Student Health Outreach & Promotion (SHOP) AOD Services

The main goal of Student Health Outreach & Promotion (SHOP) is to create and implement data-driven, integrated primary and secondary prevention programs that focus on reducing the harms associated with health behaviors around alcohol and drug use, sexuality and other health concerns.

Maximizing Enforcement and Visibility

A main component of the Environmental Strategies prescribed by the Safer California Schools Study is letting students know about, maximizing enforcement of and increasing visibility of enforcement about existing alcohol-related laws, policies and ordinances.  SHOP is collaborating with UCSC and Santa Cruz Police Departments in this implementation. The following are strategies implemented during the first six weeks of school.

Increased Enforcement Operations (September-November)

• DUI Checkpoints to draw attention to the risks of alcohol-impaired driving, especially for young adults
• Compliance Checks (shoulder taps and decoy operations) to limit the access to alcohol by young people who are not of legal drinking age by enforcing laws prohibiting alcohol sales to minors.
• Increased Party Patrols from September 15th through October 31st to increase overall control of off-campus parties and to identify and intervene with intoxicated persons
• Community and Neighborhood Outreach - SHOP continues efforts to outreach to the Santa Cruz neighborhoods adjacent to UCSC.

Where are we targeting our activities?

SHOP uses a data-driven approach in all our programming and outreach. Our efforts have focused on off-campus parties, students who violate sanctions, and on first year students. Data indicate that first year students are most vulnerable to the “college effect”, an increase in drinking and negative consequences that emerges in the first six weeks of the fall quarter. Efforts include:

• Orientation and Trainings
• Parent Page on SHOP website
• RA Training SHOP delivered AOD training to all new and returning RA/NA/CAs in September

Early Intervention Education

Campus Adjudicators regularly assign SHOP educational sanctions to students for violation of AOD policy. These include:

Alcohol Innerview

• A confidential online alcohol program to prevent recurrent alcohol violations and reduce the chance of negative consequences of drinking
• Personalized feedback about drinking patterns and behaviors (an evidence-based approach)
• A brief motivational intervention tool

eCHECKUP TO GO for Alcohol or Cannabis

• A confidential, self-guided, cannabis, or alcohol brief assessment and feedback tool
• Calculates a number of variables and compares responses to national and UCSC norms, then displays them in an easy-to-read format
• Provides immediate individual feedback, FAQ's about cannabis use and links to additional resources

AlcoholEdu for Sanctions

• A secondary prevention, online individual class
• Integrates proven prevention methods such as the AUDIT screening tool
• Science-based education and journaling with personalized feedback

Community Solutions Workshop

• A two-hour interactive group session facilitated by a SHOP Health Educator
• Emphasis on addressing social norms and reducing risks of AOD related harms for individuals and the campus as a whole

BASICS  (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention of College Students)

• A 2 session, confidential meeting process with a SHOP Health Educator
• Requires completion of an online survey and feedback that the student and facilitator will process
• A non-confrontational, harm reduction approach that helps students reduce their alcohol consumption and decrease the behavioral and health risks associated with heavy drinking
• Alcohol content and skills-training is introduced throughout the intervention when relevant, applicable, or of interest to the participant, including:
  • Expectancies
  • Standard Drink and Norms
  • BAC, Associated Effects, Tolerance
  • Alcohol’s Biphasic Effect
  • Distribution of Blood Alcohol Charts
  • Consequences
  • Risk Reduction Strategies

Additional AOD Resources & Referrals

Brief Interventions:

SHOP Health Educators meet with UCSC students who have concerns about substance use, abuse and/or dependence. Conversations are confidential. Our intention is to facilitate a preliminary assessment of the student's AOD behavior and associated risks followed by discussion of resources and appropriate next steps.

• Follow-up conversations and check-ins are available upon request.
• Medical and Mental Health Referrals: SHOP provides referrals to the Student Health Center and Counseling & Psychological Services (CPS).
• Clinical AOD Assessment & Treatment: SHOP may recommend clinical AOD assessment and continuing care by an offsite provider. SHOP maintains information about local inpatient and outpatient treatment programs and services.
• Peer Mentorship & Network(s): SHOP facilitates contact with students in recovery from AOD abuse and/or dependence who volunteer to act as peer mentors. SHOP also supports student initiatives and networks that promote socializing without substances.
• 12-Step Recovery Resources:  SHOP provides information about 12-Step programs and can direct students to meetings that are attended by UCSC students and other young people. Currently there is one student supported Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting on campus.

Additional Resources on Campus:

Student Health Services
Our primary mission at UCSC Student Health Services is to provide quality health care focused on the particular needs of students.

UCSC Student Health Services strives to create a caring and supportive environment to assist students in maintaining their physical and emotional well being as they work toward the achievement of their academic goals.

Counseling & Psychological Services
Counseling And Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a variety of counseling services for personal, academic, social, or family concerns. These counseling services include: individual or personal counseling, group counseling, couples and family counseling, crisis counseling, and behavioral stress reduction services.