National Cross-Site Evaluation of High-Risk Youth Programs

This document summarizes the major findings of the National Cross-Site Evaluation of High-Risk Youth Demonstration Grant Programs, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. 

The findings generated in this report are significant to the substance abuse field. The findings help us understand how prevention can strengthen conditions that help youth at risk avoid substance abuse. The evaluation confirms that family, peers, school, and community are all important influences on substance use and has moved beyond that knowledge to measure the strength of those influences. By understanding the factors that prevent substance abuse in youth, and producing science-based lessons about effective prevention strategies and program practices, this major research effort holds the promise of more effective prevention and more positive futures for America's youth who are at high risk.