Field Placement: Los Angeles County Department of Health Services -- Alcohol and Drug Program Administration (ADPA)
Location: Alhambra, CA
Preceptor: Donna K. Lee, M.P.A.
Student Name: Shreya Shah
Year: 2002

Preventing Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Abuse and Misuse in Los Angeles County

ADPA, a division of Public Health, Department of Health Services, has the primary responsibility for administering LA County's prevention, treatment, and recovery programs and services. ADPA contracts with a variety of community-based organizations (CBO's) that provide these services, mainly for uninsured and underinsured individuals.

It is estimated that alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and abuse accounts for approximately one quarter of all deaths in the United States each year1. Alcohol alone is a key factor in 33% of suicides, 41% of traffic fatalities, 50% of head injuries, 50% of homicides, 62% of assaults, and 68% of manslaughter in the United States2. The adverse consequences of AOD's affect individuals, families, and communities.

To counteract these destructive forces, contracted prevention programs involve community residents in changing the environment and circumstances that contribute to AOD problems. ADPA's role in empowering CBO's to provide vital AOD prevention services contributes to the overall well being of LA County.

The Prevention Unit (ADPA) supports the use of evidence-based strategies for prevention programs and their theoretical framework follows the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's (CSAP) six strategies, including (1) Information dissemination; (2) Education; (3) Alternatives; (4) Problem identification and referral; (5) Community-based mobilization and empowerment and (6) Environmental3.

Graduate summer interns at ADPA gain exposure, acquire skills, and increase their knowledge on prevention efforts in the County by participating in developing written materials such as prevention standards and practices, newsletters, and other correspondence publicizing community activities concerned with preventing/reducing AOD problems. Interns are also required to maintain awareness of community conditions, programs, services, and research related to AOD. Further, they assist with coordinating, planning, and conducting quarterly Prevention Roundtable meetings with the over 35 contracted prevention programs. Last, interns act as a liaison between the Department and contracted CBO's on issues relating to their fiscal and programmatic compliance with grant funds and assist contracted prevention programs with outcome measures to evaluate effectiveness of evidence-based prevention strategies, and review Work Plans, Evaluation Plans, and Year-End Reports.

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