Guidelines for School D

G2. District-level Recruitment Script for the Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Form Approved

OMB No.: 0920-0493

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xx

GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTACTS

2009 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY

PRIOR TO CALLING, VERIFY THE DATE LETTER WAS SENT AND HAVE THE LETTER AND DISTRICTS FILE FOLDER READY TO DOCUMENT THE OUTCOME OF EACH CALL. ALSO HAVE COPY OF STATE SUPPORT LETTER AND FILE FOLDER CONTAINING NAMES OF CONTACT PERSONS.

1. Hello this is [YOUR NAME]. I’m calling to follow up on a letter from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notifying you that (NAMES(S) OF SCHOOL(S) will soon be invited to participate in the 2009 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey sponsored by CDC. Do you have some time to talk with me right now?: [IF NOT] When would you like me to call you back or would you prefer to make an appointment?

2. A letter about this went to [YOU; OR, TO NAME OF PERSON TO BE CONTACTED] on . The Letter was signed by Dr. Howell Wechsler at CDC. Along with the letter was a copy of the questionnaire and other materials. Do you recall getting this letter?

3. You also should have received a [LETTER] OR [PHONE CALL] from [NAME OF OFFICIAL] at the State Department of Education.

4. Were you contacted [BY PHONE; LETTER] by [STATE OFFICIAL]?

5. (ONLY IF THERE WAS A STATE ENDORSEMENT LETTER:) A letter of support from [Name] at the State Department of Education was enclosed in the letter of invitation from Dr. Howell Wechsler at CDC.

6. Have you had a chance to review the packet of materials about the project?

7. My basic reason for calling now is to make sure that you received the letter, to answer any questions that you may have, and to see what will be involved in getting approval from the school district to send a letter of invitation to the schools.

8. (PROVIDE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT.). The survey will attempt to measure the prevalence of priority health risk behaviors of students in grades 9 through 12. The resulting data will be used to develop more effective education programs and other strategies for schools and communities to change behaviors that pose health risks. These behaviors include unhealthy dietary behaviors; alcohol and other drug use; tobacco use; behaviors that contribute to HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, or unintended pregnancy; physical inactivity; and behaviors that result in unintentional and intentional injury.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, GA 30333, ATTN:PRA (0920-0493).

10. Do you have any questions that I can answer for you? Are there any issues you would like to discuss?

11. Are there any special clearance procedures with which our research request must comply? IF YES: Please send me any necessary forms so that we can return them as quickly as possible. Do you see any problem in obtaining the district’s endorsement of the survey? (IF SO:) We expect that some districts will not choose to endorse the survey. In such cases, CDC is asking that the district allow each school to make up its own mind whether to participate. Can we obtain a letter indicating the district’s support or approval?

[RESOLVE APPROVAL ISSUES, THEN VERIFY SCHOOL DATA.]

12. Your support of the survey is important to obtaining the cooperation of the schools. Since we would like to contact the schools as quickly as possible to inform them about the survey, we’d like to request that your office call each selected principal confirming that we have contacted you concerning their selection, have complied with any clearance requirements, and will be contacting them soon. Can you do this? Or if you prefer, with your approval we will contact the school(s) and inform them that “we spoke to District Superintendent On [DATE]. (He/she) has given (his/her) approval for our contacting you today.” Or would you prefer to call or write each school principal yourself before we contact them? (IF SO:) Could you give me an idea when you expect to make the contacts? I’d like to confirm with you that you’ve made contact before we proceed. (IF CONTACT WILL BE BY LETTER:) Could you send me a copy of the letter?

13. IF DISTRICT DENIES PERMISSION TO CONTACT: RECORD ALL REASONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES CONCERNING DENIAL. Thank you very much for the time you’ve spent talking to me today. END CONVERSATION ON POSITIVE NOTE, ALLOWING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE CONTACT ON THIS ISSUE.

14. (IN RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES ABOUT TIMING:) We do not know the exact dates when we would be in your schools. Data collection nationally will start and end . My guess is that we will try to be in your schools [PROBABLE TIMING].

15. To facilitate our contacts with the schools, we would ask that you help with certain information. Can you tell me when during that period from to there will be holidays or other events that would prevent data collection on a given day?

16. When does school close for Spring/Easter and Summer vacations? Do seniors get out earlier than the other students?

17. Are there any other special circumstances or requirements we should be aware of for [NAMES(S) OF SCHOOLS)]? By this I mean reorganizations, anticipated permanent or temporary school closings, new principals, or something like that? Any changes in the grades offered at these schools in the past year?

18. Thank you very much for your time and cooperation with us on this very important survey. Please feel free to call either Jim Ross or Kate Flint at Macro if you have any questions. The number is (800) 675-9727. Macro has been contracted by CDC to conduct the survey. You may also contact Dr. Danice Eaton, at CDC. Her number is (770) 488-6143.

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