The Center of Health and Social Research (CHSR) at Buffalo State is playing a leading role in Erie County’s efforts to prevent alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and mental illness. The Erie County Department of Mental Health asked CHSR to come up with a collaborative process to develop a multi-year, comprehensive prevention plan.

“It took us more than a year of monthly meetings,” said William Wieczorek, director of CHSR, “but at the end of it we had a collaborative, cooperative plan. Every agency in Erie County that is funded, in whole or in part, by Erie County or by New York State, is part of the plan.” The plan was issued in 2009.

Together, the agencies form a coordinating council that calls itself Px20. “Px is shorthand in the substance-abuse field for prevention programs,” explained Wieczorek. “And the 20 indicates that our goal is to be effective in the twenty-first century, using data and evidence to develop and test our strategies.” One of Px20’s goals is continuous quality improvement.

“You can get good results by implementing universal environmental prevention programs,” Wieczorek said. “The first step is changing social norms.” He explained that, in this case, the environment is where people live; the social norms are those encountered at home, at school, and in their neighborhoods.

The second step is cutting down the number of access points to alcohol and drugs. Families, schools, and community education are important. Success requires the third step, which is enhanced enforcement of laws against underage drinking and drunk and drugged driving.

Wieczorek explained that, if law enforcement agencies enforce underage drinking laws by breaking up parties where alcohol is served to minors, the resulting benefit is two-fold. Violators are prosecuted, and as a result, fewer people offer such parties. As such parties become less socially acceptable, the social norm changes from tolerance of underage drinking to non-acceptance.

Using public relations and advertising to prevent drunk driving is behind a number of billboard campaigns, including one featured over the holiday season that read, “Santa Is Coming to Town. Please Don’t Hit Him.”  An educational program targets the parents through their children’s schools. “In the Parent Awareness Program,” said Wieczorek, “Px20 reminds parents that alcohol causes more problems among kids than all other drugs combined. It’s important to target parents because research shows that parents are the biggest influence on their children, even during the teen years.”