Issue Brief
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AssessmentandRiskFactors.pptxAssessment of Risk and Protective Factors
What are Risk (RF) and Protective (PF) Factors?
Assessing the risk and protective factors that contribute to substance use disorders help social workers identify appropriate interventions
Risk factors are characteristics at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that will progressively lead to poor outcomes
Negative aspects of an individual’s life or experience that negatively impact their lives
Ex: Prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol
Protective factors are characteristics that have a lower likelihood of negative outcomes or will reduce a risk factor’s impact.
Positive aspects that will counter the negative aspects of risk factors.
Ex: Positive self-image, self-control,
RF and PF Information
Sometimes risk and protective factors are static so they do not change over time
Risk and protective factors can also be movable; they can change
Ex: income level, education, peer group, employment
RF and PF can be experienced at an individual, community, or societal level
They are cumulative and contribute to behavioral health issues as well as a a variety of other issues
Interventions must target multiple aspects not just one
Interventions
Universal Preventative Interventions
Broad interventions that focus on entire groups or populations such as schools, organizations, or communities.
Ex: Black Lives Matter Collectives
Selective Interventions
Target biological, psychological or social risk factors of a specific group representative of a population
Ex: Strengthening Families drug prevention education
Indicated Prevention Interventions
Individual interventions who demonstrate signs of risk factors
Ex: Individual referral for drug screenings
Developing Interventions
Strategic Prevention Framework
Step 1: Assess Needs
Step 2: Build Capacity
Step 3: Plan
Step 4: Implement
Step 5: Evaluate
https://www.samhsa.gov/capt/applying-strategic-prevention-framework
Assess the Needs of the Client
What substance use problems and related behaviors (for example, prescription drug misuse and underage drinking) are occurring with the client?
Are you viewing those incidents? Are they reported? Where is that information coming from?
How often are these problems and related behaviors occurring?
Where are these substance use problems and related behaviors occurring (for example, in the home, parties, etc.)?
Is the child present? Is the child aware of the situation?
Who is experiencing more of these substance use issues and related behaviors?
Is the client experiencing the usage directly? Are they involved? Is it a partner?
Step 2: Build Capacity
Building and mobilizing local resources and readiness to address identified prevention needs
Meet with the family, as well as the client’s community of support to address the concerns
Learn about what works best for the client and seek supportive resources for capacity
Identify and ASK what the client would like to do about the situation. Do not assume you know what is best for them.
Build capacity by listening, learning, and assisting them. It is THEIR life.
Step 3: Plan
Prioritize RF and PF because there will be multiple occurring at one time so focus on Importance and Changeability.
Triage and identify levels of importance by considering the following:
How much does this factor contribute to our priority problem?
Is this factor relevant, given the developmental stage of our focus client/ population?
Is this factor associated with other behavioral health issues?
Changeability is the capacity to change a specific RF and PF. Consider:
Does the client have the resources and readiness to address this factor?
Does a suitable intervention exist to address this factor?
Can we produce outcomes within a reasonable timeframe?
Develop a Logic Model to address the client issue
Logic Models
A logic model is a visual tool that shows the logic, or rationale, behind a program or process (basically, a roadmap)
Visualize how the pieces of a prevention plan fit together
Provide explicit rationale for selecting prevention programs, policies, and practices to address substance use problems
Step 4: Implement
Develop an action plan: Identify the steps that will be needed for your client/community to make progress
Who will be responsible? For which tasks?
Ex: Who will take care of the child if the parent is in treatment? Who will address issues of maintaining a residence?
Identify changes needed for the client/community to be successful.
Provide suggestions for ways the client/community to maintain consistent progress.
Step 5: Evaluation
Identifying how the client/community has made progress.
Must always have a timeline (i.e. 30 days, 90 days, etc.)
Must always be discussed with the client
How will you know that the client is successfully transitioned in a positive manner?
In what ways will you determine what the client needs in terms of supportive services?
How will you communicate the results? And whom too?
What are next steps needed?
