Heartland Task Force-Youth Substance Abuse

All throughout Missouri substance abuse among teens is high and in Adair County there are specific areas that of greater concern because they are higher than the Missouri average. These are the current substance use for grades 6 through 12 for cigarettes, binge drinking, and inhalants usage. Not that the other substances aren’t important to focus on but these three are the most important for Adair County and the Heartland Task Force.

            One very important part of reducing the substance abuse in the youth of Adair County is increasing the developmental assets that the teens have. “The Developmental Assets® are 40 common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible, successful adults ("What kids need:," 2011)”. These 40 assets are split into two categories which are external assets and internal assets which also have four sub-categories each. The sub-categories for external assets are support, empowerment, boundaries & expectations, and constructive use of time. The sub-categories of internal assets are commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity ("40 developmental assets," 2011). “Over time, studies of more than 2.2 million young people consistently show that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviors and the more likely they are to thrive ("What kids need:," 2011)”. Due to the significant number of people that have been studied this theory carries considerable weight. “Research has [also] proven that youth with the most assets are least likely to engage in four different patterns of high-risk behavior, including problem alcohol use, violence, illicit drug use, and sexual activity. The same kind of impact is evident with many other problem behaviors, including tobacco use, depression and attempted suicide, antisocial behavior, school problems, driving and alcohol, and gambling ("What kids need:," 2011)”. These are important problems that should try to be addressed and this is a key reason why it is important to make sure that youth have the most development assets that they possibly can “The positive power of assets is evident across all cultural and socioeconomic groups of youth, and there is also evidence that assets have the same kind of power for younger children ("What kids need:," 2011)”. Teaching this among all youth, no matter what, is important for their future. No matter what culture or socioeconomic status they have if they gain these developmental assets then they will be less likely to engage in those high-risk behaviors. Starting young is also extremely important because it instills values in them that they will grow up having and using instead of having to change existing habits when they’re older, which can be more difficult. Having these 40 Developmental Assets within the youth of today is very important and can make a huge impact on their future.

            Another important part of reducing substance abuse among the youth of Adair County is utilizing the Positive Youth Development within the community. “Positive Youth Development is a policy perspective that emphasizes providing services and opportunities to support all young people in developing a sense of a competence, usefulness, belonging and empowerment ("Best practices: Positive," )”. Having this sense of community can help the youth feel involved and like they are a part of something which can help develop those 40 Developmental Assets. “Youth Development is both a philosophy and an approach to policies and programs that serve young people. The underlying philosophy of youth development is holistic, preventative and positive, focusing on the development of assets and competencies in all young people ("Best practices: Positive," )”. This plays in well with the 40 Developmental Assets. Using Positive Youth Development can help to prevent future substance abuse in youth and can make the community a safer place.

            The Heartland Task Force already holds some activities that promote the 40 Developmental Assets and Positive Youth Development. Some school-based prevention education programs that they offer are 3-D (Drugged, Drinking, Driving) Month Events, Alcohol Awareness Month Events, Al’s Pals, and the DARE Program. Some community based programs for family and youth are Drug-Free Family/Community Nights at the YMCA, Alternative Activities to Substance Abuse: Family Dances: Daddy/Daughter Dance and Mom/Son Stampede, Outrageous Olympics, Back to School Programs, KTVO-TV Activities: Anti-Drug PSA Contest, Annual Health and Safety Expo, Retailer Watch Program, and Choices Have Consequences. These are just a handful of the activities and programs that the Heartland Task Force offers to the Kirksville community to promote the 40 Developmental Assets and Positive Youth Development.

            The Heartland Task Force has their work cut out for them but they are already doing a significant amount of work into reducing the substance abuse among the youth of Adair County. Utilizing Positive Youth Development and the 40 Developmental Assets will be key in making any programs successful.

Works Cited

40 developmental assets for adolescents. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.search-institute.org/content/40-developmental-assets-adolescents-ages-12-18

Best practices: Positive youth development . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.npcresearch.com/Files/Strengths Training Binder/44. Best Practices Positive Youth Development.pdf

What kids need: The building blocks for children and youth. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.search-institute.org/developmental-assets