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- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
Preventing and Reducing Teen Tobacco Use
OAH has updated its information on teen tobacco use to include new data and resources, including information about e-cigarettes. This page provides information on:
- The health impact of teen tobacco use
- Trends in use
- Risk and protective factors that impact a teen’s likelihood of starting or stopping smoking
- Federal, state, and community strategies and approaches to preventing and reducing teen tobacco use
- Tips for parents on communicating with their teen about smoking
- Additional resources on adolescent tobacco use and services to help users quit
Talking with Teens: Conversation Tools
This article from the Office of Adolescent Health provides tips and resources for parents on starting important conversations with their teens and on how to take advantage of teachable moments.
Webcast Archive: Make the Connection: How Positive Youth Development Offers Promise for Teen Health and Teen Pregnancy Prevention
The archive of this OAH webcast, which highlighted the role of positive youth development in the prevention of teen pregnancy and other risky behaviors, is now available for viewing. A resource list (PDF, 4 pages) of suggested readings from the webcast speakers is also available, as well as the archived #TeenPYD Twitter conversation.
Two Video Series: Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs Matter
Two new video series address what works for teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) and the impact of TPP programs on the lives of adolescents. The first series provides a personal look at TPP programs in local communities. The initial video highlights Sé tú mismo (Be Yourself), a positive youth development program for Latino youth in Washington, D.C., and Montgomery County, Maryland, and includes the perspective of teens in the program. The second video series features OAH staff and partners answering frequently asked questions about TPP, including information on why U.S. organizations should focus on TPP and where the country is on this issue.
Resources: Serving and Engaging Males and Young Fathers
These resources can help professionals who serve young fathers and their families to reach and engage more young fathers; influence research, practice, and policy to better address the needs of this population; and improve the lives of young fathers and their families:
- Recruiting Young Fathers: Five Things to Know (PDF, 2 pages)
- Retaining Young Fathers: Five Things to Know (PDF, 2 pages)
- Serving Young Fathers: Important Things to Know and How They Make a Difference (PDF, 5 pages)
- Serving Young Fathers: An Assessment and Checklist for Grantee Organizations (PDF, 11 pages)
- Serving Young Fathers: A Workbook of Activities (PDF, 10 pages)
Reports: OAH Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program Evaluation Findings
These reports illustrate the findings of 41 rigorous evaluations conducted from 2010 to 2015 through the OAH Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program. The results from these evaluations can help local communities select and implement pregnancy prevention programs that are a good fit and likely to have the greatest impact.
Resource: Pregnancy Assistance Fund (PAF) Successful Strategies
These profiles describe the programs of 25 PAF grantees working in 17 states and with two tribes. Communities can use this information to evaluate what strategies may be successful in their settings.
A Circle of Healing for Native Children Endangered by Drugs
“A Circle of Healing for Native Children Endangered by Drugs” is a seven-part video series that highlights best practices for meeting the needs of drug-endangered youth in tribal communities. Produced in collaboration with tribal and federal partners, the videos feature testimonials and examples of cultural practices that tribal communities can use to help traumatized children who are healing from drug endangerment.
Video: The Sobering Consequences of Underage Drinking
Supported by a grant from BJA, the Center for Public Safety Innovation and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America released a video featuring a panel of experts discussing trends in underage drinking, consequences of underage drinking on adolescent health, and intervention and prevention strategies.
Resource: Engage, Involve, Empower: Family Engagement in Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts
This technical assistance brief provides recommendations for successful family engagement within a juvenile drug treatment court program. Prepared by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice in partnership with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the brief also includes a self-assessment tool and descriptions of two juvenile drug treatment courts that demonstrate a strong commitment to family engagement. Professionals working in juvenile drug treatment courts can use this brief to assess their current levels of family engagement and enhance their efforts to engage families.
Resource: A Guide to the Guidelines: Practical Tips for Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts to Implement
This guide (PDF, 13 pages), developed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, describes the objectives outlined in OJJDP’s Juvenile Drug Treatment Guidelines (PDF, 60 pages) and provides suggested short-term and long-term actions related to each objective. Juvenile drug treatment courts (JDTC) can use this information to guide the implementation, operation, and evaluation of their practices.
Resource: Drug Courts
This article (PDF, 2 pages) provides an overview of the varying types of drug courts. Criminal defendants and offenders, family members, criminal justice practitioners, and drug treatment professionals can use this information to understand the purpose and function of drug courts and to find related research and resources.
Girls Health
Girlshealth.gov is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health, and is the "daughter" program of the National Women's Health Information Center (www.womenshealth.gov). Girlshealth.gov provides valuable information about ways girls can achieve a healthy lifestyle helping them to understand their body, mind, and spirit as they grow into adults.
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People provides science-based, ten year national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease.
Celebrating Minority Mental Health Month: Spotlight on Tribal Behavioral Health Needs
Minority Mental Health Month provided an opportunity to raise awareness of how mental health and substance use issues affect ethnic minority groups. This blog post, written by a SAMHSA intern and member of the Rosebud Sioux and Oglala Sioux Tribes, describes a personal journey with addiction and provides hope and encouragement to tribal youth, tribal leaders, scholars, and community members to seek help and promote recovery and healing.
SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." Start the Talk Trailer
Start the Talk is the newest component of SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." Underage Drinking Prevention National Media Campaign aimed to reduce underage drinking among youth ages 9 to 15. This online role-play tool gives parents and caregivers the opportunity to practice talking with their children about underage drinking, helping to build practical skills and confidence to conduct these conversations in real life.
You Make SAMHSA Rock!
In this blog post, SAMHSA's Pamela Hyde announces her resignation and recounts SAMHSA’s accomplishments and its federal partners during her tenure.
IOM Recommendations Reflect Importance of Improving Quality of Behavioral Health Services
As highlighted in a recent blog post by HHS officials, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a new report, “Psychosocial Interventions for Mental and Substance Use Disorders.” The report is a result of a collaboration to identify key steps to ensure individuals receiving mental health and substance use services receive evidence-based, high-quality care. It details the reasons for the gap between what is effective and what is currently practiced, and it offers recommendations for how best to address this gap. It proposes a framework to establish standards for psychosocial interventions. The HHS blog post addresses how SAMHSA, ASPE, and other HHS agencies will implement the recommendations in the report.
SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." Father-Son Video PSA
This PSA for SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." campaign encourages parents, particularly fathers, to start an open dialogue with their children at a young age about drinking.
Talking with College-Bound Young Adults About Alcohol
This resource provides parents with information that can help them talk to their college-bound children about alcohol-use consequences. It also includes a companion video that illustrates the academic and health consequences of underage drinking for new college freshmen.
2014 NSDUH Report on Mental and Substance Use Disorders
SAMHSA’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report shows progress in reducing substance use, especially among adolescents. However, it also indicates that adolescents are experiencing higher levels of depression than in past years.
How We Talk about It Matters
This blog post describes the Resource Guide for Reporting on Behavioral Health: How You Talk About It Matters, which provides information to the media about mental illness and substance use disorders. It also includes tips and supporting facts that can help ensure representations of mental illness and substance use disorders are fair, balanced, and accurate.
Sports and Mental Health
This blog post describes the benefits of participating in sports, as well as the risks. It highlights many of the programs and resources available to support athletes who may be struggling with mental illness or substance abuse.
(Maryland) Don't Be a Friend. Be a Parent. (PSA)
This extended PSA for "Don't Be a Friend. Be A Parent." shows parents the negative consequences of hosting an underage drinking party.
SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." Mom's Thoughts Video PSA
This PSA video for SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." campaign encourages parents to start an open dialogue with their children at a young age about drinking.