Policymakers & Community Leaders

Operation Snowball

Evidence Ranking: Potential

Source: Operation Snowball

The website for Operation Snowball, an organization that helps youth create and lead organizations devoted to the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and encouraging positive communities and leadership. Each program enrolls adult members, but youth lead the school and community based programs.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Spotlight: Operation Snowball

Evidence Ranking: Potential

Source: Addiction Policy Forum

A brief overview of Operation Snowball, a youth-led, school and community-based alcohol and drug prevention program founded in Illinois in 1977 and now operational in several states and countries. Operation Snowball provides local chapters with curricula and technical assistance, but the local chapters, led by youth with adult mentors, are at the heart of the program.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Spotlight: Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition

Evidence Ranking: Potential

Source: Addiction Policy Forum

A brief overview of the Jackson County, West Virginia Anti-Drug Coalition (JCADC), a multi-agency drug abuse prevention program. Started in 2009 to address growing substance misuse in the region, the coalition includes the local health department and 12 community organizations including law enforcement, youth coalitions, treatment providers, medical professional, civic and religious groups, business owners, the board of education and the local media. JCADC provides culturally appropriate education campaigns, drug take back events,and collects data on overdose deaths and the drugs involved to target interventions and media campaigns. The JCADC efforts have resulted in a reduction in both overdose deaths and misuse of prescription medication in the community. Part of the Addiction Policy Forum’s Spotlight series which highlights innovative programs to address the opioid crisis.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Project ALERT

Evidence Ranking: Proven

Source: RAND Corporation

The website for Project ALERT, an evidence-based substance abuse prevention curriculum for grades 7 and 8 developed by the RAND Corporation. On-line training, lessons plans, posters and videos are available for free for educators. Project ALERT recently added an opioid lesson to the core curriculum.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Huntington Quick Response Team

Evidence Ranking: Promising

Source: Prestera Center, Huntington Comprehensive Treatment Center, Recovery Point West Virginia, Huntington Police, Huntington Black Pastors Association, Cabell County Emergency Medical Services

These presentation slides describe the Huntington, West Virginia Quick Response Team (QRT) which is a partnership of substance use disorder treatment providers, law enforcement, first responders, and faith-based community members. The QRT’s mission is to follow up on individuals

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders
Patients & Caregivers

The Arizona Rx Drug Misuse and Abuse Initiative: A Multi-Systemic, Multi-Level Approach for Addressing Arizona’s “Silent Epidemic”

Evidence Ranking: Promising

Source: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission

Arizona piloted a multi-faceted initiative intended to reduce prescription drug misuse and abuse in 4 counties between July of 2012 and December 2013. This evaluation of the pilot from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission found that the pilot delivered results including reduced

Document

Addiction’s Impact on Children and Families: Resources for Parents, Grandparents, Children and Youth

Research has shown that having a close family member with a history of addiction is a risk factor for substance use and for developing a substance use disorder. In this collection, we feature resources that provide education about addiction, support for coping when a family member has an addiction, and selected resources designed to help prevent the development of substance use disorder in children and youth.

Featured Collection
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Fact Sheet: Infectious Disease Elimination Act of Florida

Source: Florida Department of Health

This 2 page fact sheet explains the state of Florida’s Infectious Disease Elimination Act (IDEA), which allowed counties in the state to establish syringe exchange programs for people who use drugs. The resource describes the problem IDEA is intended to solve, explains the legislation, and describes the benefits of syringe exchange programs.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Infectious Disease Elimination Act of Florida

Source: Florida Department of Health

This site details the state of Florida’s Infectious Disease Elimination Act (IDEA). In 2019, Florida passed a law allowing county commissions to authorize sterile needle and syringe exchange programs for people who inject drugs in order to reduce opioid overdose rates and prevent infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B and C.

External Website
Payers & Providers

NIDAMED: Clinical Resources

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

NIDAMED, an imitative of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has a mission of developing science-based resources for clinicians, other health professionals, and those in training to improve screening for and treatment of substance use disorders. The website includes resources in 9 categories:

External Website