How to Curb the Number of Teens Using Marijuana in the South Brisbane - Case Study Example

Introduction There has been a major change in the community that The South Brisbane Community Hospital serves in that there has been an increase in marijuana smoking in the teen population. Teen use of illicit drugs according to Cohen, Lowry, and Modzeleski et.al. (2009) creates a situation that escalates violence in school and South Brisbane is committed to remaining a stable and contributing part of this community. Aim/Vision The effort to curb the number of teens using marijuana will take the collaborative work of the community and the hospital. The overall strategic plan includes a plan of the Hospital will include working with the community in developing and maintaining a project that will decrease the numbers of teens presently using marijuana. Outcomes The outcomes of the project will include a decrease in the total number of students using marijuana and a decrease in the amount of violence in school. This will be measured by the overall numbers as captured by the school. The health department will supply general community outcomes data while data retrieved from the school will complete other aspects of the data. Scope The scope of the project will begin with the community that is presently served by the South Brisbane Community Hospital. This will be done through awareness and through accessibility of present programs as well as providing workshops for both teens and their parents in a collaborative effort between the school, health department, and the hospital. When data shows improvement, the program will be extended to the country level and then the state level as appropriate. Objectives The objectives of this program will be to provide education and information on the dangers of marijuana use in high school and the violence that it creates in an effort to help these students better understand. It will also provide essential information for parents and other caregivers in understanding the ramifications of use. Project Success Criteria This project is measureable. Success will be shown by a decrease in the numbers of students using marijuana and in the amount of violent occasions that take place in school. This data will kept monthly, analyzed every six months and reported yearly. Resources Cohen, C., Lowry, S., Modzeliski, C. (2009). School violence, substance use, and availability of illegal drugs to high school students. Journal of School Health. 69(9). 347-55. Healthcare Project Management Marijuana Use in the Local Teen Community Marijuana Use in the Local Teen Community 1. Problem Statement The local community has an increasing problem with the use of marijuana by teens in the area. Studies show that violence in schools is directly related to the amount of illicit drug use that happens at the local schools (Cohen, Lowry, and Modzeleski, 2009). There is a lack of awareness of the dangers of marijuana use and presently, it is difficult to access information that is being given live. Marijuana is often not seen as a dangerous drug both by the students and parents and therefore the perception and fact are not the same thing. Education to correct the perception needs to be readily available to these students and families. 2. Project Mission Statement Information is power. In working with the community to decrease the use of marijuana by teens, the use of information allows teens to avoid peer pressure. The more people that get the information the better success the project will have and since this is a collaborative project there is an unusual chance to improve the communication between the hospital and the community and schools at the same time. This is the first project of its kind between the hospital and the community and it could lead to many more. Therefore it is important to both groups that the planning and communication for this project be extremely well managed. The hospital will need to assure that its mission statement of being involved with the community will be on all of the printed materials. 3. Project goals, objectives and strategies. Project goal The planned outcome of the project is to have teens that are better educated in the dangers of using marijuana and parents who are better educated in helping those children understand by understanding themselves.. This education goal is multi-faceted in the information it provides for the parents and the information provided for teens. In both cases, however, the information allows this population group to armed with the information they may need to quit as well as the information needed to avoid starting. Provision of classes for Non-English speaking parents is also extremely important Project objectives Classes will be provided on a regular and ongoing basis for community use. These classes will contain well proven information for use by parents and teens to prevent peer pressure and allow students to say no to the use of marijuana. These classes will be provided in the evening for adults (parents or caregivers) and during the summer and winter break for teens. There will also be time provided for teens to talk with educators alone if need be as well as with peers who have quit using. Measurable goals include a reduction in the numbers of teens presently using marijuana and a reduction in violence in school. Data will also be kept as to the numbers of parents and teens that receive this training. Organizational objectives will be met by being involved in the needs of the community. The plan is determined to be realistic as the overall reason, according to most research for students to be involved in any illicit drug is lack of education and peer pressure. This program will provide them with the education and help them deny peer pressure. The program will be provided for a year, data will then be checked and analyzed and the determination to expand or continue the program will be decided. Like any initiative, when the evaluation is done, it may mean changing the initiative and then providing the initiative again as noted in the following figure. Project Strategies Parents need to communicate a clear no-use message about marijuana, however, many of them are confused about just how dangerous it is. They are not sure of their information so they have a tendency not to provide it, just in case. Studies show that teens hear about the risks of marijuana and other drugs when parents tell them and those that are told, are