Portfolio of Canadian Standards · Portfolio of Canadian Standards Heather Clark, Research and Policy Analyst Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse January 2012. Outline • Who is the

Portfolio of Canadian Standards

Heather Clark, Research and Policy Analyst

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

January 2012

Outline

• Who is the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

• Why Prevention Standards

• About the Standards

• Portfolio of Canadian Standards

• Theoretical framework of Canadian Standards

• Content of the Canadian Standards

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Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse -Who we are:

• An arm’s-length, not-for-profit organization working

to reduce alcohol- and drug-related harm.

• Mandate legislated by Act of Parliament in 1988

• Volunteer 13-member Board of Directors

• Reports annually to Parliament via Minister of Health

• Provides leadership on national priorities, fosters knowledge-translation within the field, and creates sustainable partnerships that maximize collective efforts.

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Need for Canadian Standards

• Prior to the Canadian Standards no evidence

based national quality standards existed

• Provide guidance for those looking to develop or

improve on their efforts and a quality check for

those soliciting prevention initiatives in their

schools and communities

• Guide effective utilization of time, effort, and

resources towards prevention

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About the Canadian Standards

• Standards of excellence to

strengthen the quality of youth

focused substance abuse

prevention initiatives in Canada

• Provide tools for prevention

workers to reflect where a

prevention initiative stands in

achieving the standards and

provides guidance to improving

their efforts5

Standards Portfolio & Tools

Building on our Strengths: Canadian Standards for School-based Youth Substance Abuse Prevention

Stronger Together: Canadian Standards for Community- based Youth Substance Abuse Prevention

Strengthening our Skills: Canadian Guidelines for Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Family Skills Programs

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Social-Ecological Framework

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Examples of Factors:

Societal: Norms, Laws/Policies,

determinants of health

Community: Lack of opportunity

for engagement

Social: Perceptions of norms in

peer group

Family: Early deprivation,

relationship quality, monitoring

Individual: Early behavioural

problems, mental health

Guiding Principles (Across Standards)

A. Frame Substance Abuse Prevention within a

Comprehensive School Health Approach

B. Shared Responsibility and capacity/Address

Community Capacity or Readiness

C. Consider Developmental Pathways

D. Promote Positive Youth Development and

Resiliency (a strengths based approach)

E. Account for Sex and Gender Differences

F. Understand and Engage Diverse Student

Populations 8

The Standards Phases

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School Based Standards Community Based Standards

A. Assess the situation A. Assess the situation

B. Prepare a plan and build capacity

B. Organize the team and build capacity

C. Implement a comprehensive initiative

C. Plan a logical and sustainable initiative

D. Evaluate the initiative D. Coordinate and implement evidence-based activities

E. Evaluate and revise initiative accordingly

Assess the Situation

1. Determine local substance use patterns and harms

2. Learn factors linked to local youth substance use

problems

3. Assess current activities, resources and capacity to

act

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Organize the team and build capacity

4. Engage youth partners in

the initiative

5. Develop organizational

structure and processes

6. Build and maintain team

capacity

7. Clarify members’

perceptions and

expectations

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Plan a logical and sustainable initiative

8. Ensure plan addresses priority concerns and factors,

and current capacity

9. Develop logic model showing how initiative will bring

desired change

10. Plan for sustainability of the initiative

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Coordinate and implement evidence based activities

11. Promote quality of existing and planned initiatives

12. Strengthen coordination among local initiatives

13. Give attention to community policies and processes

14. Monitor the initiative

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Evaluate and revise accordingly

15. Conduct a process evaluation of the initiative

16. Conduct and outcome evaluation of the initiative

17. Account for costs associated with the initiative

18. Revise initiative based on evaluations

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Family Based Guidelines

1. Build cultural competence into the program

2. Clarify needs, resources, targets, and aims

3. Identify theory to guide design, implementation,

and evaluation

4. Establish a solid organization and community context for the

program

5. Pay attention to facilitator selection, training, and support

6. Ensure active recruitment of participants

7. Implement evidence-based programming with fidelity

8. Take steps to retain participants

9. Monitor, evaluate, and revise the program accordingly

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Policy: Part of a comprehensive approach

• Policy is any established process, priority, or

structure that is purposefully sustained over time

(Holder & Moore, 2000).

• Policies as Substance Abuse Prevention Initiatives:

1. Substance based

2. Child/youth development based

3. Broad policies

• Policies to aid implementation of Canadian

Standards.16

Thank You

Questions/Comments?

Contact Information:Heather [email protected] ext: 224

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