NASADAD, with funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, recently released a new resource guide titled Reaching Youth at Risk for Substance Use and Misuse: Early Intervention Resources and Practices. The guide includes principals of effective early intervention services, innovative State initiatives including case studies from five States, state-by-state descriptions of early intervention services, and programs and tools to use as resources. The guide also includes seven guiding principles developed by NASADAD, in collaboration with an expert Advisory Council: youth substance misuse and related behaviors should be identified as early as possible, services need to be accessible and offered in multiple settings, services should include developmentally appropriate opportunities for positive social interactions, services should be trauma-informed, services should involve family and support systems, an active outreach component should be included, and services should be targeted to reduce disparities for vulnerable populations.
- Ann Tucker