The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67066

Linda M. Bosma, MA¹, Kelli A. Komro, PhD², Cheryl L. Perry, PhD², Sara Veblen-Mortenson, MPH, MSW³, Traci L. Toomey, PhD², and Rhonda J. Jones-Webb, DrPH¹. (1) School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, 612-624-9556, bosma@epi.umn.edu, (2) Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, (3) Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454

Project Northland: Chicago Action for Healthy Youth (PNC) is a multi-component alcohol prevention program currently being implemented and evaluated by the University of Minnesota in the Chicago Public Schools. PNC is adapted from the original Project Northland (a CSAP Model Program) that was implemented in northern Minnesota, and resulted in reduced weekly and monthly alcohol use rates among students at the end of 8th grade and positive results through the end of 12th grade. This study has been adapted for a racially and ethnically diverse urban population and is now being implemented in 29 Chicago Public Schools Schools and 20 communities randomized to receive the intervention, with another 32 schools/surrounding communities participating as control sites that will receive programming at a delayed date. After a year of adaptation and preparation, 10 full-time community organizers began work in fall 2002 and will continue through spring 2005. They are organizing community action teams to develop formal and informal policies to reduce availability of alcohol to young people. This presentation will focus on the community organizing model being implemented, formation of community action teams, and process evaluation data during the first year of implementation. An overview of the types of alcohol access problems and strategies being identified by community action teams will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives: Participants will have an understanding of
• the community organizing model used in PNC,
• benefits and challenges of using a community organizing approach,
• problems and strategies being pursued to reduce youth access to alcohol, and
• key elements of process evaluation data to collect for community organizing initiatives.

Keywords: Alcohol, Community Involvement

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.