SICA Overview
In September, 2001, the State of Nebraska entered
into a partnership with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service's
Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
(CSAP) to substantially reduce substance abuse by Nebraska youth.
Through this partnership-the State Incentive Cooperative Agreement
(SICA)-Nebraska communities will benefit from $7.5 million in
direct federal funding to support the following mission:
Eliminate or significantly reduce substance abuse in youth
ages 12-17 by creating a coordinated state prevention system
that assists communities to assess local substance abuse needs
and select and implement locally-appropriate, effective, and
scientifically-defensible substance abuse prevention policies,
practices, and programs.
Specific SICA
objectives include:
- The selection and
implementation of comprehensive, locally-appropriate and
evidence-based strategies to reduce alcohol, tobacco and
other drug use by 12 to 17 year old Nebraska youth;
- The development of
a comprehensive assessment and evaluation system to monitor
progress at the state level and empower local communities
to improve programming through the use of local level data;
and
- The integration, enhancement
and strengthening of the existing statewide prevention system.
In accordance with the
critical mission of the SICA agreement, Nebraska Governor
Mike Johanns convened a statewide Cooperative Agreement Advisory
Council-Nebraska Partners in Prevention (NePiP)-to provide
leadership and policy input for this important state/federal
partnership. Through SICA , local communities will benefit
from federal funding to implement effective, locally-appropriate
substance abuse prevention programming, policies and practices
to decrease substance abuse among youth.
The SICA partnership
is administered by the Office of Mental Health, Substance
Abuse and Addiction Services, Nebraska Health and Human Services
System. Laurie Barger Sutter, Behavioral Health Prevention
Program Manager with the Office of Mental Health, Substance
Abuse and Addiction Services, serves as the SICA Project Director.
Nebraska
SICA Mission, Goals and Objectives
Mission: Eliminate or significantly reduce
substance abuse in youth ages 12-17 by creating a coordinated
state prevention system that assists communities to assess
local substance abuse needs and select and implement locally-appropriate,
effective, and scientifically-defensible substance abuse prevention
policies, practices, and programs.
Goal
1:
Strengthen and expand the state prevention system inffrastructure
across all levels.
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- Objective
1.1:
- Strengthen
and expand the scope, inclusiveness and functioning
of the Nebraska prevention system under the leadership
of state agencies that administer state and federal
funding for alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD)
programming in order to consistently and collaboratively
address substance abuse prevention needs in an efficient
and effective manner.
Objective 1.2:- Build
the capacity of the Regional Prevention Centers and
other state, regional and local Training and technical
assistance providers to provide coordinated needs
assessment, policy development, community capacity
building, facilitation, and technical assistance services
within an integrated and coordinated state ATOD prevention
system.
- Objective
1.3:
- Provide
intensive, statewide training, technical assistance
and capacity building to enable and empower communities
to identify and address their needs on a local level.
Objective 1.4:- Develop
and implement Vision 2010, the Governor's comprehensive
substance abuse prevention strategic plan, using state-wide
and community needs assessment data collected through
the SICA implementation process.
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Goal
2:
Enhance coordination and collaboration of all state agencies
that administer alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD)
funds.
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- Objective
2.1:
- Facilitate
the creation of a common community planning process
that accurately reflects and comprehensively addresses
community needs.
Objective 2.2:- Collaborate
on the creation and implementation of a capacity-building
and technical assistance plan which empowers communities
at all levels of readiness to utilize common planning
processes in order to identify needs, develop strategies
to address needs, and secure the funding and other
resources needed to achieve desired outcomes
Objective 2.3:- Collaborate
on the creation of common data collection and needs
assessment systems, to ensure that sound information
for designing and selecting effective prevention strategies
is available at both the state and local levels. Specifically:·
Identify the extent of the substance abuse problem
affecting 12-17 year old youth statewide; ·
Generate state-level baselines to create targeted
outcomes and measure progress; · Develop a
comprehensive, ongoing, statewide ATOD evaluation
system that monitors progress at the state level and
enables communities to improve programming by using
local-level data; and, · Conduct a systemic
study and analysis of prevention funding in order
to develop and implement strategies to effectively
coordinate, leverage and/or redirect funding streams
and resources
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Goal
3:
Create a system to re-grant federal funds of $2.5 million/year
for three years to create and/or expand sustainable, collaborative
community coalitions that will implement effective substance
abuse prevention policies, practices and programs to eliminate
or substantially reducesubstance abuse among youth ages
12-17.
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- Objective
3.1:
- Develop/implement
a systematic approach for allocating SICA funds to
subrecipient community coalitions to implement effective
substance abuse prevention policies, practices and
programs, directing at least 50% of the funding to
those which are scientifically-defensible.
