003.2. Bruun,K., et al., Alcohol Control Policies in Public Health Perspective, The Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies, New

Brunswick, N.J. : distributors, Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies, 1975.3. Edwards,G., et al., Alcohol Policy and Public Good, Oxford University Press, USA, January 26, 1995.4. Babor, Thomas, et al., Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity—Research and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, USA;

October 23, 2003.5. Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Smoke-Free Laws Do Not Harm Business at Restaurants and Bars, Washington, D.C.

Retrieved from the Internet, http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0144.pdf, March 2008.


Land use: The way land is developed in terms of the kindsof activities allowed (agriculture, single-family or multiplefamily residence, commercial, industry, etc.)

Land Use Ordinance: Local code which sets forth localzoning regulations for a jurisdiction. For example,prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries in aresidential neighborhood.

Media advocacy: The strategic use of any form of media tohelp advance goals.

Media literacy: The process of teaching individuals toanalyze media messages to learn how they are designedto influence choices/behaviors.

Merchant education: A program geared toward educatingtobacco and/or alcohol retailers on the current laws andappropriate, legal sales of tobacco and/or alcoholproducts to the public.

Multi-jurisdictional agreement: An agreement that allowslaw enforcement agencies to operate under certaincircumstances outside of their normal jurisdictionalboundaries.

Outlet density: The number and proximity of outlets in agiven geographic area.

Qualitative or anecdotal data: Qualitative data can help tellthe stories behind the local conditions that contribute toalcohol and other drug problems. Focus groups (withyouth, faith community, coaches, teachers, parents, etc.)or key informant/stakeholder interviews (with the mayor,police chief, merchants, neighborhood association mem-bers, etc.) can relate how residents are affected by thenoise, crime and other activities connected to a bar intheir neighborhood and/or usual settings of underagedrinking parties.

Quantitative data: Data which are measurable or quantifi-able, such as the number of meth labs discovered in acommunity—can often be retrieved through state or localdatabases, partner agencies and others.

Shoulder Tap: An enforcement operation where an under-cover, underage youth, under the surveillance of lawenforcement officers, approaches individuals near analcohol retail outlet, stating his/her real age, and asksif the individual will purchase alcohol and provide it tohim/her.

Social Host Law: Prohibits the provision of alcohol to indi-viduals under the legal purchase age. In some states orcommunities, it can also mean that individuals whoprovide alcohol can be held liable if the person whowas provided alcohol is killed or injured, or kills or injuresanother person.

Social marketing: Social marketing is the application ofmarketing strategies developed in the commercial sectorto solve social problems and help bring about behaviorchange.

Source investigation program: An investigation into thesource of alcohol or other drugs when an alcohol-or otherdrug-related crime occurs. An example would be when anunderage person is in an alcohol-related car crash, lawenforcement extends its investigation beyond the sceneof the crash and attempts to determine where the alcoholwas obtained.

Synar checks: In 1992, the federal government passed theSynar Amendment that mandates annual checks oftobacco retailers in every state. States that fail to main-tain a tobacco sale rate during the checks of 20 percentor less are at risk of losing 40 percent of the federalSubstance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT)Block Grant dollars.

Systems change: The process of improving the capacity andservice delivery of systems to improve access, and/orquality for people in a community.

Teen Party Ordinance: The ordinance levies fines againstproperty owners to cover the law enforcement costswhen police respond to a disturbance caused by a partyinvolving underage drinking.

Zero Tolerance: This terminology often is used to describethe laws that are in every state that stipulate that youthunder 21 cannot possess or consume alcohol whileoperating a motor vehicle. This also can mean thatschools (or other entities) have enacted a policy thatstates they will implement consequences or penalties toany student who is involved in an alcohol, tobacco orother drug-related incident on school property, duringschool hours or while participating in a school function.


ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES PREVENTION RESOURCES

ORGANIZATIONSCenter on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University(CAMY) http://www.camy.org� Monitors the alcohol industry’s marketing strategies di-rected at America’s youth. Provides a wealth of informationon environmental strategies that reduce and limit the accessof alcohol to underage youth as well as youth exposure to al-cohol advertising. The website regularly provides updates toalcohol policy changes and includes examples of successfulinitiatives at the local level.

California Council on Alcohol Policyhttp://cal-council.org/index.htm� The California Council on Alcohol Policy was founded in1985 as an action vehicle for individuals and communitiesseeking to reduce problems associated with the availabilityand consumption of alcohol beverages. The website includesa list of useful Weblinks.

FACEhttp://www.faceproject.org/index.html� FACE is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is tocreate innovative, research-based resources on alcohol thateducate, motivate and demonstrate how individuals and or-ganizations can effectively take action on alcohol issues.

Institute for Public Strategies (IPS)http://www.publicstrategies.org/� Provides leadership and strategies which support changesin public and private policy and community standardsand norms.

Marin Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol andOther Drug Programs http://www.marininstitute.org� The Marin Institute provides up-to-date information regard-ing the promotion of alcohol products by the alcohol indus-try. It supports communities who aim to reduce youthexposure to the variety of alcohol marketing strategies.

� Media Advocacy Action Pack:http://www.marininstitute.org/action_packs/media_advocacy.htm.

� Alcohol Policy Solutions:http://www.marininstitute.org/alcohol_policy/.

� A useful description of how land use regulations and localhealth and safety codes can help communities carry out ef-fective environmental strategies: http://www.marininstitute.org/alcohol_policy/local.htm.

