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FOCUS on a Provincial Level
The FOCUS Community Program is an initiative of the Ministry of Health Promotion. The goal of the FOCUS Community Program is to prevent problems, including injuries and chronic disease associated with alcohol and other drug use.
The provincial objectives for the Focus community Program are grouped into three categories:
- programming,
- knowledge, and
- behavior.
The objectives are directional in nature, and provide guidance on the nature of change strived for at the provincial level.
Organizational Capacity
Organizational Capacity objectives refer to changes in practices or beliefs of the FOCUS Community Partnership. FOCUS projects aim to strengthen the knowledge and skills of community partnerships:
- To increase the effectiveness of the partnership
- To sustain an appropriate partnership
Knowledge/Community Capacity
Knowledge/Community Capacity refers to the changes in awareness and knowledge within the general population about risks, healthy practices and appropriate actions concerning alcohol and other drug use.
- To increase the level of awareness regarding the risks, including the risk of injuries and chronic disease, associated with alcohol and other drug abuse and their consequences
- To increase the level of knowledge of low-risk drinking practices
- To increase the level of knowledge of appropriate actions to prevent injuries and chronic disease associated with alcohol and other drug abuse
- To sustain the issue of alcohol and other drug prevention with the public
- To sustain the issue of alcohol and other drug prevention with decision makers
- To sustain the issue of alcohol and other drug prevention with partners
Environmental/Programming
Environmental objectives refer to changes in social and physical environments that contribute to population objectives.
- To increase the number of effective initiatives to prevent alcohol and other drug abuse, including the prevention of injuries associated with the inappropriate use of alcohol and other drugs and alcohol as a risk factor in chronic disease
- To increase the number of effective initiatives to prevent alcohol and other drug abuse among youth
- To increase the number of effective initiatives using a combination of approaches (awareness, education, policy, and environmental support)
- To increase the number of effective alcohol and other drug abuse prevention initiatives in key settings (work sites, school, etc.)
- To increase the number of people reached by alcohol and other drug abuse prevention initiatives
- To sustain appropriate programs beyond March 31, 2008
- To sustain appropriate partnerships beyond March 31, 2008
Population
Population objectives refer to changes in behaviours that contribute to problems and injuries associated with alcohol and other drug abuse including alcohol as a risk factor in chronic disease. These objectives are directional in nature and specify an audience (e.g. youth) the direction of change (e.g. an increase or decrease) and changes in alcohol and other drug behaviours.
- To reduce the proportion of youth (12-19 year olds) who consume alcohol at least once a week
- To reduce the proportion of adult women and men who consume alcohol at levels that place them at risk for alcohol and other drug-related injuries including chronic disease
- To reduce the rate of alcohol-related injuries, chronic disease or death
- To reduce the proportion of licensed drivers that report driving after consuming at least 2 drinks in the previous hour
- To reduce the proportion of illicit drug use
- To support reduced consumption of alcohol and other drug abuse, and associated alcohol and drug use behaviour changes made by the intended audience(s)
Initiatives:
Initiatives undertaken by local Focus Community Projects are expected to support the provincial goal and objectives of the provincial Focus Community Program. This will be achieved by:
- ensuring broad-based community involvement;
- using a comprehensive, population-based approach;
- using evidence-based interventions (i.e. based on theory, best practices and research);
- Incorporating program monitoring and evaluation.
Ministry Health Promotion (MHP), Ontario Programs for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, FOCUS Community Program.
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