PROmoting School-community-university
Partnerships to Enhance Resilience
VERMONT
Results of the GO PROSPER Survey
Round 1, Fall 2010
GO PROSPER survey, round 1
This report was prepared for the Cooperative Extension System of the state of
Vermont. In it you will find information from the seven Extension Systems that are
taking part in the “Grand Opportunity” (GO) PROSPER Expansion project funded by
the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is being conducted by researchers at the
Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute at Iowa State University, in
collaboration with Extension personnel and researchers at Pennsylvania State
University’s Prevention Research Institute.
Data were collected using a web-based survey distributed to Extension
Administrators and all Extension employees associated with the 4-H and Family
Program areas. Included in this report are the aggregated responses obtained from
Vermont and from all seven participating states (including Vermont called “All GO
States” in the tables and figures).
Results are based on responses from the 726 participating Extension employees in
the seven states (a response rate of 63%), including 20 (a 91% response rate) from
Vermont.
Main themes
Problem Awareness
Decision-Making about Programming
Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs by Extension
Existing Program Evaluation Practices
Existing Partnerships with Schools
Existing Partnerships with Other State Agencies
Existing Partnerships with Communities
Organizational Resources
Training Availability
Problem awareness
Current interest, attitude, demands, and commitment concerning prevention programming
targeting youth and families, as well as existing obstacles to adopting such programming by
the Cooperative Extension System. State level presumes programming implemented statewide, while community level assumes programming selected by particular community to
meet specific needs.
How serious are each of the following problems
for communities in your state?
Substance use,
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree)
100
Delinquency/ crime problems,
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree)
100
79
80
80
60
60
60
40
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
All GO States
52
25
Vermont
All GO States
How would you describe the level of implementation for your Extension System in the area of substance use
prevention? (% in each category, excluding “I don’t know/Not applicable”)
State Level
We are not considering programming effort on
this topic at this time.
We are considering a programming effort on
this topic.
We are currently planning to implement a
programming effort on this topic.
We recently started a programming effort on
this topic
We have an established programming effort on
this topic
Community Level
Vermont
All GO States
Vermont
All GO States
15
21
15
21
15
7
15
7
5
2
5
2
5
4
5
4
20
15
20
20
How would you describe the level of implementation for your Extension System in the area of delinquency
prevention? (% in each category, excluding “I don’t know/Not applicable”)
State Level
Vermont
All GO States
We are not considering programming effort on
this topic at this time.
We are considering a programming effort on
this topic.
We are currently planning to implement a
programming effort on this topic.
We recently started a programming effort on
this topic.
We have an established programming effort on
this topic.
Community Level
Vermont
All GO States
15
21
15
21
15
7
15
7
5
2
5
2
5
4
5
4
0
4
0
8
Decision-making about programming
Practices for decisions related to program selection.
Program decisions typically are made at the
local level (% responding Agree or Strongly
Agree).
100
100
80
60
Program decisions take into consideration
community needs (% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree).
62
83
Vermont
All GO States
80
60
40
40
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
85
All GO States
% responding Agree or Strongly
Agree
Vermont
All GO States
Program decisions take into consideration the talents/
experience/interests of our local Extension agents/educators.
85
70
Implementation of evidence-based programs
Current use of evidence-based programs by the Cooperative Extension System and factors that influence
decisions about adopting new Evidence-Based Programs. The term evidence-based refers to programs based
on sound theory that have been rigorously evaluated (e.g., compared with a control group) and proven to
produce long-term positive effects in reducing substance use, delinquency or other youth problems.
Our Extension System emphasizes that
programs should be implemented as they were
designed (% responding Agree or Strongly
Agree).
Most of the youth and families programs
offered by our Extension System are evidencebased (% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
100
100
80
80
60
40
35
40
60
46
35
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
All GO States
Vermont
All GO States
% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree
Vermont
All GO States
Our Extension System would rather support a prevention program that
is evidence-based, even when the implementation costs are higher
than those of other prevention programs.
Our Extension staff are knowledgeable about evidence-based
prevention programming.
I know about several specific evidence-based prevention programs
that target youth.
40
41
20
46
30
48
Existing program evaluation practices
Practices of program quality assurance and evaluation currently employed by the Cooperative
Extension System.
Our Extension program staff devote resources
to collect outcome data on most programs to
determine whether the programs produce the
desired behavioral outcomes
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
100
80
100
80
60
Our Extension program staff regularly monitor
the quality of program delivery (% responding
Agree or Strongly Agree).
55
62
60
40
40
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
All GO States
30
Vermont
All GO States
% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree
All GO
Vermont
States
Our Extension program staff regularly work with an evaluation
specialist to assess our programs.
I know of researchers at our university with expertise in evaluating
prevention programming.
30
35
25
52
Existing program evaluation practices
Communities in our state would be better
served by spending money to offer more
programming than by spending money to
evaluate program effectiveness (% responding
Agree or Strongly Agree).
100
80
60
40
30
22
20
0
Vermont
All GO States
Existing partnerships with schools
Partnerships and partnership stability between Extension and the school system.
