Substance Abuse Prevention

State Epidemiological Workgroup (SEW)

In 2006, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) received funding from the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention for a State Epidemiological Workgroup (SEW). IDPH's Division of Behavioral Health is the Single State Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention. It administers the funding and activities of the SEW. SAMHSA intends the SEW to help Iowa initiate preliminary processes to establish the Strategic Prevention Framework as the basis for ongoing state substance abuse prevention needs and outcomes monitoring. The SEW process involves forming an epidemiological team to assess, analyze, interpret, and communicate data about Iowa substance consumption patterns and consequences.

The major products resulting from the SEW's work are:

• The state epidemiological profile with yearly updates (which includes Iowa Youth Survey data)
• Community/county profiles in three locations
• Plans for a system to accommodate the ongoing collection of data for monitoring prevention outcomes
• Data gap analysis and plan
• National Outcome Measures Reporting

The Epidemiological Workgroup was formed by inviting representatives from agencies directly involved with preventing substance abuse in the state. The members of the Workgroup include representatives from:

• The Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy
• Iowa Department of Public Health
• Iowa Department of Education
• Iowa Department of Corrections
• Iowa Department of Human Rights, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning
• Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation

Reports:

• Iowa Substance Use Brief - Binge Drinking  
• Iowa Substance Use Brief - Underage Drinking  

Profiles:

• State of Iowa Substance Use Epidemiological Profile  

SEW Membership:

• SEW Membership List  

For more information:

Dr. Ousmane Diallo at (515) 281-8261

Debbie Synhorst at (515) 281-4404