This resource provides guidance on establishing and strengthening coalition effectiveness once a coalition is formed. It outlines practical strategies for setting clear goals, developing shared vision and action plans, defining member roles and responsibilities, establishing decision-making and communication processes, and monitoring progress to support sustained collaboration and measurable community impact.
Type: Document
Coalitions Part 1: Defining and Forming
This resource explains the foundational steps for building and strengthening community coalitions, beginning with clear definitions of what coalitions are and why they matter for collective action. It outlines how to form a coalition – identifying shared goals, recruiting diverse members, and establishing structures and processes – and highlights early planning tasks that set the stage for effective collaboration and sustained community impact.
Prevention Core Competencies
This document, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in May 2021, offers a comprehensive framework of essential knowledge, skills, and abilities for professionals in the prevention field.
Community Needs Assessment
This document is a practical guide to conducting a community needs assessment, outlining why such assessments are important, how to systematically collect and analyze data, and how to use findings to inform planning and decision-making. It describes key steps—including defining the purpose, engaging stakeholders, selecting data sources and methods, interpreting results, and communicating findings—to help communities identify priority issues, existing resources, and gaps that can guide effective prevention and development efforts.
What is Prevention Science?
This document introduces prevention science as a multidisciplinary field that uses research to guide effective prevention strategies, particularly for substance use.