Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 1995 A Case Study of the Development of Oregon's 1985 Public Policy in Youth Substance Abuse Sonja Carol Grove Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Health Policy Commons, and the Social Welfare Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Grove, Sonja Carol, "A Case Study of the Development of Oregon's 1985 Public Policy in Youth Substance Abuse" (1995). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 1255. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.1254 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. A CASE STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OREGON'S 1985 PUBLIC POLICY IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE by SONJA CAROL GROVE A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP: ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION Portland State University 1995 UMI Number: 9608481 OMI Microform 9608481 Copyright 1995, by OMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, united States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 DISSERTATION APPROVAL The abstract and dissertation of Sonja Carol Grove for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision were presented December 8, 1994, and accepted by the dissertation committee and the doctoral program. COMMITTEE APPROVALS: S Representative of the Office of Graduate Studies DOCTORAL PROGRAM APPROVAL: Robert B. Everhart, Dean School of Education ************************************************************ ACCEPTED FOR PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY BY THE LIBRARY ABSTRACT An abstract of the dissertation of Sonja Carol Grove for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision presented December 8, 1994. Title: A Case Study of the Development of Oregon's 1985 Public Policy in Youth Substance Abuse Youth substance abuse in Oregon reached epidemic proportions in the early 1980s. A response to this social issue from the Governor's Office, the state legislature, and the Office of Alcohol and Drug Programs during 1983-1985 is the foundation of this case study. Oregon, a small state of three million, was faced with a growing problem of youth and adult substance abuse. Legislative leaders, agency staff, and Governor Atiyeh recognized an opportunity to create public policy to solve problems of substance abuse including crime. The focus on substance abuse included streamlining several budgets with substance abuse monies in various state agencies. The intent of this study was to recreate the development of public policy specifically in the area of youth substance abuse during the years 1983-1985. The final policy, Oregon House Bill 2124 (1985), represented the work 2 budgets with alcohol and drug monies in various state agencies. The intent of this study is to recreate the development of public policy specifically in the area of youth substance abuse during the years 1983-1985. The final policy, Oregon House Bill 2124 (1985), represented the work of several political entities, and presented recommendations for substance abuse treatment, budget alignments among several agencies with alcohol and drug monies, and finally, prevention of youth substance abuse. This dissertation established that leadership and politics affected policy development more than the variables of economics, special interest groups, or research which were chosen from the literature in policy development. Research was the variable studied in depth to determine if policy developers utilized what was known about youth substance abuse to develop policy goals. Several barriers to the use of research and rational methods for policy development were uncovered. The study found that the use of research was regarded as important among policy developers, but their practice was not at all congruent with that belief. There were many studies on youth prevention and social competency training available to pOlicy planners which may have supported more specific policy recommendations. No collaborations between researchers and pOlicy developers 3 occurred in this case study. The barriers to collaborative efforts with researchers and the use of pOlicy analysis methods were uncovered in this study. The final policy document presented to the legislature lacked specific recommendations for well researched programs which appeared to be the result of political considerations rather than rational pOlicy development. Finally, this case of policy development revealed a process that was inconsistent, politically driven, disregarded available research, and resulted in broad pOlicy goals which have not been exceptionally successful in limiting or even addressing youth substance abuse over the nine years of implementation by the same administrator who significantly helped to develop them. DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my son, Jon Grove who influenced this study in many ways, and gave me the I motivation 1:0 l1'roceed. I I also want to thank the members of my Dissertation committee, notably Dr. Mary Kinnick who always said just the ri9htlwords to keep me on my wobbly path, and to , I• Dr. Walt E1JL~s,1 who never gave up on me. I I acknowlledge my dear friends, especially Dr. Dawn I winters who always said the perfect words to keep my spirit in line, gave support in all ways, and provided the gentle guidance that made this gigantic endeavor possible. I Finally, without the thoughtful and tedious work of Pati I Sluys, assistant extraordinaire, the end may never have come. I TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO CASE STUDY OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT. • 1 Focus of the Study ••• 5 Statement of the Problem •• 6 Substance Abuse Policy and BUdgets Prior to 1985. 8 Research Efforts Prior to 1985 . 10 Appointment of the Governor's Task Force on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. ••.•• •• 12 Administration and Jurisdiction of Substance Abuse Policy •••••. 14 Prevention of Youth Substance Abuse. • 16 Oregon's Political Climate . 18 Special Interest Groups .• 19 Leadership . 19 Economics or Resources • 20 Use of Research in Policy Development. 21 Substance Abuse Policy Passed in 1985. .. 22 Importance and Need for the Study. 23 Limitations of the Study . 24 II LITERATURE REVIEW. 27 Social Policy Development and Methods Available. •••••.•..•••• 28 iii Policy Analysis Methods. ••••••• 32 The Variables of Policy Development. 34 Political Milieu 35 special Interest Groups. • 37 Economics or Resources for Policy•• 39 Leadership • 40 Research as a Policy Input •. 41 Methods for Values Clarification • 44 Data Analysis Methods. 46 Theoretical Constructs in Decision Making .......... 47 History of Substance Abuse in Oregon • 51 Research on Risk Factors for Youth • 56 III METHODOLOGY FOR CASE STUDY . 62 Research Methods 65 Interviews .• 66 Survey Data. 69 Archival Records •. 70 Secondary Sources. 70 Analysis of Data •• 71 Limitations of the Study . 72 Precautions for Accuracy 73 IV CASE STUDY FINDINGS. .••.• 75 Summary of Findings for the Variable of Politics. •••••••••.• 78 Summary of Findings for the Variable of special Groups. •••••••. 88 iv The Findings for the Variable of Leadership · · · ·· · · ·· · · 91 The Findings for the Variable of Economics. · · ·· · ·· ·· · · 97 The Findings for the Variable of Research . · · ·· · · · ·· · · 104 The Barriers to utilizing Research in Policy Development. ..•• •• 108 The Actual Process for the Final Legislation and Passage. 125 V IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 134 General Recommendations for Policy Developers ••.•••••.... 145 The Role of Politics and Leadership in Policy Development. ...... 147 The Importance of Leadership in Policy Development. • .••••.• 151 Implications for the Use of Research • 153 Implications and Recommendations for the Legislature. ••..••• 157 concluding Thoughts. .•.•.. 159 REFERENCES. 161 APPENDIX A CASE STUDY DATA. 170 B BUDGET NOTES ••. 208 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO CASE STUDY OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT The purpose of any pUblic pOlicy is to solve problems for the citizens it serves. Oregon, a small state of three million, faced a pUblic crisis in the early 1980s that required policy solutions. Clearly the problems of substance abuse had reached epidemic proportions. As there was no public policy for youth substance abuse, state leaders took the opportunity to develop one. It is the development of that precedent setting policy that is the focus of this study. Oregon's youth substance abuse problems were not fUlly recognized by the state's leaders until there was a dramatic increase in the crime rate, and citizens angrily turned to their political leaders for solutions. The cost of substance abuse was reported to be $716 million in the early 1980s (Kushner, 1983). There were at least 8,000 youth identified in Oregon with such serious substance abuse problems they should receive treatment. Oregon also adopted some of the most liberal marijuana legislation in the United States prior to 1985, which has had some impact on substance abuse in the state according to many experts. In the 1980s, high concentractions of illegal drugs were found in both 2 rural and urban areas, and alcohol abuse was already a problem for many of Oregon's citizens. The