NCJ Number
153174
Date Published
1994
Length
95 pages
Annotation
The Family and Youth Services Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began funding local organizations to provide drug abuse prevention services for runaway and homeless youth in 1989; the Drug Abuse Prevention Program (DAPP), established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides resources for implementing a range of strategies to prevent and reduce the use of illegal drugs by runaway and homeless youth.
Abstract
The style and structure of DAPP grant projects are unique in each community. Some grant projects are located in runaway shelters, while others are operated by separate youth-serving organizations. What is consistent among grant projects is the desire to determine why young people use drugs and how they can develop more positive and life-enriching opportunities. An overview of the DAPP is presented, as well as information on planning a drug abuse prevention project for runaway and homeless youth. Guidance is also offered on how to train and retrain staff involved in juvenile drug abuse prevention initiatives. Promising approaches demonstrated by DAPP grant projects are noted, including prevention through support to youth and families, counseling, and the development of drug abuse prevention materials. Appendixes contain descriptions of DAPP grant projects, an incidence study of drug abuse prevention among runaway and homeless youth, and a list of drug abuse prevention grantees for fiscal years 1989-1991 by region.