A state-based model of prevention: Indiana's example

Public health officials in the United States have battled alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among adolescents for the past few decades, but only in 2002 did they begin to see a decline in rates of use. ATOD use and abuse are associated with numerous problems, including criminal behavior and increased adolescent morbidity and mortality rates. Researchers have sought to identify best-practice procedures for ATOD prevention; the state of Indiana has a strong ATOD prevention system in place that has the potential to serve as a model for other U.S. localities because of its best-practice approach to public health services. This article outlines the activities of the Indiana Prevention Resource Center to provide an example to strengthen public health professionals' ability to prevent ATOD use and abuse and to provide for a healthy adolescent population.