WINNING APPROVAL FOR NEW DRUG PROGRAM SITES: A TRAINING PROGRAM

OPPOSITION BY NEARBY RESIDENTS TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DRUG PROGRAMS CAUSES DELAYS, RAISES COSTS, AND CAN PREVENT THE OPENING OF NEEDED PROGRAMS. A RANGE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING TECHNIQUES CAN GREATLY REDUCE SUCH OPPOSITION. YET, DRUG PROGRAM STAFF RARELY USE THESE TECHNIQUES. NO TRAINING IN HOW TO WIN APPROVAL FOR NEW SITES IS AVAILABLE. A PROJECT TEAM WITH EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY WORK, TRAINING DRUG PROGRAM STAFF, AND CONDUCTING RESEARCH WILL DEVELOP ANDPILOT-TEST A TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ENABLE STAFF TO OPEN PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY. TWO GROUPS OF TREATMENT PROGRAM STAFF WILL BE TRAINED TO ASSESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS, IDENTIFY OPINION LEADERS, AND CARRY OUT A PHASED CAMPAIGN TOWIN SITE APPROVAL. THE TRAINING WILL INCLUDE PRACTICE SESSIONS IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS WILL REHEARSE SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE MEDIA. THESE REHEARSALS WILL BE VIDEOTAPED, AND THE VIDEOTAPES PLAYED BACK FOR PARTICIPANTS AS THEY RECEIVE COACHING IN HOW TO IMPROVE. THE TRAINING WILL BE EVALUATED BY (1) PRE-/POSTKNOWLEDGE TESTS, (2) PARTICIPANTS' RATINGS, (3) REVIEW OF VIDEOTAPES OF PARTICIPANTS BY COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND (4) ON-SITE OBSERVATIONS AFTER THE TRAINING. THIS PHASE I RESEARCH WILL BE THE FOUNDATION OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION IN A PHASE II PROJECT.