Mission Hospital’s substance use prevention campaigns, Raising Healthy Teens and Strength in Numbers, were selected as the 2019 Silver Award winners of the National Berreth Award by the National Public Health Information Coalition.
This public health effort is part of a comprehensive, multi-year effort to reduce teen substance use in South Orange County and a vital component of Mission Hospital’s larger commitment to improving the community through its Community Health Investment division. The campaign with a particular focus on Capistrano Valley, Laguna Beach, and San Clemente high schools. The campaign was recognized for excellence in shifting perceptions and inspiring healthy behavior change.
The campaign, developed and implemented with social-change marketing agency Civilian, delivers the unexpected message that despite prevailing perceptions of teen drinking as pervasive, the majority of teens are not drinking. The youth-oriented Strength in Numbers campaign and the adult-oriented Raising Healthy Teens campaign focus on engaging teens and parents through community outreach, geo-targeted online advertising, social media and informational websites.
Mission Hospital and Civilian conducted an extensive analysis of peer-reviewed research to identify the most effective strategies for reducing youth substance use. The research concluded that a social-normative approach—correcting the misconception that youth drinking is the “norm”—is the most effective way to change teen drinking behavior.
The strategy, messaging and educational resources in each campaign are targeted to their specific audience; both use a social-normative approach to show students and parents that teenage alcohol and drug use is not “what every teen does.” The campaigns emphasize the fact that 82% of South Orange County High School students don’t drink alcohol. The statistic was based on past 30-day usage rates from the 2017-2018 California Healthy Kids Survey, an anonymous student survey. While the primary focus of the prevention effort was alcohol, marijuana and electronic cigarettes prevention messaging was also incorporated.
The campaign’s social normative approach uses factual data to shift perceptions by showing that the vast majority of students at those schools choose not to drink alcohol.
Furthermore, the campaign encourages parents to talk openly with their kids about the realities associated with alcohol and drug use as positive and engaged parents can have the greatest impact on teen’s healthy development.
More information about the award designation and the other recipients in this category can be found here.
About Mission Hospital
Mission Hospital is a state-of-the art, 523-bed acute care regional medical center in Mission Viejo, California. As one of the busiest designated adult and pediatric Level II Trauma Centers in the state of California, Mission Hospital provides a full range of reputable specialty health care services with highly skilled teams treating a multitude of complex conditions. Services include a full range of expertise in cardiovascular, neuroscience and spine, orthopedics, cancer care, women’s services, mental health and wellness, head and neck, and a variety of other specialty services. Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach provides South Orange County coastal communities with 24-hour emergency and intensive care as well as medical-surgical/telemetry services, orthopedics, general and GI surgery. CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital is a 54-bed facility that is the area’s only dedicated pediatric hospital.
Fully accredited by The Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence, Mission Hospital is highly recognized for its high quality of care, evidenced through a multitude of healthcare quality benchmarks. Mission Hospital is part of Providence St. Joseph Health, a not-for-profit provider of integrated health care. Together, we work to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. in the tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. For more information, visit www.mission4health.com.
About The Mission Hospital Community Health Investment
Mission Hospital dedicates resources to serving the community’s needs through programs and services identified through a community health needs assessment conducted every three years. Current priorities include Access to Health Care, Mental Health, Immigrant Support & Solidarity, and Economic Mobility. Our two Family Resource Centers are central locations for the community to receive critical social support services relating to parenting, health insurance enrollment, domestic violence support, mental health, and other services.
About Civilian Agency
Civilian is a full-service marketing communications agency and Certified B Corporation dedicated to creating social change for the common good. They work with government agencies, not-for-profits, and purpose-driven businesses to promote public health, transportation, conservation, disaster preparedness, education, and workforce development. Their mantra—from our headquarters in San Diego to our offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento—is “Where there’s a we, there’s a way.” Learn more at www.civilian.agency.
About the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS)
The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is an anonymous, confidential survey of school climate and safety, student wellness, and youth resiliency. It is administered to students at grades five, seven, nine, and eleven. It enables schools and communities to collect and analyze data regarding local youth health risks and behaviors, school connectedness, school climate, protective factors, and school violence. The CHKS is part of a comprehensive data-driven decision-making process on improving school climate and student learning environment for overall school improvements.
Media Contact:
Carrie Miller
(949) 364-4871 | (949) 230-6852
Carrie.Miller@stjoe.org
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