Smart Choices, Carroll College's comprehensive plan to address alcohol and drug abuse prevention includes the AlcoholEdu online course all incoming freshman take to educate them on alcohol and college related issues, plus prevention workshops and trainings throughout the year, and a one-hour course called "Thriving" for all freshman during the semester. The college has instituted a six-hour educational seminar for students with alcohol violations. Also part of Carroll's plan is its campus-wide assessment of campus alcohol use and assessment of policies and practices to address alcohol use. The college's plan also includes collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and school district to prevent access to alcohol, and popular Arrive Alive free cab service to reduce drinking and driving. Parsley also points to Carroll's social marketing campaign to let students know that choosing to go alcohol-free is a popular choice, with the college's Student Activities Office scheduling over 200 alcohol-free events during the academic year, including this spring's junior-senior banquet.
Kelly Parlsey, Carroll College' sexual safety and wellness educator is in the office of Counseling Services and adjunct faculty member in Carroll's Health Sciences program, was awarded the 2011 Outstanding Alcohol and Other Drug Professional of the Year. This award was announced in Boston, Mass., by Outside the Classroom, on organization devoted to alcohol prevention in educational institutions, as part of its annual 2011 Prevention Excellence Awards. Held annually, the Prevention Excellence Award honors individuals, institutions, Greek organizations that have achieved excellence in their alcohol prevention efforts, thus significantly improving the quality of student life.
Parsley was selected for recognition from candidates across the United States by an independent review panel which evaluated nominees on the degree to which they have impacted student life through visionary and innovative approaches to alcohol abuse prevention. The award is sponsored by Outside The Classroom, a leading provider of alcohol and other drug awareness programs to colleges and universities. The awards were formally presented on March 14, at the Prevention Excellence Reception at the 2011 National Association of Student Personnel Adminstrators Annual Conference. Award recipients demonstrated their dedication to the health and safety of their students by implementing comprehensive alcohol prevention programs on their campuses.
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Carroll College collaborates with local law enforcement to provide Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service Training on our campus throughout the academic year. The training is offered for all employees of local businesses that hold a liquor license.
People who serve alcohol as a profession can be a positive force in reducing underage drinking. This program is intended to help servers learn the skills needed to support responsible alcohol service. Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service Training enhances public health and safety and:
Arrive Alive is a safe ride home program for students who do not have a designated sober driver to return to campus. Student ridership for the safe ride program provided through Capital Taxi for the 2004-2010 academic years were:
| Years | Fall Sept-Dec | Spring Jan-April | Summer May-Aug | Total for Year |
| 2010/11 | 213 | 223 | ||
| 2009/10 | 516 | 444 | 178 | 1,138 |
| 2008/09 | 384 | 470 | 368 | 1,122 |
| 2007/08 | 197 | 424 | 214 | 835 |
| 2006/07 | 305 | 364 | 187 | 856 |
| 2005/06 | 287 | 365 | 106 | 758 |
| 2004/05 | 211 | 380 | 77 | 678 |
AlcoholEdu for College (2010-2011)
AlcoholEdu for College is an on-line alcohol and other drug abuse prevention course that Carroll College expects all first-years students to complete prior to arrival to campus and at midterm during their first semester. In looking at the drinking rates of first-year students prior to their arrival on campus, Carroll College is below the national average for high-risk drinkers and above the national average for non-drinkers.
| Carroll College Freshmen | National Average Freshmen | |
| Non-Drinkers | 73% | 62% |
| Moderate Drinkers | 13% | 14% |
| Heavy Episodic Drinkers | 13% | 24% |
| Problematic Drinkier | 3% | 7% |
After completing AlcoholEdu, Carroll College students reported an increase in several behavioral intentions.
| Pre-Course Intention | Post-Course Intention | |
| Set a limit. | 65% | 78% |
| Avoid drinking games | 46% | 62% |
| Monitor blood alcohol content | 52% | 71% |
| Choose a drink with less alcohol. | 57% | 69% |
| Pace drinks. | 56% | 66% |
| Alternate alcohol and non-alcohol. | 58% | 72% |
| Reduce frequency of drinking. | 52% | 62% |
| Reduce number of drinks. | 52% | 68% |
The first semester midterm drinking rates of Carroll College first-year students were less than the national average as far as high-risk drinkers and moderate drinkers and above the national average as far as non-drinkers.
| Carroll College Freshmen | National Average Freshmen | |
| High-Risk Drinkers | 21% | 31% |
| Moderate Drinkers | 15% | 17% |
| Non-Drinkers | 64% | 52% |
Carroll College students indicated their top 5 most important reasons for choosing to drink on a particular occasion.
