Community Programs

Cannabis Prevention Education Project

Needs Assessment & Developmental Evaluation

Overview

This collaboration project aims to provide professionals working with youth, tailored skills-based trainings on preventing youth cannabis use. As a pilot project, the goal is to develop a replicable model that can reach many rural Colorado communities.
Evaluation Approach

The Evaluation Center’s two primary roles on the project are to 1) support the state’s  prioritizing high need rural communities and conduct a community level needs assessment of cannabis prevention education and 2) conduct an evaluation of the cannabis prevention education trainings provided.

Originally designed as a needs assessment and summative evaluation, the nature of the collaboration necessitated that the evaluation take on a developmental approach. Evaluators facilitate data interpretation discussions with training experts, prevention experts, and community champions to collaborate on intervention design and delivery. Flexibility, data-driven decision making, and iterative and collaborative processes ensure alignment with unique community strengths, needs and context. The evaluation data are collected through surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups.

}

Timeline

     March 2018 – Ongoing

POPULATION SERVED

Professionals working with youth in rural Colorado communities

 

w

PARTNER AGENCIES

  • Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health
  • Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
  • Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center