Environmental Strategies for Prevention
A Guide To Helping the Prevention Professional Work Effectively in the Community

Module 1: An Introduction to Environmental Strategies - Page 15 of 21

Are Environmental Strategies Effective?

Today, there is a sizeable body of research backing up the effectiveness of many environmental strategies. Most of the examples in this course have been tested in the "real world." That is, data has been collected and studied to determine how effective the approaches have been in reducing alcohol use among youth and achieving other outcomes. While some examples have not been scientifically evaluated, all the environmental approaches featured in this course are based on principles or modeled after other programs that have been shown to be effective.

Prevention programs are coordinated, time-delimited, and goal-oriented efforts that are developed by researchers and other experts based on scientific principles. They are geared toward specific objectives using a combination of strategies and are designed to be replicated once they've been shown to be effective. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) designates effective programs as Model Programs. SAMHSA's Model Programs generally have demonstrated effects on "bottom line" measures, such as crashes, injuries, and deaths.

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