less likely to smoke it. Therefore education for these parents that will allow them to present realistic information to their teens is very important. This is the strategy for this project, to provide information that is usable for prevention of further use. 4. Breakdown of structure The components of this project include: 1. Providing two full session training workshops on the danger of marijuana use a. Design teaching materials b. Design marketing materials c. Schedule space and instructors. d. Provide contingency plan and backup 2. To carry out a poster display to tell about and increase attendance of the workshops.. a. Design and have posters prepared b. Write articles for the newsletter c. Get buy in from some students to talk it up. d. Provide student and parent incentive for attnedance 3. To provide during the summer and winter term 19 workshops in 2 high schools. a. Assure space is ready in both places b. Assure all training materials are available c. Transportation for students d. Assurance of instructors for all of the workshops 4. To design community classes for parents during evening hours. a. Marketing for these classes through parental newsletters b. Design and prepare materials for classes. c. Assure space and instructors are available 5. To provide one workshop per month for parental information. a. Assure space and instructors available. 5. Risk Analysis Threats Likely hood of happening Contingency Plan Human- Scheduled staff will not show for classes. Students will not show up. Parents will not utilize information 5 Schedule replacement staff for each of the classes. Assure that students are well aware of this project. Provide snacks and ice cream for those that come. Assure parents are aware of schedule. Operational-Rooms that have been scheduled may not be available. Transportation may become unavailable. 1 Alternate dates that have been publicized Procedural-Replacement instructors not aware of the program. Lost or run out of materials. Information too long for the workshops. Trouble from teens not in workshops 2 Assure that all possible replacements are trained with other instructors. Place extra materials in place in each classroom. Time presentations ahead of time. Assure that there is help available in case it is needed. Financial-Funding not approved 2 Plan to try again next year. Technical-Unable to get posters printed. Unable to get workshop materials printed. Power point does not work 3 Make posters with help. Have a school secretary print materials and get help putting them together. Be sure to know presentation well enough to do without PowerPoint if need be. Natural-Storms prevent the workshops and classes from happening 3 Alternate schedule published ahead of time in case of canceling. Be sure original materials say what to do if cancelled or how to find out if cancelled. 6. Project Resources require Posters Notebooks Workshop materials Rooms Transportation Snacks Marketing supplies Drinks Prizes Instructors Pens/ Paper 7. Management Structure Jean will manage the project with myself as the coordinator. I will relieve Jean if she is unable to manage. The project will be sponsored by South Brisbane Health and the local schools. Budget will be managed by the CFO at Brisbane Health and coordination of times and classrooms will be provided by myself as well as coordination of instructors for the courses. Jean will take care of all other coordination including assuring that the secretary pool readies all materials. Stakeholders include Teens Parents Instructors Schools Community South Brisbane Health 8. Budget The budget is extremely important and will tell us what we can manage of the project with and without fund raising. Under the circumstances fundraising will be possible and actually charging a small fee for parental training may also be possible but might also decrease the numbers of parents that might show up. This is yet to be developed as part of the Business Case. 9. Communications and reporting Meetings will be held once a week until such time as the project is in process 1. At each meeting the minutes will be kept and assignements will be placed in the minutes for referral. 2. Each of the people working on the project will bring information that contributes to the project as well as any assigned information Meeting one will have assignments for each of the people who are part of the project 1. This meeting will include brainstorming in a attempt to assure that we are planning for everything that needs to happen. 2. Initial assignments are made and management staff are determined. 3. Time line will be communicated and worked on. At each meeting, each project coordinator will present his part of the project and at what stage of completeness it is. Minutes from the last meeting will be provided before the next meeting for review Other Communications Remembering that this is a collaborative project, there is a need for much communication. Meetings are important but there is a need for continual communication between community members as well as the school and any teens that have become involved in putting this project together. That kind of communication can happen in many ways including the development of a short term newsletter that is available throughout the development of the project. Newspaper articls need to be drafted and published as it will be important for the public in general to know about this project as well as the classes that are provided. It may be very important for community members who are not parents to be able to attend classes. The more educated the community is the better. The Administrator and CFO of the hospital and possible the coordinators of the project will need to go to community meetings including things like city planning to assure that the community overall is aware of the program. In an intervention like this there cannot be too much communication, only to little. In conclusion, this is a project that is good for the community and the hospital and provides a rare opportunity for everyone to become part of a collaborative group. Teens who smoke marijuana are assured to have continuing health problems and violence in school increases when it is used. The hospital has chosen this community project to become involved in. Resources Cohen, A., Lowery, G., Modzeleski, A. (2009). School violence, substance use, and availability of illegal drugs to high school students. Journal of School Health 69(9). 347-55. Read More