How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
This document highlights opportunities for the Positive Culture Framework (PCF) to be incorporated into local Drug-Free Communities (DFC) programs. The
Center for Health & Safety Culture at Montana State University is not associated with, nor a part of, the review team for the DFC Support Program and is
therefore not providing instruction or clarification on the Fiscal Year 2016 DFC Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The Center is simply providing
information about how the PCF can enhance local programs, assist in meeting the requirements of the grant, and provide sample ideas for responding to the
FOA using PCF as a primary planning model to organize prevention efforts.
DFC Program Requirements
DFC Requirement
Establish and strengthen
collaboration
Reduce substance abuse among
youth
Effect community-level change
How PCF Can Fulfill
PCF provides a framework for the coalition to work through together.
Specific PCF Tools
Step 1 Workplan
The positive frame often energizes stakeholders and decreases defensiveness.
For example, schools are often more likely to share data if they know it will be
used to say what is right about the students instead of what is wrong.
PCF maximizes the effectiveness of prevention efforts by guiding communities
through a process of targeting the most pressing local factors that contribute to
youth substance abuse.
Stakeholder ID and Recruitment Toolkit
PCF is grounded in strong behavioral models to develop a more robust
understanding of beliefs leading to behaviors.
A cultural approach inherently focuses on community level (instead of
individual level) change.
Using the Social Ecological Model and the 7 Step Process, ensures a
comprehensive plan to assess culture and promote positive change across the
multiple layers of community.
Use of the Seven Strategies for
Community Change
PCF encourages the selection of a variety of strategies at each layer of the social
ecology to impact cultural factors and local conditions.
7 Step Framework & Step by Step
Workplans
Leadership Skill: Thinking across social
ecology
Portfolio Map
Asking Critical Questions about System
Interactions
Using PCF with Seven Strategies for
Change document
Portfolio Map
1
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
Use of the SPF: Assessment
Use of the SPF: Capacity Building
Use of the SPF: Planning
Use of the SPF: Implementation
Use of the SPF: Evaluation
Use of the SPF: Cultural
Competence
Use of the SPF: Sustainability
12 Sector Representation
Assessment is a critical PCF step and focuses on developing a strong
understanding of cultural factors that influence substance use.
PCF builds capacity among the coalition as a whole to engage in a thoughtful,
data-driven prevention planning process.
Establishing common language and shared understanding among coalition
members is critical for an effective coalition.
PCF engages in planning efforts during several steps especially Step 1, Step 4,
Step 5, and Step 7.
PCF separates implementation into two parts – Step 5 Pilot Test and Refine and
Step 6 Implementation. Pilot testing on a smaller scale first, leads to better final
implementation of the strategy.
PCF encourages evaluation throughout each of the 7 steps to ensure lasting
change and transformation and to inform future needs.
Developing cultural competence is critical. PCF is based on a cultural approach
where prevention is viewed through a cultural lens. All steps involve developing
a better understanding of the cultures within the community.
By embedding improved health and safety in the local culture, efforts are much
more likely to be sustained. PCF seeks to address sustainability at every step.
A cultural approach requires engagement across the social ecology. Thus,
participation by stakeholders representing the social ecology is critical. A
cultural approach helps reveal how these stakeholders play an integral role in
addressing youth substance use.
Step 2 Workplan
Assessments available across the social
ecology
7 Step Framework & Step by Step
Workplans
7 Step Workplans
Sample PCF Timelines
Pilot testing guidance and tools
Tips and talking points to guide
implementation
Step 5 and 6 Workplans
Tips for Engaging with
Program/Community Evaluators
Step 7 Workplan
Inclusive Communities –Diversity
Worksheet
7 Step Workplans
Stakeholder Asset Development
Worksheet
Sample PCF Worksheets include:
 Inclusive Communities – Sector List
 Inclusive Communities –Diversity
Worksheet
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
Cross-site Evaluation/Data
Collection:
 4 Core Measures: past 30- day
use, perception of risk,
perception of parental
disapproval, and perception of
peer disapproval
 Monitoring of alcohol, tobacco,
marijuana, and prescription drugs
in three grade levels (6th – 12th
grade) every two years
Cost sharing/financial match
requirement
Target multiple drugs of abuse (2+)
Attend National Coalition Academy
Because PCF takes a widespread and inclusive approach to assessment,
repetitive and comprehensive data collection with the focus audience is
essential. Various PCF tools exist to collect reliable data, including the 4 Core
DFC Measures. Measures exist for all of the required substances, as well as
many others.
