Overview

Research indicates the more Developmental Assets ®  young people have the less likely they are to engage in risky behavior, including alcohol, tobacco and other drug use(Search Institute). Click on the link to the right for a complete list of the Assets.

What We've Accomplished:

We have established long-term partnerships with community agencies to collaborate on a wide range of youth-serving events. These include, but are not limited to: Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington Housing Authority, WonderLab, Southern Indiana Pediatrics, Franklin Initiative, MCCSC, RBB, Youth Services Bureau, Stepping Stones, Rhinos, Project Safe Place, Ivy Tech, IU's Campus/Community Task Force, CARES, Big Red Liquor, and Project Responsible Alcohol Distribution.

We are the lead agency for Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA). This is an evidence-based initiative that seeks to reduce youth access to alcohol through both social and retail availability.

We sponsor coalitions in each of our public middle schools. These coalitions promote the Assets and help support healthy school climates. Students organize and lead activities and transition into middle school events. Additionally, they attend an annual leadership training hosted by the ABC.

The ABC was instrumental in bringing the evidence-based Life Skills curriculum to both MCCSC and RBB schools. Life Skills is presently offered in all elementary, middle and high schools as part of health education.

The ABC hosts an annual Youth Summit which brings students from all the high schools within Monroe County together with local policy makers.

As part of our Strategic Prevention Framework/ State Incentive Grant we publish an annual epidemiological profile of Monroe County.

In 1993, self-reported monthly alcohol use by local 12th graders was 53. 6% and in 2008, survey results showed a decrease to 41%. This is a 12.6% drop in self-reported use. (The survey is paid for by the State of Indiana and is analyzed by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center of Indiana University.)