Although the tendency of communities when initiating a new environmental prevention project is to automatically include it within the structure or management framework of existing prevention coalitions, this may not be the most effective approach.  When determining how and if a new environmental prevention project fits within existing prevention coalition framework, consider how well the environmental prevention project’s vision and goals will mesh with that of the existing coalition.

This consideration is applicable to communities participating in the Montana Communicy Change Project as well and establishing Local Strategy Teams to implement environmental prevention projects.  The focus of the MT Community Change Project is to address the problems of lifespan binge drinking and lifespan drinking and driving.  Coalitions that specifically focus on youth only may not support or favor resources targeting adult drinking and driving or adult binge drinking.  Similarly, coalitions that are familiar with direct-service and/or individual-focused prevention efforts may not understand or support efforts which look at community-level contributors to alcohol problems or efforts which utilize a policy-focused approach to making community-level change.

When considering how to structure an environmental prevention project within your community, consider these options and others to determine a Local Strategy Team structure that is most likely to succeed.

Considerations: Take this approach only when there is good alignment between the existing coalition's vision and goals, and the environmental prevention project.  Some current coalition members may not be interested in environmental prevention work. A division among members may result when some coalition members are interested in environmental prevention and others are more comfortable with individual-focused prevention efforts.  This can lead to unnecessary internal strife within the group and the potential loss of coalition members.  This approach assumes that everyone previously interested in individual-focused prevention will naturally be supportive of policy-focused environmental prevention, and that’s not true.  Environmental prevention work is not for everyone 

Considerations: This approach provides some degree of separation between the environmental prevention approach and the more traditional individual-focused approach to prevention. Tension may exist between subgroup members and other coalition members, especially if long-standing members of the larger coalition do not support the policy-focused approach of the subgroup.

Considerations: This approach provides independent structures for the two prevention approaches but requires additional effort to ensure the desired level of communication and collaboration is maintained.  In addition, the community may not have enough interested resources to support two separate prevention groups, and mixed messages may be sent to community members when two different groups address the same issues through different strategies.

LOCAL STRATEGY TEAM STRUCTURE