A pragmatic clinical effectiveness trial of a novel alternative to punishment for school-based substance use infractions: study protocol for the iDECIDE curriculum.

Background: Adolescents who use alcohol and other drugs on school campuses are at heightened risk for adverse consequences to their health and wellbeing. Schools have historically turned to punitive approaches as a first-line response to substance use. However, punishment is an ineffective deterrent for substance use and may cause harm and increase inequities. iDECIDE (Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment) was developed as a scalable and youth-centered drug education and diversion program that can be used as a skills-based alternative to punishment. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the iDECIDE curriculum as an alternative to punishment (ATP) for school-based substance use infractions in the context of a large pragmatic clinical effectiveness study. Methods: We will conduct a Type 1, hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. Using a stepped wedge design with approximately 90 middle and high schools in Massachusetts, we will randomly allocate the timing of implementation of the iDECIDE curriculum compared to standard disciplinary response over approximately 36 months. We will test the overarching hypothesis that student-level outcomes (knowledge of drug effects and attitudes about substance use; frequency of substance use; school connectedness) improve over time as schools transition from a standard disciplinary response to having access to iDECIDE. The secondary aims of this trial are to (1) explore whether change in student-level outcomes vary according to baseline substance use, number of peers who use alcohol or other drugs, age, gender, and school urbanicity, and (2) determine the acceptability and feasibility of the iDECIDE curriculum through qualitative stakeholder interviews. Discussion: Substance use continues to be a major and rapidly evolving problem in schools. The importance of moving away from punishment to more restorative approaches is widely accepted; however, scalable alternatives have not yet been identified. This will be the first study to our knowledge to systematically evaluate an ATP for students who violate the school substance use policy and is well poised to have important implications for policy making.

An Urgent Need for School-Based Diversion Programs for Adolescent Substance Use: A Statewide Survey of School Personnel.

PURPOSE: There has been growing interest in reserving punishment as a last resort to address substance use in schools. However, there is significant variability in adoption of alternative approaches. This study reported school personnel's perceptions of diversion programs, identified characteristics of schools/districts that currently have diversion programs, and defined barriers of implementation of diversion programs. METHODS: One hundred fifty six school stakeholders from Massachusetts' K-12 schools, including district administrators, principals and vice principals, school resource officers, guidance counselors, and nurses, completed a web-based survey in May-June 2020. Participants were recruited through e-mail distributed via professional listservs, direct school outreach, and community coalitions. The web survey queried beliefs, attitudes, and actions that schools take regarding substance use infractions as well as perceived barriers to implementing diversion programs. RESULTS: Participants endorsed strong beliefs that punishment was an appropriate school response for student substance use, particularly for nontobacco-related infractions. Despite these personal beliefs, diversion programs were rated as more effective but less commonly used than punitive approaches (37% of respondents reported having diversion programs in their schools/districts vs. 85% used punitive approaches) (p < .03). Punishment was more likely to be used to respond to cannabis, alcohol, and other substances compared to tobacco (p < .02). Primary barriers of implementing diversion programs included funding, staff training, and parental support. DISCUSSION: Based on school personnel perceptions, these findings lend further support for a transition away from punishment and toward more restorative alternatives. However, barriers to sustainability and equity were identified that warrant consideration when implementing diversion programs.