Missoula County Substance Abuse
Missoula Youth Alcohol Risk Reduction System - Draft (1998-1999)
Education
K-12th grade
Missoula County Public Schools- Integrated Health Enhancement Curriculum. As of 2000, this curriculum is being enhanced with two best practices curriculum supported by recent grant
Prep for Life classes in Missoula high schools-this course addresses alcohol and drug abuse. About 1/2 of all seniors take this course.
Community Care educational workshops and forums are offered. (2-3 day prevention workshops and awareness events).1,263 people have attended since Community Care was established.
Police Reaching Out to Students- This program is tailored to the needs of Missoula city students. The curriculum was developed for grades K-8, emphasizing safety, character, and law education. Additional courses are available in the high schools. This is primarily academic and is mainly offered in two middle schools.
18-24 years old
UM Health Services UM P.R.O.s -Peers Reaching Out- health education provided by trained students on relevant topics
Community as a Whole
Other forums; Survival Guide for parents and teens
Additional Promising Practices:
Peer resistance education (K-12)
Enforcement
K-12th grade
Local school disciplinary policies-MCPS Activity Code of Conduct
MIPs-a strong commitment in city police to enforce and county sheriff kegger patrol are established in Missoula. In 1996, 1,279 MIPs were given and 129 youth were arrested for drug possession. (Youth Court- Missoula Measures 1998)
Youth Court- handles most minor to major delinquency issues. In a 1992 survey of Missoula high school students, 30% said they had been in trouble with the police in the past year and 26% said they had committed an act of vandalism.
Youth Drug Court-Missoula’s Youth Drug Court currently serves about 20 young people with a criminal case pending who have serious alcohol and/or other drug problems. Judge John Larson, who has provided key leadership for the program, estimates about 40-50% will graduate and the rest will be much less likely to be involved in more serious crimes in the future.
18-24 year olds
Student Conduct Code for UM students
Enforcing MIPs, DUI
Community as a Whole
Enforcing DUIs-ongoing commitment of law enforcement to enforce + special incentives and overtime pay through subsidies to enforce. Traffic Safety Task Force
Additional Promising Practices:
Environment
K-12th grade and 18-24 year olds
Perception of increased DUI and MIP enforcement
Access/Illegal sales-
Social Norms social marketing re: binge drinking, campaign at UM
UM Community Campus Coalition- (focusing on 18-24 year olds only) Established in 1998, A campus organization that provides workshops, forums, and committee meetings to discuss and implement plans to help reduce the substance abuse within the college community. SoBear is an example of a safe ride program. It is a designated driver program that area taverns participate in and local radio stations promote.
Community as a Whole
Traffic Safety Task Force - reducing DUIs , home free-safe rides, etc
Media-
Use of news media addressing topics including substance abuse concerns.
Public Policy-
Current local and state laws (inventoried elsewhere)
Alcohol Free Events- All Night Grad Party-(high-school) The night of graduation area high school put on an all night event to promote a safe and alcohol free celebration.
First Night-(community) New Year’s Eve community event that area businesses and organizations promote.
Forester’s Ball-(UM) A University of Montana traditional party on campus recently turned into an alcohol free event with dancing and activities.
Additional Promising Practices:
Intervention
Community Care Inc. - Insight I provides a substance abuse program for those youth found in possession of alcohol or other drugs. Program lasts eight weeks (1hr/wk) and requires a "no use " contract. (Avg. 200 youth a year, at least 98% have 1 parent attend, at least 90% have 2 parents attend a parent night) Insight II provided by Turning Point.
18-24 year olds
UM Drug and Alcohol Program-provides assessment and individual counseling services, peer counseling, information, and support groups to all eligible students.
Treatment
Turning Point- Outpatient counseling for people who are chemically dependent, or abusing drugs and/or alcohol. Individual/group services for adolescents.
St. Patrick Addiction Treatment-Specially designed program for adolescents suffering from substance abuse or behavioral addictions. Intensive outpatient and group therapy is also offered.
Providence Center-Adolescent Substance Abuse Services
Alateen-Support groups for youth with a family member who is an alcoholic.
Missoula Indian Center-Drug and alcohol dependency treatment and assessment is available.
AA-A twelve-step program for alcoholics - Support group and sponsor attention to those in the program - various age groups
Narcotics Anonymous-A twelve step program for people in recovery from drug addictions