Development of a Web-Based Analytic Tool for Strategic Prevention Planning

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Development of a Web-based Analytic Tool for Strategic Prevention Planning This Phase I SBIR proposal focuses on important practical issues that currently inhibit the development of data-based decision systems that are feasible and useful for local planning, intervention design, and resource allocation. Although states, counties, and municipalities gather an abundance of data relevant to prevention planners, existing analysis and display of these data are typically not useful to the planning process. Available data is collected in non- uniform formats and varying time intervals, and often aggregated at levels too inclusive for local planning and decision-making. Despite increasing policy expectations that prevention will be driven by local data-based planning (e.g., SAMHSA's SPF initiative), this critical step seldom takes place because the resources and expertise necessary to collect the data and do the analysis are not available on a local level. What is needed is a systematic and flexible analysis template that will guide users in a) extracting and transferring relevant data from available public archives, b) organizing extracted data in data sets ready for analysis, c) producing specified sub-population and specific geographic comparisons and trend estimates, and d) outputting information in clear understandable tables and graphs. EMT proposes ameliorate this crucial capacity bottle neck by developing a web-based tool through which states, counties, and local communities can realistically access relevant and comparable archival indicators of substance abuse consequences and easily produce fine-grained analyses that meet local decision-making and reporting needs. Our Phase I activities focus on four aims: 1) develop a product plan and specification document for the proposed Substance Abuse Consequences Decision Support System, 2) develop a fully functioning online prototype using California data; 3) assess usability and decision utility of the prototype through feedback from experts and end users; and 4) assess feasibility and implications for Phase II. There is currently a strong policy focus on utilizing alcohol and other drug (AOD) indicator data in developing comprehensive prevention plans. Federal funding to states for prevention planning 1) require the use of the Strategic Planning Framework (SPF), which is a data driven planning model, and 2) the use of AOD National Outcome Measures (NOMs) for determining community and state effectiveness in dealing with alcohol and drug problems. This project proposes the development of a web-based prototype that makes use of archival data sets on ADO incident data to facilitate local (county) level planning and assessment efforts. This project can bring important benefits by effectively providing a single source compilation of AOD data in a manipulate-able format for local planners.