1. Northampton Youth and Families
Assessment and Prevention
Karen Jarvis-Vance, Heather Warner, MPH and
R.N., B.S.N., N.C.S.N Marisa Hebble, MPH
Director of Health Services, Health SPIFFY Coalition
Education and Safety (Strategic Planning Initiative
Northampton Public Schools for Families & Youth)
Hampshire Educational Collaborative

2. Strategic Planning Initiative
for Families and Youth
(SPIFFY)
County-wide coalition of:
Schools
Parent groups
Youth
Health & human service agencies
Civic groups
Community-based organizations
Businesses
Law enforcement
Faith communities
Colleges and Universities

3. Create a culture within communities
that discourages underage drinking and other risky behaviors
AND
promotes positive opportunities for youth development

4. SPIFFY and the
Northampton Prevention Coalition
SPIFFY
Coalition
Hampshire County
Northampton
Prevention
Coalition
City of Northampton

5. Northampton Prevention Coalition’s Mission
Initiate, coordinate and sustain prevention efforts that decrease
risk factors and increase protective factors affecting youth within
Northampton (NPC) and Hampshire County (SPIFFY)

6. Risk and Protective Factors
Risk Increase likelihood of drug use,
Factors
delinquency, school dropout, teen
pregnancy, and violent behavior
among youth.
Exert a positive influence or buffer
against the negative influence of Protective
risk, thus reducing the likelihood Factors
that adolescents will engage in
problem behaviors.
*Dr. J. David Hawkins, Dr. Richard F.Catalano, University of Washington, Social Development Research Group

7. Risk Factors
Community Family School Peer/Individual
Availability of drugs Family history of Academic Failure Early initiation of drug
problem behavior use/problem behavior
Availability of firearms
Family Lack of
commitment to Rebelliousness
management
Community laws and school
problems
norms favorable Friends who use
toward drug use, drugs/engage in problem
firearms and crime Family conflict behavior
Low neighborhood Favorable attitudes
attachment Parental attitudes toward drug use/other
favorable towards problem behavior
Community drugs/other
disorganization problem behavior Perceived risks of drug
use
Extreme economic Peer rewards for drug
deprivation use
Depressive symptoms

8. Protective Factors
Community Family School Peer/Individual
Opportunities for Religiosity
Opportunities for Family attachment prosocial
positive involvement
involvement
Social skills
Rewards for positive Opportunities for Rewards for
involvement prosocial prosocial
involvement involvement Belief in the moral order
Rewards for
prosocial Prosocial involvement
involvement
Rewards for prosocial
involvement

9. 2009 BACH-HARRISON
YOUTH PREVENTION NEEDS
ASSESSMENT SURVEY
Karen Jarvis-Vance, R.N., B.S.N., N.C.S.N
Director of Health Services, Health Education and
Safety
Northampton Public Schools
Special thanks to:
Elaine Puleo, MPH
UMASS School of Public Health

10. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
 506 students surveyed in 2009
 8th grade: 190
 10th grade: 193
 12th grade: 123
 45.5 male/54.5 female

11. 8th grade 30-day use

12. 10th grade 30-day use

13. 12th grade 30-day use

14. Substance Use and
Anti-Social Behavior
 “Heavy use”* alcohol (2007):
8th 10th 12th
16% 22% 38%
 “Heavy use” alcohol (2009):
8th** 10th** 12th
8% 18% 32%
*Defined as 5 or more drinks in one sitting
**dropped below the Monitoring the Future mean

15. Risk and Protective Factors
 “Laws and norms favor drug use” (2007)
8th 10th 12th
58% 46% 42%
 “Laws and norms favor drug use” (2009)
8th 10th 12th
42%* 36%* 60%
*dropped below the 8 state norm

16. Risk and Protective Factors
 “Parent attitudes favor drug use” (2007)
8th 10th 12th
32% 70% 46%
 “Parent attitudes favor drug use” (2009)
8th 10th 12th
26%* 56% 68%
*dropped below the 8 state norm

17. Risk and Protective Factors
 Low commitment to school (8th grade)
2007 2009
70% 54%
 Rewards for pro-social involvement (8th
grade)
2007 2009
36% 64%*
*above the 8 state norm

18. 2009 Hampshire County PNAS
teen sex
Additional Questions alcohol and drug
access
dating
violence

19. Access to Alcohol
Bought Alcohol with fake ID
120%
100%
80%
Yes
60% No
40%
20%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

20. Bought Alcohol themselves without fake ID
120%
100%
80%
Yes
60% No
40%
20%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