PCF helps coalitions identify a broad range of stakeholders, as well as, guides
leaders through the assessment of stakeholder and community assets that may
be useful to the coalition. Expanding implementation of strategies into new
sectors and levels of the social ecology creates a broader pool of partners from
whom resources may be leveraged.
PCF acknowledges that many community concerns coexist and that some
substance use problems may actually be contributing factors for other
substance use problems. Additionally, many cultural factors impact the use of
multiple substances.
Because PCF attempts to create true, community-level transformation, it is
necessary to be as comprehensive as possible, without stretching capacity and
resources too thin. PCF Guide Service can support coalitions in achieving this
balance.
PCF provides step-by-step guidance in the development of products the
National Coalition Academy requires coalitions develop.
 Stakeholder Start List
Assessment across layers of social
ecology including 4 Core Measures
Stakeholder Asset Development
Worksheet
Step 2 and 3 Workplans
Causal Factors Across the Social Ecology
Worksheet
7 Step Workplans
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
The table below is intended to assist those responding to the Fiscal Year 2016 DFC FOA. It provides specific examples of how PCF can help applicants respond to
the questions being asked in the Project Narrative section of the proposal.
Proposal Organization: Project Narrative
Project Narrative Section
Coalition history and
coalition member
involvement: Discuss the
coalition’s capacity to
create community change
concerning youth
substance use
 Formation and history
of the coalition
 Coalition’s
organizational
structure
 Sector member
identification,
selection, and role
 Cultural competency
 Coalition’s current and
proposed role
Statement of the problem:
Discuss how the
community youth
substance use issues are
How PCF Can Fulfill
PCF helps coalitions build
common language and a better
understanding of the power of a
cultural approach, which relies
on the social ecological model. It
focuses capacity-building efforts
around three necessary skills to
be successful in implementing a
DFC grant or any prevention
initiative: leadership,
communication, and the
integration of effective
prevention strategies.
A cultural approach requires
engagement across the social
ecology. When coalition
members embrace a cultural
approach, they better
understand how they can
contribute and the need for
their involvement.
PCF provides a process for
assessing (Step 2) and
prioritizing (Step 3) substance
use problems and local
conditions; assessment tools,
Sample Ideas for Responding to this Section
 Be creative and write a brief story explaining how your coalition
came to be. Include the vision/mission statement that drives your
efforts.
 Include a visual depicting your coalition’s organizational structure
and/or the different levels of involvement people have with the
coalition.
 Use tables or other visuals to demonstrate who (which sector) has
been and currently is represented or involved in the coalition.
 Describe the coalition’s current and potential “sphere of
influence.”
 Discuss how you have created and trained (or will create and train)
members on common language and/or Coalition Talking Points.
 Explain how shared hopes and concerns were identified, and
discuss plans to continually reinforce what “brings people to the
table.”
 Discuss how the coalition’s relationships and sector
representatives allow for prevention efforts to be implemented
across the social ecology to create community-level change.
Specific PCF Tools
Sample PCF Worksheets
include:
 Inclusive Communities
– Sector List
 Inclusive Communities
–Diversity Worksheet
 Stakeholder Start List
 Stakeholder Asset
Development
Worksheet
 Discuss data measures within the context of the various levels of
the social ecology.
 Use a logic model or similar visual to outline the consequences,
primary substance use problems you will be addressing, and the
PCF Step 2 and Step 3
Workplans
Assessment tools across
the social ecology which
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
impacting public health
and public safety
 Youth substance use
problems & effects
 Unique local
conditions, absence of
protective factors,
associated
consequences
 Related youth data
 Four Core Measures
data
 Substances to be
addressed & specific
problems related to
those substances
data collection services, and
technical assistance are also
available.
12-Month Coalition Action
Plan that will address
youth substance use in the
community
 Goal 1: Increase
Community
Collaboration
 Goal 2: Reduce Youth
Substance Use
Goal 1 Action Plan: PCF fosters
collaboration by mobilizing all
sectors, emphasizing the
importance of working across
the social ecology, and helping
key partners understand and
own their roles in creating a safe
and healthy community.
