From the Individual to the Community: Perspectives About Substance Abuse Services

Abstract

This article argues that substance abuse interventions in distressed African American communities must be culturally tailored and must incorporate a framework targeting changes in both individual behavior and the community. This study employed concept mapping in conjunction with community-based participatory research principles to involve 100 community members, substance users, and service providers to examine the role of alcohol and other drugs in distressed African American communities. Findings reveal the way participants understand the role of drugs and alcohol in their community and their perceptions of substance abuse services. The article describes a collaborative approach to engage the community in addressing substance abuse.

Keywords:

• African American
• community-based intervention
• community-based participatory research
• concept mapping
• culturally tailored interventions
• substance abuse treatment

Acknowledgments

The project described was supported by Award Number P30MH079920 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Institutes of Health. Data from this study were previously published as a policy brief at the Center for Behavioral Health Research & Criminal Justice Research at Rutgers University. The policy brief was a short publication aiming to discuss the research findings' implications to policy in the city of Newark, New Jersey.