%0 Journal Article %J Am J Public Health %D 2013 %T Sustained effects of the Communities That Care system on prevention service system transformation. %A Rhew, Isaac C %A Brown, Eric C %A Hawkins, J D %A Briney, John S %K Adolescent %K Humans %K Juvenile Delinquency %K Residence Characteristics %K Social Welfare %K Social Work %K Substance-Related Disorders %K United States %X

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether the Communities That Care (CTC) system sustained effects 1.5 years after study funding ended on prevention system constructs expected to be important for community-level reductions in drug use and antisocial behaviors among youths.

METHODS: Data were from a community trial of 24 towns in the United States randomized to either the CTC intervention or control conditions. Participants were 928 community key leaders interviewed at 1 to 4 waves from 2001 to 2009. Intervention activities, including training and technical assistance, were conducted between 2003 and 2008 in the CTC communities.

RESULTS: Leaders from CTC communities reported higher levels of adoption of a science-based approach to prevention and a higher percentage of funding desired for prevention activities in 2009 than did leaders in control communities. CTC communities showed a higher increase over time in community norms against adolescent drug use as well as adoption of a science-based approach compared with control communities.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated that CTC implementation produced enduring transformation of important prevention system constructs in intervention communities, which might, in turn, produce long-term reductions in youth problem behaviors.

%B Am J Public Health %V 103 %P 529-35 %8 2013 Mar %G eng %N 3 %R 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300567