The P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol & Risk-related Trauma in Youth) program is a one-day in-hospital intervention program for at-risk youth that aims to educate them on the consequences of risk-taking behaviors like crime, substance abuse, and reckless actions. The program is piloting with young offenders referred by magistrates. An analysis of 128 offenders found that 29 did not re-offend after the program, while only 2 did re-offend. Research has also found the P.A.R.T.Y. program reduces traumatic injuries and subsequent offenses compared to matched controls, suggesting it is an effective intervention.

1. P.A.R.T.Y
Prevent Alcohol & Risk-related Trauma in Youth
Piloting an Intervention for
young offenders…
Jen Thompson – Program Manager
National Trauma Research Institute – The Alfred

2. The youth dilemma …
• Hormones
• Peer group pressure
• Socio-economic issues
• Cultural issues
• Academic pressure
• Biological immaturity
• Mental immaturity - “no fear” attitude

3. The youth dilemma …
Sometimes leading to…
• Risk taking
• Poor decisions
• Crime
• Substance abuse
• Traumatic incidents

4. Trauma in Youth…
The leading cause of death < 40yrs…
• 50% of childhood deaths
• 75% of adolescent deaths
Young people don’t consider the survivors…
• “I’m invincible, immortal”
• “I’ll be fine – or if something happens…I’ll die”

5. Trauma in Youth…
40
35
Top 3 causes
30 of injury
25
20
Female
Male
19-25 year olds
Grand Total
15
10
at The Alfred
5
in 2011
0
Motor vehicle driver Motor vehicle passenger Motorcycle driver

6. Crime,
Choices,
Consequences…
A pre-sentence, intervention partnership between
• The Magistrates’ Court,
• Victoria Police,
• The Youth Junction Inc.
• The Major Trauma Services
(The Alfred, The Royal Melbourne Hospital)

7. Worldwide Program…
• Commenced in 1986 by an ED nurse
• Canadian based trauma prevention
(Headquarters remain in Canada)
• Over 100 sites world-wide
(Canada, USA, Japan, Asia-Pacific, Europe)
• 6 Australian sites
Royal Perth, The Alfred, Royal Brisbane,
& Royal Melbourne hospitals, Royal North Shore (Sydney),
John Hunter Hospital (Newcastle)

8. P.A.R.T.Y…per year
• Full day in-hospital program
• 20 programs for students (aged 15-19 years)
• 4 programs for young offenders (19-25 years)
• 4 programs for Defence Force Trainees (19-25 years)
• 4 programs for Parents
• 2 Outreach programs to regional centres
• Up to 30 participants per session

9. The P.A.R.T.Y. focus…
• Consequences for actions
• Making sensible choices
• Disability not death
• Good partnerships with
emergency & support services
• Does not moralise about vices…
• Is not anti-alcohol
• Does not focus on good outcomes

10. P.A.R.T.Y. Intervention
a snapshot …
• Looking at a group of 128 young people referred by the
magistrates to complete the program.
• Out of 128 referred, 23 did
not manage to complete the
program.
• Out of 105 remaining, 52
young people were eligible to
complete a 3 mth follow-up
survey

11. Demographics…

12. Demographics…

13. Demographics…

14. Short-term Recidivism…
• 29 have not re-offended 2010/11 Re-offending Statistics
• 2 have re-offended
• 4 failed to complete the Not Re-offended
program as they did not Have Re-offended
attend the P.A.R.T.Y. Partially Completed
Component Program
Not Contactable
• 17 were uncontactable

15. Ethics & Wellbeing…
• Ethical approval granted by Alfred Health, Dept of Education
Research Office and Catholic Schools Research Office
• Consent obtained from school staff, students, guardians, and
patients who will participate
• Standard Operating Procedures in place to support participant
wellbeing (psycho-social, physical)
• Participants advised of appropriate behaviour for a hospital
environment, respect for staff, patients and other visitors, and
privacy issues.
• Inappropriate behaviour not tolerated
(but rarely an issue)

16. Ambulance Victoria…

17. Trauma Injuries…

18. ED & Trauma Centre…

19. ICU & Helipad…

20. Trauma Wards…

21. Burns Unit…

22. Physiotherapy…

23. Occupational Therapy…

24. Orthotics & Prosthetics…

25. Speech Pathology…

26. Testimonials – young offenders…
Q: “Would you recommend P.A.R.T.Y
to your mates?”
A: Yes = 125 No = 5 Blank = 3 94% would recommend it
“Yes, it was a real eye opener” – male 22 yrs
“Yes, Yes, Yes!” – female 20 yrs
“Yes, to calm them down so it doesn’t happen to them” – male 20 yrs
“Yes, because it changed me” – male 19yrs
“Yes, the mates that speed and drink alcohol
while driving - male 20 yrs

27. Does it work?
Recent research suggests a benefit…
2010 Banfield – Journal of Trauma
• Analysis of 10 years of P.A.R.T.Y Program
• concluded that the P.A.R.T.Y Program
effectively reduced the incidence of traumatic
injuries among its participants (by 5%)
compared to matched controls (N=1281)

28. Does it work?
And this from the Juvenile Justice cohort…
2012 Ho et al – PLoS ONE
• A Retrospective Cohort Study
• Demonstrated attending program was
associated with a reduced subsequent risk of
committing violence or traffic related
offences, injuries and death.

29. Questions?
P.A.R.T.Y @ Alfred
National Trauma
Research Institute
The Alfred, Melbourne
Jen: +61 3 9076 3759
Janet: +61 3 9076 8888
Web: www.partymelbourne.net.au