SDRG In The News
12/3/2019
40 Years of SDRG Research As we wind down our 40th anniversary celebration year we want to share with you some highlights from SDRG’s 40 years of research. We are fortunate to have collaborated with so many—we discovered we had more than 720 distinct co-authors on our 850 publications and we are extremely proud of our collaborative work with so many researchers. Thank you for letting us share our 40th anniversary with you! read more...
12/2/2019
NWPTTC Webinar: Regional Methamphetamine Use: What Prevention Practitioners Need to Know Thursday, December 12, 2019 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Alaska 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Pacific 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Mountain While there has been recent attention given to the opioid epidemic, many prevention practitioners remain concerned about rising rates of methamphetamine use in their communities. This webinar will highlight the emerging trends in methamphetamine use in the Northwest region of the United States including a discussion of the current and emerging data on demographics and use rates. The webinar will also highlight prevention approaches to address methamphetamine use and how organizations can collaborate across sectors to better understand and combat misuse in their communities. read more...
12/1/2019
NWPTTC Enhanced Prevention Learning Series: Organizational Elements of Effective Coalitions (online; limited to 20 participants) Session 1 - January 9, 2020 Session 2 - January 16, 2020 Session 3 - January 23, 2020 Session 4 - January 30, 2020 Session 5 - February 6, 2020 Session 6 - February 13, 2020 Session 6 - February 13, 2020 This 7-week series offers a unique interactive experience that provides participants an opportunity to learn more about the key organizational elements that assist coalitions of all types to operate efficiently and effectively. This series will have a special focus on coalitions that promote healthy youth development to reduce substance misuse and other related problem behaviors. Participants will explore a variety of organizational principles that will assist them in the overall development of their coalition by learning more about how to engage and sustain involvement of key stakeholders and members over time, how to utilize dynamic group-development strategies, and how their efforts can connect with other coalition efforts in their area. The learning series is structured to provide online consultation, skill-based learning and practice, group and self-study activities, reading assignments, and discussion on topics essential to an effective community coalition structure when focusing on primary prevention. Participants will have the opportunity during the course to discuss specific "next steps" questions. read more...
11/12/2019
Congratulations on these awards at the November 2019 Washington State Prevention Summit! For their work to promote mental health and wellness and prevent substance use disorder, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) recently honored several individuals and organizations at the 35th annual Washington State Prevention Summit, held Nov. 5 and 6 in Yakima. SDRG awards include the following: SDRG: Contribution to Prevention by an organization, Business or Agency Richard F. Catalano, Lifetime Achievement Kevin P. Haggerty, Prevention Professional read more...
10/28/2019
Teen marijuana use may have next-generation effects A new SDRG study shows how a parent’s use of marijuana, past or present, can influence their child’s substance use and well-being. read more...
7/25/2019
Decades after a grade-school program to promote social development, adults report healthier, more successful lives SDRG researchers Rick Kosterman, et al., have found that that “good life” in adulthood can start in grade school, by teaching parents and teachers to build stronger bonds with their children, and to help children form greater attachments to family and school. In a study of more than 800 adults throughout their 30s — a group we have followed since they were fifth-graders at Seattle elementary schools in 1985 — the people who reported better health and socioeconomic status were, consistently, those whose parents and teachers had received lessons aimed at building stronger bonds with their children decades ago. read more...
5/28/2019
SDRG has prominent presence at 2019 Society for Prevention Research annual meeting Richard F. Catalano will be inducted as a fellow of the Society for Prevention Research during the May 28–31 annual meeting in San Francisco. In addition, three SDRG-authored papers to be presented during the same meeting were designated Abstracts of Distinction. read more...
5/17/2019
A number of SDRG researchers are presenting at the upcoming Society for Prevention Research annual meeting, May 28-31, 2019, in San Francisco, CA. Click on "read more" for a list of SDRG presentations. read more...
5/1/2019
SDRG celebrates 40 years of prevention science Since 1979, the Social Development Research Group has worked to understand and promote prevention science. read more...
3/7/2019
Free Foster Care and Adoption Training Curriculum Being Tested in Seven States Work is underway to test a national foster and adoptive parent training model that will be free for systems to use by 2022. SDRG is conducting an ongoing evaluation of this curriculum which aims to impact parenting confidence, preparedness for parenting, as well as a greater understanding of the impact of trauma, separation, grief, and loss. Long-term outcomes of the curriculum hope to show improved placement stability and permanency rates, as well as increased child and family well-being. read more...
2/19/2019
UW Interfraternity Council adopts new ban on hard alcohol Because overconsumption of hard alcohol is one of the most high-risk behaviors common in fraternities, the UW Interfraternity Council (IFC) has banned all hard alcohol (anything over 15 percent alcohol) to enhance health and safety in fraternities. According to Kevin Haggerty, SDRG director, harmful effects of binge drinking and hard alcohol use include alcohol toxicity, which can lead to death; as well as blackouts, not being able to remember things, violence, aggression, interpersonal violence, and poor school performance. Rather than completely banning alcohol, which seems like a lofty and unreasonable goal, the IFC is looking for ways to create safer drinking habits at fraternities by changing the culture perceived to encourage binge drinking. In order to truly solve the problem of binge drinking on college campuses, including within fraternities, more involved approaches may be required than a hard alcohol ban that is mainly enforced by students themselves. However, this ban could function as a starting point off of which fraternities can begin a larger conversation on safe drinking habits and reducing risky behaviors. read more...
