*Prevention is a vitally important investment in a community and its people. Substance misuse costs the United States more than $740 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that investments in prevention can bring as high a return on investment as $18 per $1 spent, precious few resources are available for these kinds of life-saving prevention services. With so few resources and such a large problem, it’s of vital importance that prevention programs and practices remain effective. To maximize the beneficial effects of these limited resources, it’s best to use prevention programs and strategies that research has proven are effective at changing behaviors and improving public health. These programs and strategies are called “evidence-based practices,” and using them makes the most of any investment in prevention and does the most good for those we serve.
