The problem of substance use is still a rampant, raging problem, especially here in America. Use and abuse have gotten a great deal worse over the past few years due to the recent pandemic. Although we have made some great strides over time toward reducing rates and successfully helping people to stop using through various treatment programs, wouldn’t it be awesome if we could totally prevent these problems from happening in the first place? Of course it would!

Early efforts were perhaps not as effective as modern-day, evidence-based prevention programs. In 1983, after realizing that law enforcement by itself was not enough to deter drug use, the LA Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) joined forces and created D.A.R.E. – Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E., 2023). They created middle- and high-school curricula. It was a significant start of a movement that has only grown and gotten better over decades.

In this course we will examine some facets of the Community Readiness Model and Developmental Assets. Although there are other models, such as the tried-and-true Stages of Change, these two represent some of the most significant advances toward the prevention of substance use.

Great Kids Make Great Communities (n.d.) defines the 40 Developmental Assets (as identified by the Search Institute) as that “which identifies a set of skills, experiences, relationships, and behaviors that enable young people to develop into successful and contributing adults” (para. 1). These consist of both internal and external assets. They appear across various areas of human development and demonstrate how having these assets helps kids grow into positive, functional, and successful adults.

Great kids make great communities. (n.d.). 40 developmental assets. https://www.greatkidsallencounty.org/resources