Engaging a broad group of
stakeholders in the
implementation of PCF builds
capacity to engage in effective
prevention and create
community-wide
transformation.
A cultural approach seeks to
move beyond just substance use
at the individual level, but also
acknowledges problems and
opportunities across the social
ecology (e.g., within
enforcement, school policies,
parent resources, etc.).




underlying local conditions that contribute to each primary
substance use problem.
Use a table to clearly display data on the Four Core Measures.
Explain how these problems were identified and how the coalition
was involved in the process.
Explain that local conditions will be revisited as new data become
available and you move through the PCF and SPF step of
assessment.
Explain how a data workgroup or sub-committee of the coalition
will be responsible for guiding the direction of future assessment,
identifying and filling data gaps, and monitoring of indicators.
 In the introduction of this section (or included as an additional
goal), consider explaining that PCF was utilized as a prevention
planning framework, in combination with the SPF and the Seven
Strategies for Community-level Change, to develop the 12-month
Action Plan. Develop a table or dedicate a brief sub-section to
explain the coalition’s actions taken preparing this application
within each of the following steps:
o Planning and Advocacy (e.g. created a shared sense of concern;
developed a coalition resource, interests, and skills inventory;
connected with unengaged members and/or recruited new
members).
o Assessment of Culture (e.g. became familiar with the wellresearched risk and protective factors for your particular
substance use problem, developed a list of assessment
questions, gathered existing data from within the community,
identified existing strategies).
include DFC Core
Measures
Prioritization tools for
selecting indicators
Sample PCF Worksheets:
 Data Guidelines:
Seven Criteria for
Baseline Data
 Matched Perception
Questions Across the
Social Ecology
 Interpreting Baseline
Data Worksheet
 Causal Factors Across
the Social Ecology
PCF Step 1 – Step 7
Workplans
Using PCF with the Seven
Strategies for Change
document
Portfolio Map
Sample PCF Worksheets:
 Developing
Measurable
Objectives
 Guidelines for Pilot
Testing
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
Goal 2 Action Plan: PCF guides
coalitions through an
intentional, data-driven process
to create a comprehensive and
outcome-based plan to reduce
youth substance use.
o Establishment of Common Purpose & Prioritization (coalition
 Preparing for the
consensus on overall goals, identified criteria and processes for
Public Response
prioritizing local conditions, implemented the prioritization
process).
o Development of a Portfolio of Strategies (developed a strategy
selection committee; conducted literature reviews to identify
strategies proven to be effective in addressing the prioritized
local conditions; trained the strategy selection committee on
evidence-based prevention, the Seven Strategies for
Community-level Change, and Institutes of Medicine Model;
updated the Portfolio Map and developed a comprehensive
logic model).
 Goal 1: Increase Community Collaboration
o In developing objectives, use assessment findings to identify
sectors for which relationships could be strengthened, or to
identify unengaged stakeholders who have the ability to impact
change (especially relative to your prioritized local conditions).
o Include strategies and/or activities for meeting with and
discussing individual sector or stakeholder interests, level of
readiness, barriers to doing prevention, vision for the future,
etc.
o By engaging these stakeholders in the planning process, identify
appropriate, mutually agreed upon ways to meet their needs
and include strategies or activities to do so.
o Include strategies or activities to improve the satisfaction and
meaningful involvement of currently engaged coalition
members (e.g. develop coalition job descriptions, offer timelimited volunteer opportunities, provide training that’s of
interest to members, co-present with members, etc.).
o Address how new members will be brought on to the coalition
(e.g. describe any new member orientation procedures or
materials).
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
Evaluate effectiveness:
Discuss how the coalition
will assess the
effectiveness of the 12-
PCF encourages evaluation
throughout each of the 7 steps
to ensure lasting change and
o Discuss how data can be used to build relationships (data use
agreements can be a great first step to collaboration).
o Address the various ways community members can be involved,
even if they aren’t able to attend coalition meetings.
o Discuss how you will seek alignment across and between
systems.