21. Got alcohol from a stranger who bought it for me
120%
100%
80%
Yes
60%
No
40%
20%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

22. Social Access:
Got alcohol from someone 21+
70%
60%
50%
40%
Yes
No
30%
20%
10%
0%
Males Females

23. Got alcohol from someone 21+
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Yes
50%
No
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

24. Got alcohol from someone under 21
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Yes
50%
No
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

25. Got alcohol at home without permission
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Yes
50%
No
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

26. Got Alcohol at home with parent's permission
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Yes
50% No
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

27. Got Alcohol from a brother or sister
120%
100%
80%
Yes
60% No
40%
20%
0%
Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

28. SOME GOOD NEWS
91% of PNA respondents had
NOT been a victim of
relationship violence in the last
year
92% had never been forced to
have sex
Among those students who
have had sex, most were not
under the influence of drugs or
alcohol the last time they did

29. Highlights of Parent Survey
Results - Northampton
75% of Northampton parents strongly
believe that they have clear rules in
their house about underage drinking.
BUT…….
Only 13% strongly believe that there are
clear rules about underage drinking in
other Northampton families.

30. Youth Perception of Clear
Family Rules
My family has clear rules about alcohol and drug use.
How many youth answered with a resounding “YES!”?
 39% of 8th graders
 30% of 10th graders
 38% of 12th graders*
*Source: 2007 Bach Harrison survey data for Northampton School District

31. Highlights of Survey Results -
Northampton
77% of Northampton parents strongly agree
that they do not allow their teen to attend
parties where parents will not be home to
supervise.
BUT…….
Only 10% strongly agree that other
Northampton parents do not allow their
teen to attend parties where parents will not
be home to supervise.

32. Highlights of Survey Results -
Northampton
90% strongly agree that they would be upset
if another adult gave their teen alcohol
BUT…….
Only 37% strongly agree that other
Northampton parents would be upset if
another parent gave their teen alcohol

33. What is being done to support youth
and families in Northampton?

34. Social
Norms
Campaigns
Policy Environmental Youth
change Strategies Recognition
Reduce
youth
access to
alcohol and
drugs

35. Prom
Parent Social
Graduation
Norms Photo Voice
Social Norms
Campaign
Campaign
Compliance
Sticker Shock Server Training
Checks
Safe Homes Mythbusters Curricula

36. Sample
Survey
N = 389
44% response rate

39. Social Norms Marketing
Parent Campaign

40. Social Norms Marketing
Parent Campaign

43. Social Norms
Marketing
NHS Prom and
Graduation

44. Compliance Checks
2008 2009 2010
Northampton 86% 96% 98%
Amherst 90% 95%
Easthampton 53% 100% 100%
Hadley 100% * *
South Hadley 87% * *

45. TIPs &
MASSpack
Training
88 Retailers

46. Northampton Sticker Shock
6 package stores

47. NORTHAMPTON PHOTOVOICE:
Teen Perspectives on Underage Drinking

48. MAYBE WITH CAPTIONS IN
THIS BOX?

49. • ....DesktopPhotovoic
eZanes Pictures
002.jpg

50. Parenting Support
In addition to the Social Norms Campaign:
 Guiding Good Choices: 8-week workshop
 Parent guide in September Gazette
 Safe Homes Directory
 SPIFFY/NPS website resources
 Parent newsletter articles

51. Safe
Homes
Parent-to-
Parent
Directory

52. Youth Support
In addition to Photovoice, youth social
norms, sticker shock…
 All Stars Curriculum
 Brief Screening and Intervention
 Youth Recognition Mini-grants
 Youth Recognition Presentation

53. Community Support
In addition to paying for PNA survey in schools and
offering youth recognition mini-grants…
 Host workshops on cyber bullying and school
bullying policies
 Support schools in transition to new state
requirements
 Plans to host training on “Addiction and Brain
Science”

54. Community Support
In addition to compliance checks….
 Laws and Norms Committee
 Bylaw: Public consumption of Marijuana
 Social access: Cops-In-Shops
 Purchased a breathalyzer for NPD
 TIPs & MASSpack trainings for retailers
 Sticker shock campaign

55. Join the Northampton
Prevention Coalition
Imagine what we can do together!

56. For more information contact:
Karen Jarvis-Vance
Northampton Public Schools
413-586-1364
Marissa Hebble, SPIFFY
413-586-4900 x 160
scairn@collaborative.org
Heather Warner
413-586-4900 x 124
hwarner@collaborative.org