Resources for Parents & Teachers
Prevention
The IPA’s approach to prevention research includes a focus on how policies, the immediate social environments and individual characteristics impact youth substance use as well as other risk behaviors. Findings have documented the importance of polices directed at reducing access to addictive substances and providing treatment alternatives to incarceration for substance abuse. IPA research focusing on the immediate social environment have noted that crucial role of families, other responsible adults in mentoring roles, community collaborative and faith based organizations in prevention. On the individual level IPA research has shown that engaging youth in community service, personal religiosity/spirituality, and a strong achievement commitment is crucial to prevention of many types of risk behaviors.
Treatment
The IPA views treatment as a type of tertiary prevention as it focuses on the prevention of further substance abuse and other risk behaviors. IPA treatment research has focused on examining the broad range of health care needs of substance users and the barriers to treatment access. IPA researchers have found that substance abusers have significantly higher rates of most types of health needs and enter the health care system through the emergency room. Conclusions focused on the need to integrate substance abuse treatment into general health care service delivery and the importance of insurance coverage for access to drug abuse treatment as well as general health services. IPA research has also focused on policies and practices to help ensure quality treatment services. This research has found that Medicaid policy as well as state certification and accreditation requirements can play a major role in treatment quality and access to treatment for the most at risk groups.