iDECIDE promotes education and empowerment as an equitable response to adolescent substance use. Providing youth with science-based knowledge and skills, iDECIDE challenges young people to make decisions that align with their core values and future goals to support their own personal well-being.
The following principles are at the core of iDECIDE:
Adolescents are the experts in their own experiences.
Empowerment, strength-building, and factual information change behavior more than punishment.
Long-lasting behavior change is most achievable when goals are aligned with individual core values and fundamental needs.
Cultivating non-judgmental, authentic, and reliable relationships with trusted adults is a powerful protective factor against substance use and its comorbidities.
All adolescents deserve access to science-based information and support, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. Improving equity has a positive impact on individual outcomes and school culture.
