The SEOW aims to have a data presentation at each monthly meeting. Presentations provide members an opportunity to learn about new data sources and data products, offer presenters a chance to receive feedback and answer questions from a group of data experts, and allow for a larger conversation on substance use trends in our state. Please see the "Upcoming Meetings" section above for more information on upcoming presenters. If you are interested in presenting, please contact us.

The Steering Committee (SC) meets monthly prior to each SEOW meeting to create the agenda. The SC recently reviewed and updated the SEOW’s goals to reduce duplication and consolidate goals we believe we have met. The SC will bring changes to the larger group for approval and update our information sheet when they are finalized. Additionally, the SC has discussed the formation of two additional workgroups, a Communications and Outreach Workgroup and a Data and Equity Workgroup. If you are interested in participating in Steering Committee meetings, please contact Sharon Liu.

The SEOW has three workgroups, including the Alcohol Policy Workgroup, the Data Workgroup, and the Training Workgroup.

The Alcohol Policy Workgroup is a subcommittee of the larger SEOW and was formed to research evidence-based policies to reduce excessive drinking. The group has continued its partnership with Change Labs Solutions, an external technical assistance provider, to develop a guide for understanding and addressing Alcohol Outlet Density (AOD) at the community level. The guide will be released in the next few months. To complement the AOD guide, the group is planning a resource for community members to measure alcohol outlet density at the local level. Additionally, the group presented "Excessive Alcohol Use and the Legal Landscape in Colorado for Local Prevention Efforts" at the 2019 Shared Risk and Protective Factors Conference in Keystone, Colorado. 

The Data Workgroup is another subcommittee of the larger SEOW. It recently finalized a research brief on methamphetamine, which the group will present to the Attorney General’s Substance Abuse Trend and Response Task Force on August 2nd. For a copy of the brief, please email The Evaluation Center-CU Denver. Additionally, the group is developing research briefs on polysubstance use and the intersection of mental health and substance abuse. The SEOW aims to publish four research briefs per year on topical and timely issues in our state.  

The Training Workgroup formed to address data access and usage needs identified by local public health departments. One way the group is addressing data needs is through the development of a data literacy manual. The manual will be disseminated to local public health departments and other community professionals who regularly use secondary data or are attempting to add primary data to their work. The manual covers topics such as finding, requesting, and assessing the quality of secondary data and includes practice exercises using Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data. The group will finalize the manual by the end of September 2019 and hopes to provide training to accompany the dissemination of the manual in 2020.

2019 Driving Under the Influence of Drugs and Alcohol Report
Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office of Research and Statistics

"Little is known about drug-involved driving when alcohol is not involved. In part, this is because alcohol is the most common cause of impaired driving. Consequently, much research exists regarding alcohol use and driving, but there is a paucity of information about marijuana-involved driving."

To view the report, click here.

Alcohol Causes Significant Harm to Those Other than the Drinker
Public Health Institue Press Release

"Each year, one in five U.S. adults - an estimated 53 million people - experience harm because of someone else's drinking, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs."