The Smart Generation Trial: Using the Communities That Care Approach to Reduce Risk Factors Related to Adolescent Alcohol Use in Australia

This presentation will describe the implementation procedures and evaluation used as part of a randomised control community trial (RCT) in Australia. The trail uses Communities that Care (CTC) framework and methodology to build capacity within communities to implement evidence-based prevention strategies to prevent and reduce adolescent alcohol consumption.  The trial is badged as the Smart Generation trial. It is the first RCT using the CTC process in Australia.   The trial targets Year 7 and 8  students and their parents. Fourteen intervention and 14 control communities across Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia were matched on socioeconomic status, location and size. The sample is representative of Australian year 7 and 8 children (60 schools; N=3,645 individuals).  The intervention sites initiated three components: 1) community mobilisation; 2) social marketing with the aims of raising awareness and increasing adoption of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) alcohol guidelines 3) the reduction of alcohol sales and supply of alcohol to adolescents.   This presentation will showcase the processes used to build capacity and mobilise communities, and first results for the trial. Plans to maintain the project through a 5-year evaluation of the full implementation of the Communities That Care approach will also be outlined.