| How important to you is each of the following reasons for drinking alcoholic beverages: | Percent Important/ Very Important |
| To celebrate | 55% |
| To have a good time with my friends | 52% |
| Because you like the tasts | 34% |
| Feel Happy | 32% |
| Feel connected with the people around me | 30% |
Carroll College students indicated their top 5 most important reasons for choosing not to drink on a particular occasion.
| When you choose not to drink alcohol, how important are the following reasons: | Percent Important/ Very Important |
| I'm going to drive | 77% |
| I have other things to do | 71% |
| I don't want to spend the money | 70% |
| I don't have to drink to have a good time | 70% |
| Drinking interferes with my school work | 66% |
| This year, your students are most interested in the following activites: | |
| #1 Outdoor Adventures | 183 |
| #2 Movie Nights | 176 |
| #3 Live Music | 163 |
| #4 Intramural Sports Tournaments | 156 |
| #5 Fitness Classes | 139 |
| #6 Nothing specific - just a place to hang out | 136 |
Core Alcohol and Other Drug Survey (2009)
The Core Alcohol and Other Drug Survey is administered in alternating years to a random sample of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. The 2009 findings indicate a decrease in the precentage of Carroll students who are consuming alcohol over the 2007 findings. The percentage of Carroll drinkers still exceeds the national average. The 2009 findings report fewer minors consuming alcohol and fewer binge drinkers than the national averages.
| National Average | 2009 Carroll | 2007 Carroll | 2005 Carroll | 2003 Carroll | Student Use of Alcohol |
| 84.0% | 85.2% | 86.9% | 86.8% | 89.4% | Previous year |
| 71.4% | 75.6% | 78.3% | 76.2% | 79.4% | Previous 30 days |
| 67.0% | 65.9% | 73.5% | 70.5% | 77.9% | Previous 30 days-minor |
| 47.0% | 46.5% | 53.2% | 47.2% | 48.8% | 5 or more drinks in one setting (Binge) |
The City of Helena has a Social Host Ordinance that holds individuals accountable for knowingly allowing underage drinking on private property they control. The fine is up to $500 per host for each violation of underage drinking. Understanding the Social Host Ordinance is important for all students who host or attend parties off-campus.
Social Host Ordinance
A social host shall immediately and by the quickest means of communication give notiece to the Helena Police Department that an underage person is in possession of or is consuming an alcoholic beverage at a gathering on the host's premises. Section5-14-3 of this chapter does not apply to the provision of an alcoholic beverage in a nonintoxicating quantity to an underage person by the underage person's parent or legal guardian, physician, or dentist for medical purposes, a licensed pharmacist upon the prescription of a physican, or an ordained minister or priest in connection with a religious observance. A violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor. Any person who fails to comply with requirements of this chapter may, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than five hundered dollars ($500.00) for each violation and, in addition, may be ordered to pay all costs and expenses involved with the case.
The following definitions apply:
What is a Social Host? Any person who allowa an event or gethering to take place on property they are in control of and/or a person who organizes such an event or gethering.
What is a Social Host Ordinance? A social host ordiance is a municipal criminal law that holds hosts accountable if they allow minors other than their own children to consume alcohol. The fine is up to $500.
Why focus on house parties? House parties have repeatedly been identified as the primary source by which youth obtain alcohol. We're doing a pretty good job preventing commercial sales to minors, but there is work to be done to reduce underage access in social settings. Research shows that kids whose parents or friend's parents provide alcohol for teen get-togethers are more likely to engange in heavier drinking, to drink more often and to get into traffic crashes.
Are social host laws effective? A national study found that social host liability laws lowered the probability of binge drinking and drinking and driving among all drinkers. Social host ordinances are enforcement and educational tools designed to change community social norms relative to underage drinking and reduce youth access to alcohol. Currently 23 states have social host statutes and over 150 communities have enacted social host liability laws. Anecdotal evidence from law enforcement officials indicates that social host ordinances seem to be effective tools in reducing the number and size of underage drinking parties. Helena was the first city in Montana to pass a social host ordiance, Billings and Great Falls have since followed suit.
What is binge drinking and how does it relate to house parties? Binge drinking is defined as having 5 or more drinks in one sitting for males and 4 or more drinks in one setting for females. Montana teens report one of the highest binge drinking rates in the nation and Lewis and Clark County 12th graders report a rate higher than the Montana average. Because alcohol is often freely available and drinking games are common at house parties, binge drinking often occurs. This heavy drinking is strongly associated with injury, motor vehicle crashes, violence, sexual assaults, unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted dieases. Research proves that binge drinking can seriously damage the developing adolsecent brain.
We already have a law against contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Isn't that enough? Under existing law, adults are prohibited from providing alcohol to persons under the age of 21 other than their own son or daughter. However, there is often little legal recourse a community can take to hold accountable adults/minors who know of and allow alcohol consumption by underage youth at home parties. The Social Host Ordinance helps to fix this gap in the law.