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The mission of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention is to bring effective
substance abuse prevention to every community. That mission will be
accomplished through the recently developed Strategic Prevention Framework,
which incorporates SAMHSA's goals of Accountability, Capacity, and
Effectiveness.
The objectives of the Strategic Prevention Framework are to promote the use of
performance measures and evaluation tools by substance abuse prevention
providers; to increase substance abuse prevention programming throughout the
United States; and to support the implementation of effective prevention
programs in States and communities. Through the Strategic Prevention Framework,
CSAP builds capacity within States and the prevention field to promote
resiliency and decrease risk factors in individuals, families, and communities.
Funds were realigned in FY 2004 to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework,
using a variety of programs. In FY 2005, SAMHSA will support efforts to enhance
implementation of effective programs at the community level, with an emphasis
on the prevention of underage drinking.
Current research shows that science-based substance abuse prevention is
effective not only in preventing youth from initiating substance use in the
first place, but also in reducing the number of individuals who become
dependent. Recently identified model prevention programs show, on the average,
a 25 percent reduction in substance use by program participants. According to
the Monitoring the Future survey of eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders,
illicit drug use between 2001 and 2003 among students declined 11 percent (from
19.4 percent to 17.3 percent), representing 400,000 fewer drug users over two
years.
The Strategic Prevention Framework incorporates a five step community
development model: 1) organize the community to profile needs, including
community readiness; 2) mobilize the community and build the capacity to
address needs and plan for sustainability; 3) develop the prevention action
(evidence-based activities, programs, strategies, and policies); 4) implement
the prevention plan; and 5) conduct ongoing evaluation for quality improvement
and outcomes.
CSAP administers two major programs: Programs of Regional and National
Significance (PRNS), proposed for a decrease of $2.4 million, and the 20%
Prevention Set-aside of the SAPT Block Grant. The funding increase proposed for
the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant would result in
a $10.6 million increase for prevention funding for States through the 20%
Prevention Set-aside, sufficient to maintain current services.
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