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| The
New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (NM-YRRS) assesses the
health and risk behaviors and resiliency factors of youth. The NM-YRRS
measures changes in those behaviors and factors over time, providing
comparable school district, county, state and national data. |
| The
NM-YRRS is a standardized written survey administered to high
school students in the fall of odd-numbered years and to middle
school students beginning in the spring of 2007. The survey includes
age-appropriate questions. It is conducted in the students' regular
classrooms and administered by classroom teachers. |
Participation
in the NM-YRRS is voluntary. However, in order to get a true picture
of New Mexico's youth, we must survey a representative percentage
drawn from the TOTAL New Mexico student populations, selected
according to random sampling procedures. Cooperation from all
school districts in New Mexico for the administration of the YRRS
is crucial. In addition, certain funding opportunities for school
health initiatives are now being tied to administration of this
survey.
When students fill
in their responses to the NM-YRRS, they provide information needed
to effectively plan, implement and evaluate programs that promote
student and family health. Support in administering the NM-YRRS
will gain risk and resiliency data that is vital in determining,
developing and sustaining programs that meet student, school,
and community needs. |
The
NM-YRRS asks students about resiliency factors that have a positive
impact on their health. These include:
- Caring relationships
and support
- Boundaries and expectations
- Meaningful participation
and constructive use of time
- Social competencies
and life skills
- Commitment to learning
- Positive identity
The NM-YRRS also asks
students about behaviors that could impact their quality of life
and/or contribute to premature death. These include:
- Intentional and
unintentional injuries
- Tobacco use
- Alcohol and other
drug use
- Sexual behaviors
that might result in HIV infection and/or unintended pregnancy
- Dietary behaviors
- Physical activity
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| Information
obtained from the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey guides public
health policy in the state, and is used by state and local agencies
to plan and request funding for school health programs at all levels.
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| The
New Mexico Department of Health and New Mexico Public Education
Department use data from the NM-YRRS to:
- Support the New
Mexico Health Education and Physical Education Content Standards
with Benchmarks.
- Meet the needs of
Title IV, Safe and Drug-Free Schools, planning and reporting.
- Develop the Safe
Schools Accountability Indicator and planning for safe schools
in New Mexico.
- Develop the State
Board of Education Regulation Number 92-1 Standards of Excellence,
to ensure that health and social issues of students are addressed
for the achievement of academic standards.
- Support the State
Board of Education Regulation 61-62 Regulation on Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome.
- Determine priority
health needs for the utilization of general fund dollars for
prevention programs targeted to youth including nutrition programs,
pregnancy, HIV, and STD prevention programs, and others.
- Assess the health
of children for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block
Grant.
- Help Maternal and
Child Health Councils set priorities.
- Help in the development
of a statewide youth suicide prevention plan.
- Support legislation
on seat belt use, helmet laws, and tobacco issues.
- Help set teaching
strategies for Master of Public Health candidates at the University
of New Mexico.
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If
administered regularly at the established alternate year intervals,
results from the NM-YRRS can help all districts and schools to:
- Monitor trends in
student health and risk behaviors and resiliency factors.
- Identify needs and
meet requirements for school/district funding purposes.
- Plan and implement
school and district level strategic plans including EPSS and
Safe Schools Plans.
- Determine the effectiveness
of health education curricula and programs.
- Plan, evaluate,
and monitor the effectiveness of community-level programs that
impact students' and their families' health in order to reduce
risk behaviors and support resiliency factors.
- Inform administrators,
health educators, legislators and policy makers about the most
prevalent risk behaviors of students in New Mexico in order
to plan and implement more effective prevention strategies.
- Inform administrators,
health educators, legislators and policy makers about what resiliency
factors are strongest for their students and which need to be
reinforced.
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