A majority of the Pennsylvania Institutes of Higher Education surveyed acknowledge that alcohol use by students is an area of concern and share a commitment to prevent student alcohol use on campus.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Jan. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth Prevention Alliance (CPA), a private non-profit whose mission is to support PA prevention professionals in eliminating substance misuse and risk-related behaviors, contracted with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to conduct a preliminary survey assessment of Pennsylvania higher education institutions. The intent of the survey was to collect preliminary data about current alcohol-related issues on campus and efforts to mitigate the negative effects of student alcohol use.

"The overarching goal of this project is to establish a statewide collaborative that provides technical assistance support to institutions of higher education to address their alcohol issues and to identify state and national resources that can assist with prevention and intervention efforts," said Jeff Hanley, CPA Executive Director. "During this unpredictable environment, it is important that college students take the necessary measures to protect their health and well-being. To support all students and assist in combating college drinking, forming a statewide collaborative is of utmost importance. Locally, prevention professionals, community coalitions, and families can work with college administrators to provide education to students about the risks associated with alcohol use and offer access to support services for those who misuse alcohol or struggle with mental health issues".

The following survey findings emerged when examining administrator perceptions of student drinking behavior:

• 61.5% of respondents expressed some level of concern about student alcohol use relative to other problem behaviors experienced on campus.
• 80.8% of administrators report alcohol use contributes to other problems experienced by students, at least some of the time.
• A majority of the student affairs administrators (73.1%) agreed that "most student alcohol use occurs in off-campus settings."
• Approximately one-third of responding colleges reported they do not have full-time staff dedicated to campus alcohol prevention.

"An important part of the mission of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is to reduce and prevent underage and dangerous drinking, especially on college and university campuses across the state. Studies like this collect vital data the PLCB can use to inform decisions about where we allocate our resources in conducting this work," said Tim Holden, Chairman of the PLCB. "It is critical that the PLCB and our partners in prevention are aligned in our goals, practices, and efforts."

PA Institutions of Higher Education do share a commitment to prevent student alcohol use on campus. To enhance these prevention efforts, colleges and universities can designate a full-time, professional to address campus alcohol efforts, commit adequate funding for alcohol prevention and intervention programs, practices, and strategies; and, establish and utilize internal alcohol taskforces and coalitions.

To learn more and read the full report, please visit https://commonwealthpreventionalliance.org/pa-higher-education-needs-assessment/.

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SOURCE Commonwealth Prevention Alliance