With support from the OJJDP Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Initiative, community organizations, enforcement agencies, youth, and other concerned citizens are working collaboratively to change local ordinances and enforcement practices.
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An effective evaluation needs to be useful at several levels. Unfortunately, most of us do not get beyond the executive summary. This misses crucial aspects afforded by a review of your program, and opportunities to improve service delivery.
Three key recommendations for an effective evaluation are recommended:
. Work with an evaluator who understands the issues.
. Share the findings of the evaluation with those who produced and submitted the data.
. Address all recommendations of the evaluation.
With that in mind, the recently completed cross-site evaluation of Washington State’s Reducing Underage Drinking (RUAD) program conducted by Patricia Fabiano, Ph.D., of Western Washington University, not only provided a valuable document for contract and audit purposes, but also provided a starting point for improving State management of Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) funding.
To begin the evaluation process, a workshop for past and present contractors, their coalition members, and other State-level stakeholders was held. The workshop highlighted findings of the evaluation, suggested improvements, showcased program strengths, and provided an opportunity to share successful and unsuccessful strategies.
Sharing the results with those who produced the data generated the buy-in needed to make the following changes:
. Development of a standardized set of evaluation tools to measure data consistently across site.
. Definitions of common terms used in reporting.
. Inclusion of the evaluator at site visits.
. Development of specific objectives to address identified problem areas in selected communities with a tie to effective environmental programs to address those problems.
Significant progress in reducing underage drinking in Washington over the past 4 years is evident in the results of student surveys conducted since 1988. The most recent survey conducted during the fall of 2002 of more than 137,000 students in 752 schools indicates that the number of students reporting alcohol consumption at least once in the 30 days before the survey declined significantly across all age groups:
Decreases in recent alcohol use since 1998:
. 6th grade – 42 percent
. 8th grade – 20 percent
. 10th grade – 22 percent
. 12th grade – 9 percent
Decreases in binge drinking(five or more drinks in a row) since 1998:
. 8th grade – 33 percent
. 12th grade – 14 percent
These results are consistent with the National trend as reported in the 2002 Monitoring the Future survey, although Washington results indicate greater positive change.
For more information, contact Aaron Starks at (360) 438-8212 or [email protected]