Prevention Education
This webpage contains information on prevention education in Ohio. Click a link below to go directly to that topic.
Prevention Requirements for Ohio Schools
Instructional Requirements
Ohio law indicates specific topic areas which must be included as part of a school's prescribed curriculum. Topics areas related to prevention education are identified below. Instructional supports for health education topics can be found on the Health Education webpage. Additional resources are also available on the following pages:
Opioid Abuse Prevention
- Health education must include instruction on prescription opioid abuse prevention, with an emphasis on the prescription drug epidemic, and the connection between prescription opioid abuse and addiction to other drugs, such as heroin.
Harmful Effects of and Legal Restrictions of Electronic Smoking Devices
- Health education must address the harmful effects of and legal restrictions of tobacco, including electronic smoking devices.
Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention and Social Inclusion
Child Sexual Abuse, Dating Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention
- Traditional public schools, community schools and STEM schools must provide developmentally appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention to students in grades K-6 and developmentally appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention to students in grades 7-12.
Prevention Services Data Report
As required by Ohio law, the Department distributes a prevention services data reporting tool annually to determine the types of prevention-focused programs, services, and supports used to assist students in developing the knowledge and skills to engage in healthy behaviors and decision-making and to increase their awareness of the dangers and consequences of risky behaviors.
Back to Top
Prevention in Ohio
Ohio Administrative Code describes prevention services as a planned sequence of culturally relevant, evidenced-based strategies, which are designed to reduce the likelihood of or delay the onset of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Prevention services are intentionally designed to reduce risk or promote health before the onset of a disorder and be population-focused and targeted to specific levels of risk. Prevention services in schools provide all students with the supports needed to build resiliency, reduce risk factors, and gain skills for life success.
The purpose of prevention-focused programs, services, and supports are to help students in developing knowledge and skills to engage in healthy behaviors and decision-making and to increase their awareness of the dangers and consequences of risky behaviors, including substance use, suicide, bullying, and other harmful behaviors.
Prevention Strategies
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) identifies six effective prevention strategies. The strategies are listed below.
- Information Dissemination
- Prevention Education
- Alternatives
- Problem Identification and Referral
- Community Based Processes
- Environmental Strategies
The prevention strategy of education focuses on the delivery of prevention services to target audiences with the intent of increasing knowledge and skills. It involves two-way communication between a facilitator and a participant. Prevention education promotes the health and safety of students, schools and communities.
A Comprehensive Approach
Prevention education is an integral part of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a multi-tiered approach to supporting students. When prevention services are provided through the PBIS framework, staff and students create a safe and supportive learning environment. Students are more likely to engage in learning, and each student receives the supports they need to gain skills for success in school and life.
Prevention programs and practices are most effective when they are matched to their target population’s level of risk. The Institute of Medicine categorizes prevention programs and practices into three classifications: universal, selective, and indicated.
Tier I
Tier I prevention strategies, also known as universal prevention, are offered to all students and focus on developing knowledge and skills to engage in healthy behaviors and decision-making. This increases awareness of dangers and consequences of risky behaviors like substance use, suicide, bullying and other harmful behaviors.
Examples of prevention strategies at Tier I include:
- Positive School Climate and Culture
- Evidence-based Curriculum
- Universal Screening
Tier II and III
Tier II and Tier III prevention strategies, known as selective and indicated prevention, respectively, are implemented as needed to support students with increased risk factors.
Examples of prevention strategies at Tier II include:
- Small Group Instruction
- Brief Individualized Interventions
- Mentoring
Examples of prevention strategies at Tier III include:
- Intensive, Individual Intervention
- Alternatives to Discipline
- Wraparound Services
Prevention does not take the place of intensive intervention or treatment. Students may be referred to a school counselor, social worker, or appropriate provider when supports needed are outside of the scope of prevention. When referring students for additional supports, schools should use a collaborative, family-driven process. Engaging families and caregivers in the treatment process increases the probability that the student will remain in treatment and that treatment gains will be maintained after treatment has ended.
Interagency collaboration between the Departments of Education and Workforce and Mental Health and Addiction Services allows for continued collaboration and strengthening of both prevention and behavioral health services for Ohio youth.
Back to Top
Selecting Prevention Programming
When selecting prevention services, it is critical that the program or practice is a good fit for the specific audience. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides the Strategic Planning Framework to use to ensure appropriate prevention services are being implemented.
The Strategic Planning Framework (SPF) is a planning process administrators, educators, and school staff can use to better understand and address the mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs of students.
The SPF is made up of five steps:
- Assessment - identifying needs based on data.
- Capacity - building resources and readiness.
- Planning - determining what strategies to use.
- Implementation - planning and delivery of selected strategies.
- Evaluation - collecting and analyzing data to determine effectiveness of the planning process and the outcomes of selected strategies.
Cultural competence and sustainability are integrated into each step of the SPF.
Evidence-based Prevention
When selecting prevention programming, schools and districts can consider conceptual fit, practical fit, and evidence of effectiveness. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) described these terms as indicated below:
- Conceptual fit is the degree to which a program or practice is a good match for the job that needs to be done.
- Practical fit is the degree to which a program or practice is a good match for the people involved and the community overall.
- Evidence of effectiveness is the proof that a program or practice can (or cannot) do the job that needs to be done.
To maximize the effectiveness of prevention efforts, schools can consider the evidence-base of prevention programming before implementation. Evidence-based prevention includes programs, practices, and policies that have a consistent, positive pattern of results when implemented to fidelity. Using evidence-based programming increases the likelihood of achieving relevant outcomes upon implementation.
Ohio law defines an “evidence-based” program or practice as one that does either of the following:
- (1) Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such a program or practice is likely to improve relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of the program or practice; or
- (2) Has a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on:
- (a) Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study;
- (b) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; or
- (c) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlation study with statistical controls for selection bias.
Ohio's Evidence-Based Clearinghouse includes strategies reviewed and rated by nationally recognized evidence-based clearinghouses. Ohio’s Evidence-Based Clearinghouse assigns an evidence level (Level 1 through 4) to each strategy. The evidence levels used by the Clearinghouse align with the Levels of Evidence used in guidance surrounding the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
- Level 1 indicates a strategy has strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study.
- Level 2 indicates a strategy has moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study.
- Level 3 indicates a strategy has promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study.
- Level 4 indicates a strategy demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes.
Implementing to Fidelity
Evidence-based strategies have been researched and found to consistently achieve positive outcomes. To achieve these positive outcomes, it is necessary to implement the strategy to fidelity. While customizing a program to reflect attitudes, beliefs, experiences, and values can increase cultural relevance, too many adaptations may compromise a strategy’s effectiveness.
When preparing to implement an evidence-based strategy, consider fidelity and adaptation:
- Fidelity is the degree to which a program or practice is implemented as intended.
- Adaptation describes how much, and in which ways, a program or practice is changed to meet local circumstances.
A Guide to SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework provides additional information on balancing fidelity and adaptation when implementing evidence-based strategies.
Back to Top
Resources
Back to Top
Last Modified: 12/12/2024 10:23:20 AM