NASADAD
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc.
2012 National Exemplary Awards – For Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Practices and Policies
WASHINGTON, DC (Sept. 25, 2012) – The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) announces Parents Empowered of Utah, as a recipient of the 2012 National Exemplary Awards for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Practices and Policies. For more than 20 years, the awards, supported by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), have recognized creative and effective local programs working with the community to prevent substance abuse.
ParentsEmpowered is a statewide, state-sponsored educational and community mobilization campaign to prevent underage drinking. Launched in September 2006, the campaign uses electronic media and other means of mass communication to provide parents with the knowledge and skills to actively keep their children alcohol-free. ParentsEmpowered encourages parents to be involved in their children’s lives and to set clear rules about not tolerating underage drinking, a strategy to increase protective factors, which research indicates are linked to preventing youth alcohol use. Parents Empowered is a collaborative effort between state agencies, private companies and local community coalitions and is funded through the state’s liquor revenue proceeds.
An evaluation conducted in 2011 indicated that the ParentsEmpowered program was able to see measurable decreases were found in youth binge drinking rates, 30-day use rates, and lifetime use rates among eighth-12th- graders. In June 2011, results from the Utah Underage Drinking Campaign Survey indicated that adults also reported changes in beliefs and behaviors of the harmful effects of underage drinking. Since 2010, the percentage of parents who feel they need to talk with their children about underage drinking once a month or more increased 8 points, from 61 to 69 percent. Furthermore, parents who, within the past three months, reviewed with their children rules about underage drinking increased from 52 to 61 percent over the past year.
ParentsEmpowered is one of only two programs nationwide selected to receive an Exemplary Award this year. Award-winning programs showcased their work at the 25th Annual National Prevention Network Research Conference held September 19–21, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc.