The New D.A.R.E. Program
WASHINGTON, DC, February 15,
2001-- The nation's largest and best-known substance abuse prevention program
will be the beneficiary of an entirely new, state-of-the-art substance abuse
prevention curriculum thanks to a $13.7 million grant that will be awarded by
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The grant recipient, The University of
Akron, has developed this curriculum based on the latest prevention research,
and will test it nationwide using local D.A.R.E. programs in six U.S. cities.
Substance abuse is one of the greatest
threats to the health, well-being and future of our nation's children. Through
this project The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The University of Akron and
D.A.R.E. America have developed the next generation of substance abuse
prevention programming. According to Nancy Kaufman, Vice President at the
Foundation, 'We want to take the knowledge gained through prevention science
and see it applied in the real world. D.A.R.E. is the perfect vehicle. We have
designed a state-of-the-art program and will test its effectiveness.'
A total of 80 high schools and their 176
feeder middle schools will participate in the study. It is estimated that
50,000 students will take part.
Working with D.A.R.E., the University of
Akron will implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the new curricula over
the next five years. Initial results of the study will be available this
Spring. 'This new program draws on what we have learned from our research about
the elements of effective prevention by addressing the normative beliefs,
personal attitudes and problem solving and resistance skills of students. It
will provide specific information about the consequences of substance abuse and
the role and influence of peers and advertising in affecting normative
beliefs', stated Zili Sloboda, Principal Investigator of the project at the
University of Akron.
This new program is designed to reduce the
use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, as well as prevent violence among our
nation's youth. Its impact will be assessed through a rigorous, scientific
evaluation.
The University of Akron incorporated the
most up-to-date evidence and science-based strategies for substance abuse
prevention programming into the new curriculum.
'We
are pleased to be a part of this project, which will bring together D.A.R.E.'s
renowned school delivery system with the best evidence-based curriculum for
this nation's children,' said Glenn Levant, President of D.A.R.E. America.
D.A.R.E.-now operating in 80% of all school
districts around the country and reaching over 36 million young people-is the
most extensive substance abuse prevention delivery system in the country.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in
Princeton, NJ, is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to
health and healthcare.
The Institute for Health and Social Policy at the University of Akron was established in 1999 for the study of the delivery of effective health and social services.