Broward County Public schools participates two vital surveys that collect statewide youth information as it pertains to substance abuse, violence, and other “risky” behaviors. The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is administered annually, and the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) is administered every other year. The resulting information is used to shape the face of prevention and intervention efforts throughout not only our State, but our Nation.

YRBS

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), administered throughout the United States to high school students (grades 9-12), was designed to monitor priority health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of mortality, morbidity and social problems among youth and adults. Broward County Schools have been administering this survey every other year since 1991 to a sample of students in grades 9-12. Due to high student response rate, the results are representative of all high school students in the Broward Public Schools System. For more information go to CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.

2007 Broward County Public High School YRBS Survey Results Booklet

2009 Broward County Public High School YRBS Survey Results Booklet

FYSAS

The Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) is a collaborative effort between the Florida departments of Health, Education, Children and Families, Juvenile Justice, and the Governor’s Office of Drug Control. It is based on the “Communities That Care” survey, assessing risk and protective factors for substance abuse, in addition to substance abuse prevalence. The survey was first administered to Florida’s middle and high school students during the 1999-2000 school year, and is repeated in the spring, annually. In the spring of even years, the survey is administered simultaneously with the Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, sampling enough students to generate data applicable at the county and DCF district level. In odd years the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey are also added.  All surveys are administered to a statewide sample of students. For more information on FYSAS, please go to Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS).

The FYSAS Results of Broward County students compared to Florida and the Nation:

2008 FYSAS Broward County Survey Results

2010 FYSAS Broward County Survey Results

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Patrick Chalmers with the Office of Prevention at 954-321-2568 or email Patrick.chalmers@browardschools.com.