Once established, prevention programming delivered
through collaborations between schools and the Extension
System can be easily sustained for several years
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
It is worthwhile for locally-based
agents/educators to spend time working with
school staff to help youth in their communities
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
100
85
92
100
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
All GO States
70
60
Vermont
All GO States
% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree
All GO
Vermont
States
Our state-level staff are involved in prevention efforts for youth in
schools.
40
30
Our locally-based agents/educators have established connections
with school districts in their community.
80
89
Existing partnerships with other state agencies
Partnerships between extension and other agencies within the state.
Collaborating with other state agencies is a good way to
supplement resources to implement quality youth
prevention programming (% responding Agree or Strongly
Agree).
100
90
85
In the past our Extension System has been successful in
obtaining additional funding from another state agency for
implementing prevention programs
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
100
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
All GO States
34
10
Vermont
All GO States
% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree
All GO
Vermont
States
Our state Extension System actively seeks partnerships with other
state agencies to conduct prevention programming.
Our state Extension System has experience collaborating and sharing
resources with other state agencies to conduct prevention
programming.
40
47
45
46
Existing partnerships with communities
Partnerships between Cooperative Extension and local communities.
Our Extension agents/educators place more emphasis on
delivering programs for youth and families than on fostering
community partnerships to address youth and family issues
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
Our Extension agents/educators actively participate in
community partnerships to deliver youth and family
programs (% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
100
100
84
80
80
60
60
50
40
28
40
20
20
0
0
Vermont
70
All GO States
Vermont
All GO States
% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree
All GO
Vermont
States
Our locally-based agents/educators should actively
pursue partnership and collaboration opportunities in
the communities they serve.
95
94
Organizational resources
Current availability of financial and human resources, as well as time and availability of
professional development within the Cooperative Extension System.
Our Extension staff have enough time to
complete all assigned duties
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
There are sufficient staff to meet organization
and programming demands in our Extension
System (% responding Agree or Strongly
Agree).
100
100
80
80
60
60
40
20
40
15
8
0
20
15
11
Vermont
All GO States
0
Vermont
All GO States
% responding Agree or
Strongly Agree
Vermont
All GO States
Our locally-based agents are required to generate funding to
support programming efforts.
Organizing partnerships with schools is a feasible way to generate
resources to implement quality youth prevention programming.
45
61
85
78
I am aware of local organizations that could help Extension support
a youth and/or family-focused prevention programming effort.
50
79
Organizational resources
Our Extension staff are provided with the
monetary support necessary to engage in
efforts that serve children, youth, and families
(% responding Agree or Strongly Agree).
Our Extension staff are provided ongoing
professional development and training
opportunities (% responding Agree or Strongly
Agree).
100
100
80
80
60
60
40
20
20
80
73
40
15
0
20
0
Vermont
All GO States
Vermont
All GO States
Training availability
How much training have you received regarding:
Guidelines for implementing evidence-based programming,
%
No Training
Some Training, but Not Enough
About the Right Amount of Training
Too Much Training
Not Applicable to My Position
Vermont
30
40
30
0
0
All GO
States
20
41
32
1
3
Finding resources to support prevention program delivery, %
No Training
Some Training, but Not Enough
About the Right Amount of Training
Too Much Training
Not Applicable to My Position
Vermont
55
25
20
0
0
All GO
States
20
39
18
1
3
Principles of collaboration, %
No Training
Some Training, but Not Enough
About the Right Amount of Training
Too Much Training
Not Applicable to My Position
Vermont
20
35
40
5
0
All GO States
18
35
39
3
2
Training availability
How much training have you received regarding:
Educating members of the community to identify and
address the needs of youth and families, %
No Training
Some Training, but Not Enough
About the Right Amount of Training
Too Much Training
Not Applicable to My Position
Program evaluation, %
No Training
Some Training, but Not Enough
About the Right Amount of Training
Too Much Training
Not Applicable to My Position
Grant writing, %
No Training
Some Training, but Not Enough
About the Right Amount of Training
Too Much Training
Not Applicable to My Position
Vermont
35
35
20
5
5
All GO
States
18
36
36
2
2
Vermont
5
20
60
15
0
All GO
States
5
36
50
7
1
Vermont
30
35
30
0
5
All GO
States
33
39
24
1
1
Please visit our websites at…
www.prosper.ppsi.iastate.edu
www.ppsi.iastate.edu
www.prevention.psu.edu
The PROSPER Partnership Group
Iowa State University
Pennsylvania State University
Partnership in Prevention Science Institute
Richard Spoth, Director
Prevention Research Center
Mark Greenberg, Director
PPSI Scientists:
Cleve Redmond
Lisa Schainker
PRC Scientists:
Mark Feinberg
Claudia Mincemoyer
Sarah Meyer Chilenski
Chungyeol Shin
Kate Ralston
Human Interaction Research Institute
Tom Backer, Director
Funded by
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
The National Institute on Drug Abuse
Daniel F. Perkins
Janet Welsh