CONNECT: Implementation of a School‐Based Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth in the Cherokee Nation

Abstract

BACKGROUND There is growing optimism regarding the use of screening and brief intervention (SBI) to identify and reduce risk behaviors during adolescence. However, understanding successful SBI implementation remains unclear. We previously reported the effects of CONNECT, a school‐based SBI, on reducing the primary outcome, the rate of monthly alcohol use among primarily American Indian (AI) and White high school students in the Cherokee Nation. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation process for CONNECT. METHOD CONNECT was designed to reduce alcohol use with 2 key strategies: (1) SBI with motivational interviewing (MI), implemented by a school‐based CONNECT coach, and (2) a media campaign. RESULTS Implementation results indicate that during each semester of the 2–1/2 years, between 73% and 100% of eligible students had at least one 15‐minute meeting with a CONNECT coach. Postcards and posters with positive communication tips for parents were displayed in CONNECT communities. No statistically significant differences occurred between the CONNECT and control groups on the hypothesized intermediate outcomes. CONCLUSIONS We describe implementation of a universal, school‐based, culturally adapted SBI that was effective in reducing alcohol use among youth living in the Cherokee Nation. Schools provide an important context for universal delivery of SBI interventions, such as CONNECT, for diverse adolescent populations, including AI youth.

Culturally Responsive Opioid and Other Drug Prevention for American Indian/Alaska Native People: a Comparison of Reservation- and Urban-Based Approaches

“…The previous alcohol prevention trial in the Cherokee Nation, which involved larger high schools in county seats, implemented schoolbased screening and brief intervention, as well as community organizing to empower citizens to take action to protect youth from easy access to alcohol. Both strategies alone and in combination were successful in reducing alcohol and other drug use among youth (Komro et al, 2015;Komro et al, 2017;Wagenaar et al, 2018;Garrett et al, 2019). During this same period, CNBH started the Helping Everyone Reach Out (HERO) Project, the goal of which is to provide a spectrum of effective communitybased services and support for children and youth with or at risk of mental and behavioral health challenges.…”

“…The tribal partners, leadership of CNBH, were motivated to further develop their capacity to implement effective community prevention strategies, as well as to strengthen their research skills. For example, we successfully implemented a community trial in six schools within Cherokee Nation, and these interventions reduced alcohol and other drug use among AI and other youth living in rural at-risk underserved communities (Komro et al, 2015;Komro, Livingston et al, 2017;Wagenaar et al, 2018;Garrett et al, 2019). In preparation for designing the new trial, we conducted in-depth interviews with school leaders and field staff from the previous trial, as well as Cherokee youth and adults.…”

COVID-19 Medical-Religious Partnerships: Implementation of a Just-In-Time COVID-19 Training in Catholic Schools

“…Medical-scholastic partnerships have promoted community engagement and health by implementing a school-based curriculum covering diverse health issues in diverse populations (Galiatsatos et al, 2020 ; Garrett et al, 2019 ; Kebede et al, 2020 ). To ensure acceptance of a school-based curriculum, an understanding of the school’s community, culture, and collective beliefs is vital (Gilmore et al, 2020 ).…”