| Abstract: | A significant amount of federal, state, and local resources are spent organizing large‐scale community coalitions designed to address the issues of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use in communities. Thus far, results regarding the effectiveness of community coalitions in reducing ATOD rates are mixed. This article discusses the importance of strategies designed to impact environmental‐level changes (e.g., policies, laws), which, in turn, can impact individual use. The development of prevention structures that consistently and continuously promote prevention efforts must be established before significant change in use rates can occur and be sustained. In order to identify the roles assumed by a coalition in order to affect policy‐level changes, this article examines the specific efforts of the Lexington/Richland Drug and Alcohol Abuse Coalition in Columbia, South Carolina. Review of meeting minutes and interviews with staff and coalition members suggest that the coalition assumed three central roles: developer, facilitator, and arbitrator. The coalition's success in influencing community policies and sanctions is attributed to its responsiveness and ability to assume diverse roles, depending on the specific needs of the community. Changes in policies/laws and sanctions are presented as evidence of the coalition's success in impacting and reinforcing community‐wide prevention structures thought to reduce the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 31: 661–670, 2003. |
