In July 1997, the Minnesota D.A.R.E. Advisory Council released a landmark evaluation on the effectiveness and impact of the D.A.R.E. program. After seven years of implementation, our program was at a stage where it needed to be evaluated-particularly after some national evaluations questioned the effectiveness of D.A.R.E. In Minnesota, we have always been a leader in the implementation and structure of drug prevention strategies. To maintain that leadership role, we sought input from those who know the impact of D.A.R.E. firsthand-students, parents, teachers and law enforcement officials.

To maintain the integrity of the analysis, the D.A.R.E. Advisory Council contracted with the Minnesota Institute of Public Health to conduct a survey and analyze the findings. The main and unique focus of this examination was to answer the question no other study had yet asked: how does Minnesota D.A.R.E. impact participating youth, their parents, the law enforcement community and the community at large?

The study concluded that although D.A.R.E. has many positive attributes, it is not a silver bullet. Drug use and abuse is a complex issue which cannot be eradicated by a single curriculum taught in the fifth or sixth grade.

But, D.A.R.E. is a useful and immensely popular tool in a comprehensive strategy. As one chemical health specialist said, “D.A.R.E. is certainly a piece of the puzzle.” One of the report’s major findings is that D.A.R.E. brings together three core parts of our society that had been previously disjointed: families, schools and law enforcement officials.

Fighting drug abuse must involve parents, communities and law enforcement. And, it must be a continuing message-a reoccurring theme throughout a child’s development. We must design a whole array of programs in schools and communities which can be tied together to give us a top to bottom, integrated prevention strategy across the state.

Although some critics want to end the program, D.A.R.E. has helped get children to speak to parents, police officers and teachers about drug use and abuse. This communication and positive relationship between kids and police officers supports parents with their goal of steering their children from drugs. I believe the evaluation has shown D.A.R.E., like the educational program “HeadStart,” is a sound foundation from which other prevention strategies can build to continue the message of drug prevention throughout a child’s life.

In September, the Minnesota D.A.R.E. Advisory Council will meet to review the evaluation’s recommendations and design a framework for implementation. We will also inform D.A.R.E. America of recommendations in the hope of improving D.A.R.E. nationwide. In Minnesota, I am proud to say we have faced the first and most important step of identifying ways to improve a good program. Now it is time to make those recommendations reality.