1. POLS 7050 Background
Public Administration
• Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse’s report :
Abuse s
School drug testing scheme is the most
effective tool
to combat & deter youth drug abuse
Analysis of School-based
y School- to facilitate early intervention of young drug
Drug Testing Policy abusers for counselling & treatment
in Hong Kong • Pilot scheme on school drug
testing in Tai Po in 10-12/2009
g
SZE Man Wai, Lily (08407665)
WONG Shun Ting, Sandy (08418020)
MPA-
MPA-2
Evaluation Evaluation
• Views of the community
y
Majority being supportive of
• Views of school heads & teaching staff
school based
school-based drug testing scheme
Over 70% of Hong Kong Subsidized
Sources For Against
No comment/ Schools being supportive
others
Hong Kong Professional Teachers’
HKU POP 78% 16% 6%
Union & Education Employees General
DAB 53.6% 7.3% 39.1% Union being positive
Policy Development Recommendations
Step 1
Issue identification • Development of policy instrument
Step 2
Policy analysis Logistic support to participating schools
before implementation
Step 3
Development of
policy instrument Consent of parents & students
Step
St 4
Consultation Confidentiality
Step 5
p
Coordination More resources
M
Step 6
Decision
Testing instrument
Step 7
Implementation
Step 8 Professional support services
Evaluation

2. Recommendations Recommendations
• Logistic support to participating schools
g pp p p g • Logistic support to participating schools
g pp p p g
before implementation before implementation
Guidance
checklist for assessing feasibility & identifying possible Support
difficulties to be faced by schools before joining &
y j g
implementation, such as additional manpower & resources technical & financial assistance
required
clear guidelines on drug testing for school heads & teaching
government representatives attending briefings for
staff
parents & students
instructions on h
i t ti how t h dl parents & students refusing
to handle t t d t f i
drug test
Recommendations Recommendations
• Consent of parents & students • Confidentiality
Information is a key to SUCCESS Compliance with Personal Data (Privacy)
Ordinance
Consent form should include :
Adoption of “need-to-know” principle of
testing procedure when releasing the data
usage & disclosure of personal data Reducing the number of
information receivers
consequences of positive test result
Recommendations Recommendations
• Testing instrument
• More resources
Pros & cons of various testing instruments
Tests Pros Cons
Relieving workload & job pressure of
Urine • speedy result • adulteration of specimen
teaching staff • reliable • inconvenience
• least expensive • embarrassment & uneasiness
to users
Sharing workload of school social worker Hair • easy & convenience • more expensive
• more reliable • longer period for verification
• longer window of
detection
Making use of St d t
M ki f Student • difficult to adulterate
Drug Testing Team Oral fluids • lower risk of tampering • drugs & drug metabolites not
• easy collection
y remain in oral fluids
Sweat • quick application & • not applicable to users with
removal excessive hair, skin cuts,
• non-invasive abrasion & eruptions
• not common for processing
result

3. Recommendations Recommendations
• Testing instrument
g • Professional support services
Based on the above comparison… Provide treatment & rehabilitation services to
problem students, not punishment
bl t d t t i h t
Hair test is recommended over
urine test… Strengthen downstream support services
For higher reliability counselling
For lower risk of adulteration medical treatment
For reducing uneasiness & rehabilitation services
inconvenience to users
Policy Development Statistics reviews
Step 1
Issue identification • According to the OECD public
Step 2
Policy analysis management policy belief, consultation is
Step 3
Development of
essential in the process of policy making.
f
policy instrument
Step
St 4 • A number of statistics had shown that the
Consultation
Step 5
p
public dissatisfactions towards inadequate
Coordination public consultation f the S h l D
bli l i for h School Drug
Step 6
Decision Testing Scheme (
g (SDTS). )
Step 7
Implementation
Step 8
Evaluation
Statistics Reviews Statistics reviews
Su ey
Survey by t e Bauhinia Foundation
the au a ou dat o Survey by the Oriental Press Group
(sample of 618 respondents aged 18 or above)
Research Centre (BFRC) (sample of 719
respondents who are parents/guardians of secondary school students) 23% of the respondents
were unsatisfied with
22% of the respondents inadequate consultation
said they did not
understand the SDTS 34% said the Gov’t
Gov t
poorly prepared and
38% anwsers “50/50”
50/50 researched leaving the
Scheme controversial

4. Statistics reviews Recommendations
Su ey
Survey by the Hong Kong Secondary
t e o g o g Seco da y
Students Union (sample of 1027 secondary school students) Importance of Consultation
72.41% of secondary students
y Gather useful opinions and experience
thought that the SDTS haven’t Build join-up institutional force
been undergone a thorough Increasing acceptance & legitimacy of policy
consultation. Build trust & manage public expectation
Monitoring the media
Recommendations Recommendations
Importance of Consultation Importance of Consultation
Build join-up institutional force
Gather useful opinions and experience
Internal consultation is equally important during the
Stakeholders (e.g. teachers, social workers, policy making process
principals etc ) – daily and long standing interaction
etc.) long-standing
w/t drug-addicted students
To ensure the consistency in efforts across relevant
departments in connection with the goal of the policy
Better understanding in current anti-drug services
and limitations.
limitations
Provide more practical and useful viewpoints
Recommendations Recommendations
Importance of Consultation Importance of Consultation
Increasing acceptance & legitimacy of policy Build trust & manage public expectation
2-way interaction – to inform and to be informed Being respected & valued → engender mutual trust
Better understandings in various perspectives Positive sentiments among public useful in
managing citizens’ expectations → minimize the
citizens
Esp. important for policy without legal basis potential of expectations-outcomes mismatch

5. Recommendations Recommendations
Timeframe for Consultation
Importance of Consultation
For the SDTS
Monitoring the media Phases Duration Purpose
1st • Before the • Discuss key principles and broad context
↑ Dissemination of info. to public announcement of of the policy
the Scheme • Collecting specific opinions
g p p
• 3-month targeted • Reach preliminary consensus
consultation
Take an active role in providing info. to the media 2nd • Period between • Details of the policy
announcement and • C
Consensus with stakeholders and th
ith t k h ld d the
→ minimize the risk of media blow-up implementation of community
the Scheme
3rd • After the first trial • Ongoing evaluation
Scheme
• 6-month or above • Respond to community’s feedbacks
period of time • Better cooperation with parties concerned
in future
Recommendations Recommendations
Consultation Strategies Consultation Strategies
Independent citizens/experts advisory body Informal dialogue
Advices, inputs and ad hoc feedbacks Build up/sustain a relationship with interested groups
Participations from diff. levels of the community → Recommended to use in an early stage → reach
inflow of constructive ideas & f t government-
i fl f t ti id foster t initial consensus
public relation
Responsive to changes → assist in monitoring the
development direction and sometimes acts a
direction,
cushion for conflicts among interested groups
Recommendations Recommendations
Consultation Strategies Consultation Strategies
Web-based application Deliberative/scenario-building workshops
Instant and interaction platform →updated opinions In-depth understanding
Facilitate long-term relationship and confidence
Reduce the burden of consultation → cost-effective
towards the policy
Develop an open and democratic image to the Gov/t Realize & manage people’s ideas and expectations,
esp. good for complicated issue
E.g. Online submission, forums, noticeboards, blogs