Changing course: supporting a shift to environmental strategies in a state prevention system

Abstract

Background This study examines how the North Carolina state prevention system responded to a policy shift from individual-level prevention strategies to environmental strategies from the perspective of the organizations implementing the policy shift. Methods We use two data sources. First, we conducted interviews to collect qualitative data from key informants. Second, we used prevention provider agency expenditure data from the year the shift was announced and the following year. Results The interviews allowed us to identify effective features of policy change implementation in complex systems, such as the need for clear communication and guidance about the policy changes. Our interview and expenditure analyses also underscore variation in the level of guidance and oversight provided by implementing agencies to prevention providers. Conclusions Our analyses suggest that more active monitoring and oversight may have facilitated more consistent implementation of the policy shift toward greater use of environmental prevention strategies.

Development of Methodology and Assessment of Ecological Safety of the EAEU and CIS Regions in the Context of Sustainable Development

“…For example, it can be hardly achieved through the creation of a nationwide information system without changing the environmental policy (Weiss et al 2017). At the same time, state environmental policy is directly related to the level of public health (Bosworth et al 2009) and to the prevention of environmental pollution (Ballard et al 2021). The OECD Regional Well-Being website is an example of an information system.…”