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Best practices

Best Practices are those strategies and programs which are deemed research-based by scientists and researchers which have been shown through substantial research and evaluation to be effective at preventing and/or delaying substance abuse or delinquency. Researchers or scientists at national organizations such as National Institute on Diseases of Addiction (formerly National Institute on Drug Abuse) (NIDA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the U.S. Department of Education are those who determine best practices as defined in this website.

Also important in prevention are those strategies considered "Promising Approaches." Promising Approaches are defined as those strategies or programs that have some quantifiable data showing positive outcomes in delaying substance abuse over a period of time, but do not have enough research or replication to support generalized outcomes.

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Models

Communities That Care
Communities That Care is a system developed by J. David Hawkins and Richard F. Catalano that empowers communities to use advances from prevention science to guide their prevention efforts.

BluePrints for Violence Prevention
The result of a 1996 project initiated to identify teen violence prevention programs that met a very high scientific standard of program effectiveness - programs that could provide an initial nucleus for a national violence prevention initiative. Programs are described in a series of "blueprints" which describe the theoretical rationale, the core components of the program as implemented, the evaluation designs and results, and the practical experiences programs encountered while implementing the program at multiple sites.

SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)
CSAP works with states and communities to develop comprehensive prevention systems that create healthy communities in which people enjoy a quality life. This includes supportive work and school environments, drug- and crime-free neighborhoods, and positive connections with friends and family.