Objective 3.2:- Design/implement
an effective process for identifying subrecipient
community coalitions that would be eligible to receive
SICA funds, specifically:
- Design
and implement a plan to work with potential subrecipient
community coalitions to enable them to identify
and select appropriate scientifically-defensible
prevention policies, practices and programs; and
- Design
and implement strategies to ensure susccessful
implementation and sustainability of SICA-funded
policies, practices and programs.
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Nebraska's
State Incentive Cooperative Agreement Organization
NePiP
Workgroup Descriptions
Nebraska's Partners In Prevention SICA Advisory Council has
convened four workgroups to conduct the core business of the
State Incentive Cooperative Agreement. These workgroups are:
Policy and
Strategic Planning
Best Practices
Data Monitoring
Initial Review
Policy
and Strategic Planning Work Group
Membership: State policy makers and agency directors
for the following agencies: the Nebraska Health and Human
Service System's Divisions of Behavioral Health and Public
Health; the Nebraska Health and Human Service System's Policy
Cabinet; the Nebraska Department of Education; the Nebraska
Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, the Nebraska
Commission on Indian Affairs, the State Office of Highway
Safety; the Nebraska U.S. Attorney's Office; and the Nebraska
Legislature;
Mission: Serve as an advisory group to NePiP and utilize
the leadership of state agencies that administer alcohol,
tobacco and other drug (ATOD) programming in order to develop
systems to consistently and collaboratively: 1) strengthen
and expand the scope, inclusiveness and functioning of the
Nebraska prevention system infrastructure across all levels,
2) enhance coordination and collaboration of all state agencies
that administer ATOD funds, 3) address substance abuse prevention
needs in an efficient and effective manner, and 4) coordinate
with all other NePiP work groups to achieve the following
specific objectives:
- Guide the
development and implementation of an integrated community
planning process that accurately reflects and comprehensively
addresses community needs
- Guide the
development and implementation of a common, statewide ATOD
data collection, needs assessment and evaluation system
that monitors progress at the state level and ensures that
sound information for designing and selecting effective
prevention strategies is available at the state and local
levels
- Guide the
development and implementation of a capacity-building and
technical assistance plan which empowers communities at
all levels of readiness to utilize a common planning process
in order to identify needs, develop strategies to address
needs, and secure the funding and other resources needed
to achieve desired outcomes
- Identify
additional sources of state and federal funding for sustaining
prevention funding
- Propose/implement
actions to identify, coordinate, leverage and/or redirect
funding streams and resources
- Give input
into the development of Vision 2010, the Governor's comprehensive
substance abuse prevention strategic plan, using state-wide
and community needs assessment data collected through the
SICA implementation process.
Best
Practices Work Group
Membership: Representative organizations and agencies
include: NHHSS Office of Minority Health, NHHSS Office of Maternal
and Child Health, NHHSS Behavioral Health Division; Nebraska
Department of Education, Nebraska Broadcasters Association,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Bureau of Sociological Research;
Creighton University, University of Nebraska-Omaha College of
Public Health, Tribal representatives, prevention provider organizations,
Regional Prevention Centers, and the State Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Advisory Council
Mission: Work collaboratively with other NePiP Work Groups
to research and recommend approaches for best practices in order
to ensure appropriateness and inclusiveness at all levels of
SICA planning, programming, implementation and evaluation, including:
- Bringing
together models of prevention reflecting "best practices"
(including literature reviews and training opportunities
to facilitate implementation at the community level)
- Examining
different approaches to informing stakeholder groups at
the state and community level about program development
and practices
- Ensuring
that models proposed and implemented are culturally competent
and fit the needs of Nebraska's diverse populations.
Subcommittees:
- Science-Based:
Ensure that the list of programs, policies, and practices
to be utilized by and funded through SICA not only meet
the CSAP definition of promising and/or scientifically-defensible
(a minimum of 50% of the funding), but also comprehensively
address the unique needs of Nebraska's diverse populations
(e.g. ethnicity, gender, culture, rural, urban, etc.)
- Cultural
Competency: Develop systems to ensure that the prevention
planning process, needs assessment, and other SICA tools,
materials, and products are inclusive, appropriate and responsive
to all of Nebraska's diverse and hard-to-reach populations.
- Communications:
Develop and implement strategies to educate and inform citizens
and communities about substance abuse, advocate for prevention,
and promote and publicize SICA goals, activities and opportunities.
Data
Monitoring Work Group
Membership: Representative organizations and agencies
include: NHHSS Public Health Division/Tobacco Free Nebraska
Program, NHHSS Behavioral Health Division, NHHSS Office of
Minority Health, Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska
Commission of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, U.S. Attorney's
Office, Nebraska Office of Juvenile Probation, Tribal representatives,
school representatives, prevention provider organizations
and coalitions, and Regional Prevention Centers.
