Evidence-based Strategies

Over the last several decades of research, epidemiology studies indicate drinking alcohol as a risk factor for an array of injuries, diseases, and social injustices and a leading cause of morbidity (i.e., diseased condition or state) and mortality (i.e., death).  Additionally, the published literature indicates a strong relationship between alcohol tax and price levels and alcohol sales, drinking, and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality outcomes.  Based on these established relationships and literature, researchers Alexander Wagenaar, Amy Tober, and Kelli Komro hypothesized and found that a negative relationship exists between alcohol tax/price levels and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

This paper was developed to be responsive to the coalition field and to help coalitions understand how environmental strategies are critical elements of a comprehensive plan to reduce substance use and abuse. Environmental strategies are used to change the context (environment) in which substance use and abuse occur. Environmental strategies incorporate efforts aimed at changing or influencing community conditions, standards, institutions, structures, systems and policies (Babor, 2003).

The CADCA National Coalition Institute’s Roadmap to Success provides a guide about the training opportunities and other CADCA resources created for Drug Free Communities Support Program (DFC) Grantees.

In community settings, fidelity poses a significant challenge to successfully implementing evidence-based programs (EBPs). Fidelity refers to the implementation of a program in the identical method in which it was tested by researchers to achieve similar results. According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania State University’s Prevention Research Center, various positive elements of coalition functioning, such as strong leadership and program fidelity, influence a coalition’s ability to support the high-quality implementation of EBPs.

CADCA's National Coalition Institute offered the attached PowerPoint presentation at NPN's 23rd Annual Prevention Research Conference in Denver, Colo., on September 3, 2010. The presentation focuses on the Institute's use of new media to develop several webinar series and a peer-to-peer social network for coalition leaders, members, volunteers and other stakeholders.

View the PowerPoint Handouts

For over twenty years, researchers in the field of Human Resource Development have worked to understand the conditions that promote or inhibit the transfer of training information to the workplace. Transfer of training occurs when participants successfully take the training information learned and actively apply it to improving their day-to-day work. Simply investing in a training opportunity does not guarantee transfer of training. In fact, studies indicate that only half of all organizational training investments result in direct benefits to the organization (Saks, 2002). A recent article published in Human Resource Development Review found that accountability plays a key role in improving the process of incorporating new skills and strategies into the structure of an organization.