(Early Intervention)
STAND recognizes the need to address youth alcohol and substance misuse by preventing problems before they occur and, when needed, to intervene as early as possible. As a result, the STAND Early Intervention Treatment Model was developed, established and registered in accordance with the minimum norms and standards of the Substance Abuse Act (Act 70 of 2008), and is aligned to the current National Drug Master Plan of South Africa (2019-2024). Additionally, the STAND EI Program for school attending learners was developed to specifically fit the South African context, considering the distinctive features, particularly associated with the political and social history of the country.
STAND’s registered trauma informed, evidence based Early Intervention Program intentionally approaches the onset of preventing progressed alcohol and substance dependence for young people from a broad perspective, considering all risk factors, including the community, family, or individual level, which include – Peers who use substances and alcohol, Neighbourhood poverty and violence, Family and community attitudes towards alcohol and substance use and Family transition and mobility.
Additionally, STAND works to advance systemic change and to improve the way that policy- makers, education providers, communities, and families think about, talk about, and address youth alcohol and substance use.
