Information Dissemination provides knowledge and increases awareness of the nature and extent of alcohol and other drug use, abuse, and addiction, as well as their effects on individuals, families, and communities. It also provides knowledge and increases awareness of available prevention and treatment programs and services. It is characterized by one-way communication from the information source to the audience, with limited contact between the two.

• Community resource brochures to help residents connect to needed services
• Presentations and Town Halls to raise awareness of community problems and substance use trends
• Social media
• Ensuring the public is aware of legislation such as minimum age of sale, social host, and Good Samaritan laws
• Media campaigns like Count It, Lock It, Drop It
• Change Direction to help residents identify the five signs of emotional distress
• Sticker shock programs where alcohol products are given warning labels

Education builds skills through structured learning processes. Critical life and social skills include decision making, peer resistance, coping with stress, problem solving, interpersonal communication, and systematic and judgmental capabilities. There is more interaction between facilitators and participants than there is for information dissemination.

• Hidden in Plain Sight – mock teenager bedroom that parents can interact with to learn what to look for if their teen is using substances.
• School curriculums that teach refusal skills such as Project Northland, Towards No Drug Abuse, LifeSkills, and Project Success.
• Social emotional learning (SEL) curriculums and practices.
• Mental health awareness trainings such as Stronger Together, Mental Health First Aid, Suicide prevention trainings, crisis response trainings.
• Strengthening Families Program – family communication and management classes for parents and their youth aged 13-17.
• Media Ready – literacy training for youth to recognize persuasive marketing techniques.
• Incredible Beginnings – classroom management training for preschool and early elementary teachers.
• Alcohol server trainings.
• Vaping cessation programs.
• Peer to peer support programs.
• Ongoing professional development and prevention certification of staff.
• Regular visits to retailers to survey how products are sold and provide education regarding laws and best practices.

Alternatives provide opportunities for target populations to participate in activities that exclude alcohol and other drugs. The purpose is to discourage use of alcohol and other drugs by providing alternative, healthy activities.

• Recovery rallies.
• Youth events to provide alternatives to substance use.
• Stress reduction activities.
• World Kindness Day activities.
• East Bay Regional Youth Council.
• Youth groups in our middle and high schools for leadership training and community service.

Problem Identification and Referral aims to identify individuals who have indulged in illegal or age-inappropriate use of tobacco or alcohol and individuals who have indulged in the first use of illicit drugs.

• Court mandated trainings for youth and young adults found in illegal possession of alcohol.
• Online motivational interviewing programs like 3^rd Millenium.
• Student Assistance Counselors in middle and high schools.
• Mystery shopper program for alcohol retailers to help address underage sales.

Community-based Process provides ongoing networking activities and technical assistance to community groups or agencies. It encompasses neighborhood-based, grassroots empowerment models using action planning and collaborative systems planning.

• Monthly coalition meetings with ongoing trainings, workgroups, and collaboration.
• Advocacy training for residents to better access the state legislative system.
• Ongoing data collection and use of Strategic Prevention Framework.
• Outreach to partner organizations with similar missions and goals.
• Diverse funds acquisition.
• Efforts to ensure coalitions reflect the diverse communities they represent.

Environmental establishes or changes written and unwritten community standards, codes, and attitudes. Its intent is to influence the general population’s use of alcohol and other drugs.

• Drug take back containers in all police stations and twice annual drug take back events.
• Tiplines where residents can provide police with anonymous tips of underage or excessive substance use.
• Law enforcement efforts such as compliance checks to ensure no underage sales are made for alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis.
• Mental health signage in public buildings with direct access to resources.
• School policies to support prevention by providing screening and referral to treatment.
• Breathalyzer policies at school events.
• Public space smoking and vaping restrictions.
• Best practices such as checking identification at points of sale of alcohol and tobacco for all customers or, at least, those under 40.
• Restrictions on sales of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, such as hours of operation, required trainings, locations, number of outlets, etc.
• State legislation such as taxes on substances.