 Goal 2: Reduce Youth Substance Use
o Include more specific goals for each primary substance use
problem. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable,
attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
o Use assessment findings to draft SMART objectives related to
your priority local conditions.
o For each priority local condition, include details for at least one
or two strategies selected to address that local condition (some
local conditions may require multiple strategies in order to
create true transformation).
o In selecting strategies and drafting activities, attempt to
incorporate as many of the Seven Strategies for Communitylevel Change as appropriate.
o Include activities around key fidelity components, essential best
practices, and/or core program components of each strategy
(these should have been researched prior to strategy selection).
o Include activities related to building the necessary capacity,
readiness, and sustainability, including securing resources (e.g.
in-kind or matching contributions), relationship building,
technical assistance, and training.
o Within each strategy, detail activities around leadership,
communication, and integration.
 Work with an evaluator to determine how you will measure
progress specific to the strategies outlined in your Action Plan.
Steps 5, 6, and 7
Workplans
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
Month Action Plan,
disseminate findings, and
engage the community in
moving the plan forward
 Monitoring &
evaluation processes
 Sector member roles
& evaluation tools
 Processes for making
improvements and
enhancements
 Evaluation
dissemination plans
 How evaluation
findings will be used
to engage the
community
transformation and to inform
future needs.
Successful implementation
of the DFC Grant: Discuss
how the coalition and/or
community will determine
successful implementation
of this five-year grant
 Coalition/
community’s unique
characteristics that
strengthen the
likelihood of
successful
implementation
PCF offers many tools to ensure
successful implementation. The
7 Step Process itself, however,
may be the most important
factor to success, as it guides
coalitions through the necessary
steps taken prior to
implementation. PCF also offers
training and a Guide Service to
support coalitions in
implementing the framework.
PCF is unique in that it
emphasizes the need to raise
both hope and concern, which
While PCF staff members do not
serve as program evaluators,
they do have expertise in data
collection methods, and PCF
offers many tools that are useful
in monitoring the effectiveness
of prevention efforts.
 In this section, discuss the roles and responsibilities of your
evaluator, strategy partners, coalition leaders, data workgroup,
and anyone else who will be involved in monitoring effectiveness.
 Include a master data collection plan that outlines the methods,
timeline, who is responsible, and tools used to evaluate strategies
and measure changes in the local conditions/objectives, goals, the
4 Core Measures, and potentially other measures such as
consequence data.
 Discuss how both process and outcome measures will be tracked
and utilized.
 Though pilot testing activities should be included in your 12-month
Action Plan for each strategy, detail plans again in this section.
Directly discuss how the implementation team, data workgroup, or
coalition will analyze the results and decide on enhancements for
moving forward. Be sure to include these efforts in the master
data collection plan.
 Use the 7 Step Communication Process as a framework for
developing an evaluation dissemination and community
engagement plan.
 Discuss the shared values and strengths of your community.
 Include examples of how the community has come together and
created transformation in the past.
 Discuss how key fidelity components, essential best practices,
and/or core program components were determined and how they
will be maintained throughout implementation.
 Explain how the Seven Strategies for Community-level Change
were considered and written into your 12-month Action Plan.
 Discuss how the coalition has the necessary relationships and
influence to work across the social ecology to create alignment
across and between systems.
 Explain how coalition members and those implementing each
strategy are prepared to respond to the public discussion after
implementation begins.
Evaluation Success
Worksheet (tips for
engaging with program/
community evaluators)
Assessments across the
social ecology
7 Step Communication
Process
Step 6 and Step 7
Workplans
Stakeholder
Influence/Interest Grid
Preparing for the Public
Response Worksheet
How the Positive Culture Framework can
Enhance Local Drug-Free Communities Efforts
 Key indicators, factors, leads to more mobilization and
collaboration in the
and/or practices
implementation stage.
important to
successful
implementation
 How the coalition will
work with community
systems, protocols,
and procedures
 Necessary coalition
key practices for
successful
implementation
 How the coalition will
measure key successes
 Discuss the strengths of the coalition. Address why your coalition
is highly functional. Elaborate on your organizational structure,
how meeting agendas maximize members’ time, coalition
materials that have been developed, procedures that have been
established, how roles and responsibilities are well understood
and members have taken active ownership, etc.
 Explain how coalition leaders will ensure all individuals responsible
for implementation are adequately prepared prior to
implementation, are carrying out the strategy as intended, and are
supported throughout implementation.
 Include plans to hold an annual meeting to review the year’s
successes and opportunities, ensure objectives are being met, and
review your community’s Strategy Portfolio.
To learn more about the Positive Culture Framework, visit www.CHSCulture.org or email mail@CHSCulture.org.