Mission: 1) Provide expert advice to NePiP, the Policy
and Strategic Planning Work Group, and SICA staff on data
collection, needs assessment and evaluation, 2) assist in
the design of process and outcome evaluation systems for the
SICA, and 3) develop a collaborative, coordinated and ongoing
statewide data collection and needs assessment system in order
to ensure that sound information for designing and selecting
effective prevention strategies is available at both the state
and local levels. Work includes:
- Develop strategies
to fulfill SICA evaluation framework requirements;
- Develop and
implement a common, statewide ATOD data collection, needs
assessment and evaluation system that 1) monitors the extent
of the statewide substance abuse problem and measures annual
progress toward targeted outcomes, and 2) ensures that sound
information for designing and selecting effective prevention
strategies is available at the state and local levels.
Subcommittees:
- Marketing:
Educate and inform schools, communities and other prevention
stakeholders about the Nebraska Risk and Protective Factor
Survey in order to secure maximum participation; and
- Assessment:
Ensure that SICA assessment tools for communities are accessible,
appropriate, and in conformity with other state assessment
tools.
Initial
Review Work Group
Membership (restricted to persons not affiliated with potential
subrecipients): Representative organizations and agencies
include: NHHSS Public Health Division/Tobacco Free Nebraska
Program, NHHSS Behavioral Health Division, NHHSS Office of
Minority Health, NHHSS Office of Maternal and Child Health,
Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska Commission of Law
Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Nebraska Legislature and
Regional Prevention Centers.
Mission: Create a system to regrant $2.5 million/year
in federal funds for 3 years to community coalitions in order
to eliminate or significantly reduce substance abuse in youth
ages 12 - 17 by assisting communities to create and/or enhance
sustainable, collaborative coalitions which implement effective
substance abuse prevention policies, practices, and programs.
Tasks include:
- Work collaboratively
with other work groups to develop and implement a systematic
method for allocating SICA funds to subrecipient coalitions
to build local capacities and implement effective prevention
policies, programs and practices;
- Design and
implement a plan to help potential subrecipient communities
identify and select appropriate scientifically-defensible
prevention programs, policies and practices; and
- Develop strategies
to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of
SICA funded programs, policies and practices.
Subcommittees:
- Infrastructure:
Assist communities to create and/or enhance effective local
infrastructures that will positively impact community readiness
to implement strategies that promote the health and well-being
of the community.
- Sustainability:
Assist communities to create sustainable local SAP infrastructures,
and to ensure sustainability of outcomes in the implementation
of effective, locally-responsive prevention strategies.
- Support:
Ensure the development and implementation of supportive
systems to help ensure successful implementation and achievement
of desired substance abuse prevention outcomes.
NePiP
Membership
Chair:
- Lt. Governor
David Heineman
State Government
and Agencies:
- Christine
Peterson, Policy Secretary, NE Health & Human Service
System
- Steve Curtiss,
Director, Finance and Support, NE Health & Human Service
System
- Doug Christensen,
Commissioner, NE Department of Education
- Fred Zwonechek,
Administrator, Department of Highway Safety
- Allen Curtis,
Executive Director, NE Commission on Criminal Justice and
Law Enforcement (Crime Commission)
- Michael Heavican,
U.S. Attorney, U. S. Attorney's Office
- Edward Birkel,
Probation Administrator, Nebraska Supreme Court
- Chris Hanus
Schulenberg, Deputy Administrator, Protection and Safety,
NE Health & Human Service System
- Romeo Guerra,
Deputy Director, Preventive and Community Health , NE Health
& Human Service System
- George Hanigan,
Deputy Director, Behavioral Health, NE Health & Human
Service System
- Ron Sorensen,
Administrator, Office of Mental Health, Substance Abuse
& Addiction Services, NE Health and Human Service System
- Judi Morgan
gaiashkibos, Exec. Director, NE Commission on Indian Affairs
- Hon. Justice
John Wright, Nebraska Supreme Court
- Dan Hoyt;
Director, Bureau of Sociological Research, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln
- Dr. Jessiline
Anderson, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Clinical Psychologist
- Dr. Keith
Parker, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
State Legislature:
- Senator Jim
Jensen, District 20, Nebraska Legislature, Chair, HHS Committee
- Senator Chip
Maxwell, District 9, Nebraska Legislature, HHS & Education
Committees
- Senator Ray
Aguilar, District 35, Nebraska Legislature, Government Committee
Special Constituencies
and At-Large:
- Sally Sylvester,
State Alcohol & Drug Abuse Advisory Council
- Kevin Flores,
member, Nebraska Minority Public Health Assn.
- Carrie A.
Wolfe, Community Member
- Joel Gajardo,
Community Member
- Frank Peak,
Creighton University
- Maria Vu,
Director, Asian Community and Cultural Center
- Karen Walklin,
Nebraska Broadcasters Association
- Dr. Kenneth
Vettel, Physician, Grand Island
- Bette Poutre,
Director, Nebraska State Parent Teacher Association
- Jenna Smith,
Youth Representative
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