E-Alerts

Town Hall Meetings supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are held by community-based organizations to educate communities about underage drinking and engage them in prevention. Achieving these objectives, however, can be extremely difficult when the target audience is parents already dealing with overloaded schedules or students who view such meetings as outmoded. Some organizations that have held successful events in the past also may face “meeting fatigue” from concerned community members who feel they have already heard the same prevention message in the same way. Some community-based organizations hosting 2012 events have responded to these challenges by trying bold new ways to engage their audiences, sometimes with no physical hall required. Read More

This e-alert, the third in a series on measures of success for Town Hall Meetings, focuses on tools available to community-based organizations (CBOs) to conduct their own evaluations. Many CBOs are eager to capture information that shows the results of their events and how well their Town Hall Meetings are contributing to measurable progress in reducing and preventing underage drinking. Read More

Responding to requests by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for 2012 Town Hall Meeting feedback may only be a drop in the evaluation-and-reporting bucket for many CBOs required by their boards, members, or other funding sources to capture data and show results. Read More

Jessica Savitch, an award-winning television journalist, once commented that “News reporting is a cycle:  No matter how much you work at sending a message, it's only successful if it's received.” Read More

Underage Drinking Prevention Town Hall Meetings are taking place all across America this year, with the support of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Read More