Involving the community in preventing substance use is crucial because substance abuse is a complex issue that affects not only the individual but also their families and the community at large. Substance use can lead to addiction, health problems, financial strain, social issues, such as crime and homelessness, and more.

This course discusses why community is needed in an effort to prevent substance use and how it accomplishes this. It also discusses the Strategic Prevention Framework and reviews the University of Kansas’ Community Tool Box discussion in-depth on this framework.