A substance abuse program that focuses on school-based prevention has been particularly effective both in terms of cost and demonstrable results. It involves sending a team of two American trainers/consultants abroad to work with representatives from various professional fields over the course of several two-week workshops. The U.S. trainers guide and direct the sessions, but the local participants themselves develop the prevention curriculums in their own languages and according to their own cultural norms.

One U.S. speaker who has provided this kind of expertise now in several countries around the world is Juan Jose Callejas. Juan has a Ph.D. in education and many years experience in prevention, public awareness, and curriculum development, as well as in the area of cultural diversity. Each of his programs has been regarded as extremely successful.

The most recent programs took place in Hungary and Slovakia and involved collaboration and cost-sharing among USIA, the Department of State, the Slovak and Hungarian governments, and NGOs in both countries. The programs have been effective beyond the immediate goal of school-based prevention. Against the background of transition from communism to democracy and civil society in these countries, the programs have provided social skills that participants will be able to pass on to those whom they in turn will train.

Citizens become better able to participate actively in civil society when they acquire skills in problem solving, decision making, organization, conflict resolution, and teamwork, among others. All these skills are an intrinsic component in any good substance-abuse prevention program and have positive effects far beyond the program itself.

Most importantly, perhaps, the goal of these programs is to enable countries where they are used to sustain substance-abuse activities on their own.

Judith Greenspan is a Program Officer for the U.S. Information Agency.