Purpose
The Montana Office of Public Instruction (MT OPI) plans to sustain its efforts in gathering, analyzing, and distributing scientifically sound data concerning adolescent health risk behaviors, particularly those related to sexual activity, utilizing the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Additionally, the MT OPI aims to collect information on school health policies and practices, with a focus on sexual health policies, through the School Health Profiles (Profiles). Montana has consistently gathered weighted data from both the YRBS since 1991 and the Profiles since 1994. Notably, the YRBS stands as the sole student self-reporting survey in Montana, crucial for assessing behaviors that could lead to serious health issues or fatalities. The proposed initiative pledges to uphold rigorous procedures and practices to continue producing weighted data outcomes for both surveillance projects, encompassing Montana's overall results and specific Chronic Targeted Subsets (anticipated). Collaboration between the MT OPI, CDC, and Westat will ensure the YRBS and Profiles surveys are conducted in manners that validate the weighted data results.
The state coordinator will disseminate weighted data results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), as well as from the School Health Profiles (Profiles) throughout the duration of the grant. Dissemination will occur through various channels including conference presentations, website postings, press releases, reports, flyers, brochures, and fact sheets. Collaborating with the CDC, the MT OPI will ensure that YRBS results incorporate racial/ethnic subset data for American Indian students, a subset initiated in the 2011 survey. In addition, the OPI will compile a comprehensive report of YRBS data, encompassing specific student populations such as high school students (including weighted data for American Indian students), grades 7-8, American Indian students on reservations, American Indian students in urban schools, students attending alternative schools, those in non-public accredited schools, and students with disabilities.
Cross-variable data representations will be conducted to generate Special Reports on various topics like smoking, suicide, and breakfast consumption. These reports will equip school administrators with essential data to enhance prevention program efforts, guide curriculum planning committees, and inform policymakers. The OPI will share this data with the state health department, tribal health councils, county-level task force/prevention programs, inter-agency coordinating councils, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.
The validity of YRBS data will serve as a crucial resource for organizations in their grant writing endeavors aimed at improving youth health and well-being. Additionally, both Profiles and YRBS data will inform testimonies concerning adolescent and school health bills during legislative sessions. Furthermore, as the nation addresses issues related to obesity, the Montana Nutrition Team will utilize this data for their initiatives and stakeholders involved in health and wellness policies.
To sustain the high standard of survey administration and reporting associated with the YRBS and Profiles, the MT OPI requests funding of $100,000 annually.