2/11/2019
Listen to KUOW interview with Nicole Eisenberg on talking to your kids about marijuana. Kim Malcolm talks with SDRG researcher Dr. Nicole Eisenberg about the challenges facing parents as they talk to their children about using marijuana. read more...
2/6/2019
Parenting in the age of legal pot: Household rules, conversations help guide teen use. The legalization of marijuana in Washington state in 2012 gave parents the opportunity for a new teachable moment. Many say that as society has become more permissive, they want information and advice. read more...
1/31/2019
SDRG is seeking to hire a new Administrator. Please click on "read more" below for more information on this outstanding opportunity. The Administrator serves in a variety of roles and must demonstrate effective management and administrative skills in exercising extensive independent judgment and decision-making authority in performing and directing the full range of management services, including program and budget planning, grant and contract budget administration, personnel administration and facilities management both within the unit and in coordination with the School of Social Work leadership team. With the Director, and Assistant Director, the Administrator is part of SDRG’s executive management team to work with the SDRG Executive Committee to meet the goals of the Group. read more...
1/24/2019
SDRG Directors honored at SSWR conference Three members of the Social Development Research Group were honored in San Francisco last week at the national conference for the Society for Social Work and Research. School of Social Work Professor Kevin Haggerty, who also directs SDRG, was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. Noted SDRG researchers and School professors, J. David Hawkins and Richard F. Catalano, received the SSWR’s 2019 Distinguished Career Achievement Award for their high-impact scholarship, rigorous scientific approach to social work research, and major contributions to the field. Hawkins and Catalano share a 40-year partnership, capped by the development, testing and dissemination of the Communities That Care prevention system, which focused the national conversation on a community-based approach to positive youth development. In his remarks at the awards ceremony, Hawkins acknowledged the ongoing support he and Catalano have received, commenting: “It all begins at home. We are grateful for our supportive home community—the UW School of Social Work.” read more...
1/15/2019
Many of SDRG’s scientists will be attending the Society for Social Work and Research conference, January 16 - 20, 2019 in San Francisco, CA. Come join us and check out one of our presentations, posters, roundtables, and talks. Drs. Catalano and Hawkins will also be receiving the 2019 Distinguished Career Achievement Award! (January 19, 2:00 PM: Continental Ballroom 6, Ballroom Level) read more...
1/8/2019
New research: For families impacted by foster care, Friends of the Children's model is a promising solution A new study funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that Friends of the Children's long-term mentoring model is a promising solution for families impacted by foster care. read more...
1/3/2019
Seattle Times Op Ed by David Hawkins and Kevin Haggerty: Invest in proven prevention programs to stem addiction epidemic To make more progress on fighting opioid addiction, communities should start with youth early in proven programs that prevent misuse of drugs. read more...
12/31/2018
Raising Healthy Children: 5 Ways To Teach Doing the Right Thing A recent article in Your Teen Magazine describes five key protective strategies for children and teens to feel connected to their families and withstand negative peer pressure. These strategies, employed in SDRG's Raising Healthy Children program, have been found by prevention science researchers to prevent risky behavior and promote healthy behaviors among youth. read more...
12/4/2018
New book on Communities That Care by Abigail Fagan, David Hawkins, Richard Catalano, and David Farrington Communities That Care: Building Community Engagement and Capacity to Prevent Youth Behavior Problems, a new publication released Dec. 3 by Oxford University Press, is the first comprehensive description of the development, implementation and evaluation of the Communities That Care prevention system pioneered at the Social Development Research Group. read more...
12/4/2018
David Hawkins and Richard Catalano receive distinguished career achievement award from the Society for Social Work and Research This award recognizes the duo for their outstanding scholarship, rigorous approach to social work research, innovation, impact and major contributions to the field. The award will be presented in January at the SSWR conference in San Francisco. read more...
10/8/2018
Kevin Haggerty named AASWSW fellow Kevin Haggerty has been selected as a fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. read more...
7/31/2018
UW School of Social Work ranked #1 in scholarly productivity among schools of social work in the U.S. A new study in the journal Scientometrics found that of all schools of social work with doctoral programs in the U.S, the UW School of Social Work’s ranks #1 in scholarly productivity. This ranking is based on the h-index, which measures both the productivity and citation impact of the publications of scientists or scholars. The productivity of SDRG made a strong contribution to this ranking for the School! read more...
7/23/2018
J. David Hawkins elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences The mission of the academy is “to provide expert scientific and engineering analysis to inform public policymaking in Washington, and to increase the role and visibility of science in the state." read more...
5/15/2018
SDRG Presentations at SPR Annual Meeting Many of SDRG’s scientists will be attending the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, May 29 - June 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Come join us and check out one of our presentations, posters, roundtables, and talks. read more...
4/26/2018
Community efforts to prevent teen problems have lasting benefits Findings from the Community Youth Development Study show that young adults who grew up in communities that used the Communities That Care system were more likely to have abstained from substance use, violence and other antisocial behaviors through age 21. read more...
2/1/2018
Communities in Action receives funding for their work in promoting healthy youth development in Southeast and Central Seattle King County, Seattle Foundation partner with 27 nonprofits to improve health, social, and economic outcomes. read more... |