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Receive a presentation on the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Prevention Program’s achievements in FY2018/19
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _x _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _x _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health & Social Services recommends the Board of Supervisors receive a presentation on the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Program’s (ATOD) achievements in FY2018/19.
SUMMARY:
On September 25, 2018 the Board of Supervisors approved four contracts totaling $991,989, including 3-year contracts with City of Benicia, Fighting Back Partnership, Miracle Christian Worship Center and the City of Rio Vista, to provide services for the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Prevention Program. At that meeting, the Board directed staff to provide an update on the program’s progress after the first year of the contract term and requested that the contractors participate in the update.
In Fiscal Year 2018/19, the ATOD Prevention Program contractors achieved several key components of laying the ground work for policy change. They provided education about the risks of cannabis use by youth through meetings with 15 city council members and other key leaders; increased the awareness of how a Social Host Ordinance can reduce youth access to cannabis through 23 community presentations; created and ran a countywide media campaign about Social Hosting with alcohol that had over 3 million impressions (reaches) during graduation season; and strengthened their local coalitions that consistently engaged 10-15 youth and adult residents at each meeting. Three contractors are long-standing partners in this effort, and one has reinvigorated its local community to renew work in this area. Staff and contractors collaborate with the Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board and Drug Safe Solano (local opioid coalition) to ensure coordination across substance use prevention and treatment.
In the past year, new data have been released from the California Healthy Kids Survey showing that the long-term commitment of the Board to prevention efforts in Solano County is reducing rates of substance use among young people. These prevention efforts must continue in order to sustain their effects.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing this presentation are nominal and are included in the Department’s FY2019/20 Adopted budget.
DISCUSSION:
There are four current ATOD prevention contracts, awarded through a Request for Proposal, which are funded by County General Funds (CGF) for reducing rates of alcohol and drug use, and by the Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) Prevention funds from the Department of Health Care Services. All contractors met or exceeded the majority of their deliverables in FY2018/19. Those deliverables that were extended into FY2019/20 are in progress and were extended with staff approval and input, due primarily to the reality of their environments being different than anticipated when the contracts were originally executed.
Each contractor has unique successes to highlight in their presentation. In addition, staff monitoring of specific contract deliverables and budgets in FY2018/19 shows:
• The City of Benicia had 29 deliverables in FY2018/19. This contractor completed 19 (66%) of those, extended 9 (31%) into FY2019/20, with staff approval, and did not meet 1 (3%). An additional 9 deliverables in their original scope of work were determined to not be possible during the time period (having no cannabis retailers meant they could not start work on cannabis retailer training or compliance checks). Out of their $63,523 budget, the City of Benicia spent $42,236 (66%), of which $19,696 was from CGF.
• Fighting Back Partnership in Vallejo had 31 deliverables in FY2018/19. This contractor completed 19 (61%), extended 7 (23%) into FY2019/20, with staff approval, and did not complete 5 (16%). Out of their $89,539 budget, Fighting Back Partnership spent $56,065 (63%), of which $30,319 was from CGF.
• Miracle Christian Worship Center in Dixon had 35 deliverables in FY2018/19. This contractor met 22 (63%), extended 9 (26%) into FY2019/20, with staff approval, and did not meet 4 (11%). Out of their $74,126 budget, Miracle Christian Worship Center spent $73,297 (99%), of which $37,340 was from CGF.
• The City of Rio Vista had 36 deliverables in FY2018/19. This contractor completed 28 (78%), extended 4 (11%) into FY2019/20, with staff approval, and did not complete 4 (11%). An additional 10 deliverables in their original scope of work were determined to not be possible at this time (the police department did not have the capacity to do compliance checks, and a Parent Project class was organized but no participants attended). Out of their $49,977 budget, the City of Rio Vista spent $30,312 (61%), of which $12,859 was from CGF.
For the past twenty years, as a result of commitments made during Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement Board actions, the Board of Supervisors, through Solano County Public Health has supported the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Program to meet their stated goal, “to have the lowest rates of ATOD use among youth in California.” Due in part to the Board’s consistent commitment to funding prevention, Solano County has seen significant improvements. For example, recently released data from the 2017/18 California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) show that Solano’s prevention efforts have significantly reduced rates of substance use among students countywide. According to these new data, tobacco use, alcohol use, and binge drinking are at their lowest levels since tracking began in 2003. In 2018, 16% of Solano 11th graders report using alcohol “in the past 30 days” compared to 35% in 2003. This is also lower than the current State rate of 23%. Cannabis use continues to decrease for 7th and 11th graders, down to 4% and 16%, respectively, and is well below the increases seen from 2005 to 2014 for all age groups, which peaked at 24% for 11th graders in 2014.
However, there are still areas of concern that need attention in order to maintain success and continue reducing rates among youth. For example, since 2003, students are less likely to perceive harm in using tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drugs. And while the number of students who think it would be “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain these substances is decreasing, between 40-60% of 9th and 11th graders still say it is easy to get alcohol and cannabis at parties and from older friends/siblings. Additionally, nearly half of 9th graders (41%) and 11th graders (49%) say it is easy to get cannabis at school. These data were collected before adult recreational use cannabis legalization was fully implemented, which one would conjecture could increase youth access if grown in the home, so they have the potential to negatively change.
Prevention efforts such as these affect residents beyond the young people who are the primary focus. To date, public health and partner initiatives have led to multiple Solano County jurisdictions passing ordinances that limit the number of cannabis dispensaries, require and/or enable alcohol retailers to attend training to reduce youth access, and provide their residents with smoke-free locations such as parks, transit stops, downtown areas, and County properties/campuses. Current efforts seek to ensure that all Solano jurisdictions have a Social Host Ordinance in place to help law enforcement hold adults accountable who enable underage youth access to alcohol and cannabis.
Substance use among youth also affects the future health and stability of the adult population. Its prevention serves to help address County priorities to reduce homelessness and mental illness.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could consider not allowing the presentation on the agenda. This is not recommended since the Board requested the presentation to learn more about local progress, and there is positive new data to share about the successes realized by the Board’s support.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The other agencies involved with this effort and today’s presentation are the contractors: City of Benicia, Fighting Back Partnership, Miracle Christian Worship Center, and City of Rio Vista.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION