Engaging Youth in Substance Misuse Prevention within State Prevention Systems: Provider Perspectives

Objective: Engaging youth in planning, developing, and implementing substance misuse prevention efforts can improve those efforts. However, specific local policies and systems constrain youth engagement practice. This study examines how to engage youth in substance misuse prevention within state prevention systems. Methods: In the qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with 13 prevention providers in the North Carolina prevention system were conducted via video call and transcribed and analyzed via thematic and codebook approaches. Procedures are reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. Results: Providers viewed youth engagement favorably yet mostly did not differentiate between youth-targeted prevention initiatives and youth-engaged initiatives. Findings reveal how state-level decisions, such as definitions and funding policies, support and challenge how providers implement youth engagement. Conclusions: To encourage youth engagement, state prevention systems should clarify for providers the distinction between prevention efforts targeted to youth and those that engage youth in planning and implementing and define which activities are desirable and what the role of youth should be in the activities. Finally, prevention providers need support for youth-engaged approaches to prevention, specifically training for youth and adult allies and opportunities for knowledge-sharing.