Environmental Strategies Lead to Population-Level Change

As the prevention field strengthens its ground in science and works to “make the case” that prevention truly is a science and that prevention strategies are making strides toward reducing substance abuse, coalition leaders may be feeling an extra burden. They are expected to document their effectiveness and, in a sense, prove their worth to show funders that they are affecting population-level changes in their communities.

To create population-level changes in your community, it will be necessary to incorporate environmental strategies into your strategic plan. This may seem overwhelming, but coalitions should see this as an opportunity. Environmental work can be very “outside of the box,” as it is unique to each community. You can start by getting a group of coalition members together and taking a drive around your community. Use digital cameras to document what you see. Get youth involved! Keep your eyes open for anything that signals concern. Is there heavy alcohol advertising around gas stations, liquor stores etc.? Where are retailers placing products such as alcohol and cigarettes? Document what you see.

Recently the Associated Press, reported on a good example of this kind of work. Police in Anchorage, Alaska, noticed that homeless camps were littered with empty bottles of mouthwash. The high alcohol content in mouthwash, as compared to beer makes it a cheap alternative for those who can’t otherwise afford to buy alcohol. Because of this, some Anchorage grocery stores have begun selling mouthwash from behind the counter.

Understanding the problems in your community and choosing appropriate and effective strategies involves regular “scanning” of the environment. Many community anti-drug coalitions across the country are doing just that—getting creative to implement successful environmental strategies in their own communities. What kinds of environmental strategies are your coalitions implementing? We invite you to use the comments section below to share your coalition’s story.

This post was written by Andrea de la Flor, CSAP Fellow for CADCA's National Coalition Institute. Her e-mail address is adelaflor@cadca.org.