Town Hall Meetings: Implementing The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has twice used a nationwide network of community-focused town hall meetings (THMs) as part of a health communications strategy to promote behavior change in individuals, organizations, communities, and society at large around the issue of underage drinking (UAD). SAMHSA sponsors the initiative on behalf of the federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking. In spring 2008, SAMHSA engaged members of the National Prevention Network to identify community-based organizations (CBOs) to host THMs. The result was a coordinated national effort to further the goals set forth in The Surgeon General's Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking (2007). More than 1,600 CBOs conducted over 1,800 THMs, resulting in a 30% increase in participation over the 2006 initiative. CBOs reported high levels of satisfaction with their efforts to mobilize communities. The majority planned to conduct additional UAD prevention efforts, including more THMs.