Coalition SustainabilityThe Keys to Success

Adapted from “Coalition Sustainability: The Keys to Success,” (2008) from The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Southeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies.

Participant Outcomes

• Define sustainability in the context of a community task force, group, or coalition

• Identify the three keys to sustainability• Identify ten actions related to the three keys• Relate the three keys to sustainability to the

steps of the Strategic Prevention Framework • Pose questions that are relevant to the

development of a sustainability plan

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

My take…

Dandelions represent wishes …and the means for sowing seeds to grow resilient communities! -- LB

Sustainability Defined• Sustainability is the process of ensuring an adaptive

prevention system and a sustainable innovation that can be integrated into ongoing operations to benefit diverse stakeholders. (SAMHSA)

• CADCA defines sustainability as the ability to maintain the human, social, and material resources to achieve your coalition’s long-term goals.

• Ultimately, sustainability is about maintaining positive outcomes in communities.

Once Outcomes Are Achieved

• Achieving outcomes from prevention programs, policies, and practices is the initial desired result.

• Once positive outcomes occur from these strategies, there is a need to sustain the outcomes.

Importance of Sustainability

• Typically, there is limited emphasis on building support for outcomes during strategy implementation

• Positive outcomes of each strategy must be sustained to reduce substance abuse behaviors and related problems at the community level

Prevention strategies should be continued because…• There are documented reductions in

substance abuse behaviors.• They are more cost effective when compared

to treatment and incarceration costs.• The cost savings and impact on related

problems will be clear to funders and community members.

Implications for Practice

• Sustainability is more than funding.• Sustainability planning should be integrated

into the program implementation process – if possible from the beginning!

• Connection to a well-functioning group or coalition can be a great facilitator for sustainability, particularly for community and family prevention programs.

Source: Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center, Penn State University

Moving from Program Orientationto Outcomes Orientation

Changing drug or substance consumption behaviors at a population level will require a mix of strategies carefully targeted to reduce risks -- relying primarily on environmental and other population-influencing strategies.

SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework

Supports Accountability, Capacity, and Effectiveness AssessmentProfile population needs, resources, and readiness to address needs and gaps

EvaluationMonitor, evaluate, sustain, and improve or replace those that fail

ImplementationImplement evidence-based prevention programs and activities

PlanningDevelop a Comprehensive Strategic Plan

CapacityMobilize and/or build capacity to address needs

SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework Steps

Sustainability & Cultural Competence

Profile population

needs, resources, and readiness to address needs

and gapsMonitor, evaluate,

sustain, and improve or

replace those that fail

Implement evidence-based

prevention programs and

activities

Develop a Comprehensive Strategic Plan

Mobilize and/or build capacity to address

needs

The prevention system must have capacities necessary to:

• plan strategically for, carry out, and sustain prevention strategies with adequate effectiveness, scope, and intensity.

• achieve targeted reductions in substance using behaviors and related consequences experienced by the community.

Community agencies, institutions, and organizations must work together to:

• strategically leverage and target the system’s existing resources, assets, and capacity.

• continually expand the community’s ability to effectively respond to changing patterns of substance use consumption and consequences.

Understanding Your Community– Community needs are

regularly assessed.– Community resources

and assets are regularly assessed.

– The project addresses key community needs.

– Community resources are effectively utilized by the project.

– Project goals are matched with community needs.

– Project needs are matched with community resources.

– The projects accounts for diversity in the community.

– The project has strong local governmental support.

– Community members are involved in program design or implementation.

Marek and Mancini (2005)

Intentional Sustainability Includes . . .• Leadership • Collaboration• Community engagement• Evaluation• Funding strategies• Staff development • Adaptability and flexibility

Source: Marek & Mancini (2007)

Sustainability Planning

Sustainability requires a comprehensive plan to address a relevant problem.

Sustainability planning is the process of identifying and securing resources to maintain this plan.

Source: CADCA

Research Points to

Three Key Objectives and

Ten Related Actions

Necessary for Sustainability

The Three Key Objectives for Sustainability are:

1. Organizational Capacity

2. Effectiveness

3. Community Support

The Ten Related Actions:1. Structures and Formal Linkages2. Policies and Procedures3. Resources4. Expertise5. Quality and Accountability6. Document Outcomes7. Reach and Alignment8. Relationships9. Champions10. Ownership

Organizational Capacity

Effectiveness

Community Support

Organizational Capacity1. Develop administrative structures

and formal linkages2. Adopt supportive policies and

procedures3. Secure diverse resources 4. Acquire appropriate expertise

Key #1

Effectiveness

5. Assess Implementation Quality.

6. Assure that the Strategy being implemented is documented as effective for achieving the desired outcomes.

7. Assess the Reach and Alignment.

Key #2

Community support

8. Develop and Nurture Positive Relationships

9. Turn Stakeholders into System Leaders and Champions

10. Encourage Ownership

Key #3

Activity – Analyzing Internal and External Partnerships

This activity helps to assess potential partners and explore opportunities for building relationships.

Results of Planning for Sustainability

• A community system that can flexibly respond to problems by providing ongoing support for a strategic approach to achieve positive results and sustain them.

• A plan and process that builds the community prevention coalition’s capacity as an effective problem-solving group.

Continued . . . Results of Planning for Sustainability

• A forum for successful integration of the Strategic Prevention Framework into the community prevention system

• Effective use of limited resources to reduce substance use consumption and consequences

Remember . . .The Keys to Sustainability are about recognizing, assessing, and building the many strengths your communities have to offer.

ODMHSAS

Sources• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), Unlocking the Door to

Sustainability: Keys to Sustaining Effective Prevention and Positive Outcomes in Your Community. www.samhas.gov

• Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute (CADCA). (2007). Sustainability Primer: Fostering Long-Term Change to Create Drug-Free Communities. http://cadca.org.

• Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute (CADCA). 2008. Sustainability Webinar #3. www.coalitioninstitute.org

• Johnson, K., Hays, C., Center, H., & Daley, C. (2004). Building Capacity and Sustainable Prevention Innovations: A Sustainability Planning Model. Journal of Evaluation and Program Planning,

• Marek, L., & Mancini, J. (2007). Sustaining Community-Based Programs: Relationships Between Sustainability Factors and Program Results. Department of Human Development, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS). Keys to Sustainability: Unlocking the Doors to Effective Prevention and Positive Outcomes.

• Penn State EPISCenter, http://www.episcenter.psu.edu

Contact Information

Luanne Beaudry, M.S., C.P.C.-R.Prevention NetworkPO Box 4458East Lansing, MI 48826-4458800-968-4968 ext 112pamcampaign@preventionnetwork.org