Pennsylvania Youth Survey
County data is collected by administration of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), a biennial survey of youth in the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grades about their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards substance use,
antisocial behaviors, community & school safety, and social & emotional health.
2023 Survey Results
Chester County PAYS
Lancaster County PAYS
Lebanon County PAYS
Additional Resources
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What Works in Prevention
Substance use prevention is focused on creating a healthy environment for youth and families by lowering risk factors and increasing strengths. This guide outlines evidence-based strategies vs. outdated practices that may be harmful.
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Best Practices for Choosing School-Based Prevention
Most prevention efforts mean well, but not all of them do well. This checklist will help you
evaluate the efficacy and safety of
programs for your students. -
Time to Talk
Whether you’re a parent, relative, or mentor
to a child, these ideas on how to start talking,
scripts on what to say, and tips for answering tough questions can help the child in your
life stay drug-free. -
Risk & Protective Factors
To do effective prevention, we need to balance the factors that increase the risk of that problem developing with protections, or strengths.
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A Parent’s Guide to Vaping
This guide explains what vaping is, why it appeals to youth, what the health risks are, and what you can do to protect young people from its harms.
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Substance Use + Mental Health in Young People
Offers information on common on identifying co-occurring disorders and steps to making informed decisions about evaluation and treatment.