Promoting a Coordinated Multi-Site Evaluation for Community-Based Opioid Prevention Programs

Abstract

The effectiveness of substance use prevention efforts is often difficult to measure over short grant cycles, especially for emerging issues such as prescription opioid misuse where data is less available and evidence-based strategies are not well understood. Coordinating state and community level evaluation efforts adds further complexity. Since 2016, six communities in Alaska, through a single federal funding stream, have worked to prevent opioid misuse among youth and young adults using policy, system, and environmental strategies. The project is focused on three key intervening variables to reduce prescription opioid misuse.The Alaska Partnerships for Success Project is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services (Grant #SP020783) through the State of Alaska, Division of Behavioral Health.