This is the first course in a two-part course series. Participants will learn about the importance of gathering data for assessment and evaluation and you will learn about the types of data to gather. Key risk and protective factors associated with substance use and mental health are discussed. The course explores existing sources of data, assessment of data gaps, and options for collecting primary data at the local level.

At the conclusion of this course, participants will have learned about: 

1. Key risk and protective factors to assess at the individual, family, peer, school, and community levels;
2. Sources of existing data on risk and protective factors; 
3. Strategies for developing a data collection plan in order to address data gaps at the local level.

This course was developed by the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center.