Describing Youth Substance Use

The DFC application requires that you discuss youth substance use, local conditions, and strategies to address the issues. Your community has completed a Comprehensive Community Plan and may have other data-driven plans available. Below are some data sources that you may include to describe youth substance use in your community.

Use (Section 5.3.2)

DFC applications require data regarding youth substance use. The best source of data is the Indiana Youth Survey (INYS). This survey collects lifetime and past 30 day use of a variety of substances (see page 61 of INYS). If you don’t already have access to these data, you can ask the schools for their reports. You can also obtain a data release from the school(s) and submit to the IPRC and we’ll send you a report. If you’d like a county level report, we can provide that for you (with a release) for a small fee. Please contact Susan () for these reports.

Local Conditions (Section 5.3.2)

Access
Description / The extent to which ATOD are available whether through retail or social access. This may include legal/illegal availability.
Items /
  • Alcohol Licenses
  • Tobacco Outlet Density
  • Meth Lab Seizures
/ Perceived Availability – How easy would it be for you to get…? / During the past month (30 days), how did you USUALLY get your alcohol and/or prescription drugs? / Non-compliance rates
Source / / INYS (pg 153) / INYS (pg 154) / TRIP and SAC
Culture
Description / The impact of laws, norms, customs, and beliefs (e.g., rites of passage) on the use of ATOD.
Items /
  • Alcohol Spending/ Alcohol Consequences
  • Tobacco Spending/ Tobacco Consequences
  • Intensity of Inspection (TRIP)
  • Adult Gambling Behavior
  • Crime Indices
  • FBI UCR Arrest Data
  • Alcohol-Related Crashes
/ Laws and Norms Favorable to Use – How does your neighborhood feel about use? / Parental Approval - How wrong do your parents feel
it would be for you
to…? / Peer Approval - How wrong do your friends feel it would be for you
to...?
Source / / INYS (pg 173) / INYS (pg 160) / INYS (pg 159)
Consequences
Description / Perceived or actual legal and social consequences of use such as punishment, stigmatization, or arrest.
Items / School Suspensions/Expulsions / Alcohol/Drug Related Arrests / Laws and Norms Favorable to Use – Caught by Police for Use
Source / / / INYS (pg 173)

DFC also encourages the inclusion of qualitative data such as key informant interviews, focus groups, and environmental scans.