Northeast CAPT Prevention StrategiesPolicy: A Strategy for Prevention Practitionershttp://www.northeastcapt.org/products/strategies/policy/pol-icypaper.html� This resource developed through the Center for SubstanceAbuse Prevention’s Northeast Center for the Application ofPrevention Technologies describes guidelines for creatingpolicy at the local level. It also provides a list of references tofield research supporting environmental strategies.

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE)http://www.pire.org� Independent, nonprofit organization working to understandthe affects of alcohol and other drugs on a variety of individ-ual and social problems. With 10 research centers through-out the United States, researchers at PIRE play an integralrole in bridging the gap between science and practice.

Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI)http://www.rhiweb.org/� Founded in 1983 to promote legal and social awarenessprograms, RHI has evolved to become a central clearing-house and facilitator of national, state and local networksseeking to create more safe and vibrant places to socialize.� Visit their Clearinghouse for case study examples, news

updates and other useful information (http://www.rhiclearinghouse.net/RHICH_SearchMenu.aspx).

Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC)http://www.udetc.org� Established by the Office of Juvenile Justice and DelinquencyPrevention, the UDETC provides training and technicalassistance to federal entities, states and communities;building their capacity to prevent underage drinking andassociated consequences through the enforcement ofunderage drinking laws.

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS ANDOTHER RESOURCES

Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS)http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov� A project of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse andAlcoholism (NIAAA), the Alcohol Policy Information Systemis an online resource that provides detailed information on awide variety of alcohol-related policies in the United Statesat both state and federal levels.

The following list of environmental strategies prevention resources serves as a guide for those looking to expandtheir knowledge on the topic. Please note that there is a wealth of information on the subject and that this list isnot exhaustive. We hope it is helpful to you as you continue your research.


A Community Alcohol Tobacco and Drug Indicators Handbookhttp://www.indicatorshandbook.org� A project of Join Together (http://www.jointogether.org)designed to help communities develop an indicator report-ing program to inform their planning process. Providesup-to-date data sources and current community indicatorreports from around the country (2005 Edition).

CADCA National Coalition Institute Primer Serieswww.cadca.org� A collection of publications that provide guidelines for coali-tions navigating the Strategic Prevention Framework.

CADCA’s Policy Change Toolboxwww.cadca.org� CADCA’s Policy Change Toolbox was developed as a publicpolicy tool to provide coalitions with a catalog of environ-mental policy changes implemented at the local level bycommunity anti-drug coalitions from all over the U.S.

CADCA Strategizer 31: Guidelines for Advocacy: Changing Poli-cies and Laws to Create Safer Environments for Youthwww.cadca.org� The purpose of this coalition-specific technical assistancemanual is to clarify what constitutes “lobbying” activities fornonprofit organizations and to what extent these organiza-tions can participate in such activities. It also provides use-ful information on general legislative processes.

College Drinking: Changing the Culturehttp://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/� Created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse andAlcoholism (NIAAA), and is a resource for comprehensiveresearch-based information on issues related to alcoholabuse and binge drinking among college students.

Community Tool Boxctb.ku.edu� The Tool Box is a service of the Work Group for CommunityHealth and Developmentat the University of Kansas.

Find Youth Information (FYI)http://www.findyouthinformation.gov� Includes a great resource to help your community incorpo-rate a Graphic Information System (GIS) into your local as-sessment, helping to visualize relationships, patterns andtrends in maps.

� For more detailed information on Geographic InformationSystems (www.gis.com)

Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Freehttp://www.alcoholfreechildren.org� An initiative launched in 1999 by the National Institute ofAlcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in partnership with the RobertWood Johnson Foundation, to bring the scope and dangersof early alcohol use to public attention and mobilize na-tional, state and local action to prevent it.� The Web site features a policymakers page with a wealthof information and resource links for influencing policy atthe community level.(http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org/en/audiences/policymakers.cfm).

Preventing Problems Related to Alcohol Availability:Environmental Approacheshttp://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/PHD822/aap.aspx� SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol andDrug Information.

� Developed by CSAP in 1999 as part of the PreventionEnhancement Protocols System (PEPS)—All three parts areavailable online.

Preventing Underage Drinking: Using the SAMHSA Strategic Pre-vention Framework and Getting to Outcomes to Achieve Resultshttp://captus.samhsa.gov//southwest/documents/SPF-Pre-ventUnderageDrinking.pdf� A guide to help communities go through a systematicprocess of planning, implementation, and evaluation thatwill help get results in reducing and preventing underagedrinking. The guide is focused on evidence-based environ-mental approaches.

Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and ReduceUnderage Drinking (2007)http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/

BOOKSStreicker, Joel. Case Histories in Alcohol Policy: A Project of theTrauma Foundation. California: Trauma Foundation, 2000.

Themba, Makani. Making Policy Making Change: How Communi-ties are Taking Law into Their Own Hands. California: ChardonPress, 1999.

Wallack, Lawrence, Lori Elizabeth Dorfman, David Jernigan,Makani Themba-Nixon. Media Advocacy and Public Health:Power for Prevention. California: Sage Publications, Inc., 1993.

Wallack, Lawrence, Katie Woodruff, Lori Elizabeth Dorfman, andIris Diaz. News for a Change: an Advocate’s Guide to Workingwith the Media. California: Sage Publications, Inc., 1999.

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