Making a Difference with Data:

1
Making a Difference with Data Using Substance
Use Indicators in Your Community Sarah
Guckenburg, MPH Susan Aromaa, MS
2

• Works to advance effective drug policy,
  prevention, and treatment
• Funded primarily by a grant from The Robert Wood
  Johnson Foundation
• www.jointogether.org
• Over 20,000 subscribers to our electronic
  newsletters
• 150,000 visitors 500,000 page views per month
• www.alcoholscreening.org
• Almost 350,000 people screened

3

• 2005 Revised Edition
• 6,000 handbooks ordered in 3 months
• www.IndicatorsHandbook.org
• 3,000 online learning community members

4

• Strategy Matters
• Data Assessment Committee
• Target Audience
• Regular Reporting

5

• Select Appropriate Indicators
• Data Sources

6

• A Menu of 27 Substance Use Indicators
• Description
• Examples of what to measure
• Where to find local data
• Interpretation guidelines
• Resources
• Graphic Examples

7
Making Your Case with Data Maps can show the
concentration of alcohol outlets in a
community Tracking data over time can
illustrate the success of a policy change
8

• Reporting Formats
• Report cards
• Change over time
• Community comparisons
• Snapshot in time
• Making strategic use of your report
• Working with community leaders
• Working with the media

9

• Community Report Card
• Easy way to report on a large number of issues
• Used to move people to action so they can
  improve the grade
• Easy to understand

10

• Examples of what communities have done
• expanded stories on the website

11

• New Futures
• Allocated a portion of the profits from alcohol
  sales for prevention and treatment programs
• Created a state-wide Governor's Commission on
  Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention,
  and Treatment
• Required keg registration
• Required health insurance companies to offer
  coverage for addiction treatment

12
www.IndicatorsHandbook.org
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15

• Learning Community Goals and Activities
• Increase available information about how
  communities can create and sustain a practical
  and affordable indicator reporting program
• Indicator Updates
• Submit your story
• New online data sources
• More to come..

16
Indicator Updates The beginnings of an online
learning community
17

• Indicator Updates
• Ask questions
• Offer tips
• Learn what others are doing
• Discuss barriers
• Share resources with colleagues

18
Share your success and tips with other
communities around the country
19
Use Substance Use Indicators in your
Community-Wide Indicator Program

• Two High Impact Substance Use Indicators
• Alcohol Outlets
• Traffic Fatalities

20

• Alcohol Outlets
• Track and map the number of alcohol outlets and
  licenses.
• This data is very useful when viewed in relation
  to other community problems such as
• Calls for emergency assistance
• Arrests
• Youth exposure (near schools, colleges, etc.)
• Easy to access the data

21

• Traffic Fatalities
• Track the number of alcohol-related car accidents
  that result in a fatality.
• State Traffic Safety Information has state by
  state data on traffic crashes by BAC level.
  http//www.nhtsa.dot.gov/stsi/
• This data is a measure of alcohol related harm.
• The data can help tell a powerful story.
• Track over time.

22
Sign up for Indicator Updates and order a copy of
the Handbook www.IndicatorsHandbook.org
Contact Us Susan Aromaa Susan_at_jointogether.org Sa
rah Guckenburg Sarah_at_jointogether.org