Kentucky Incentives for Prevention Survey

The Kentucky Incentives for Prevention (KIP) Survey has been administered in Kentucky for a number of years by individual school districts across the state through agreements with the Substance Abuse Prevention Program.

School district and individual student participation have always been on a voluntary basis.

The core items on the current KIP Survey were originally chosen by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), based on extensive research on risk and resilience factors associated with youth substance abuse. Additional items have been added that are specific to Kentucky.

Basing the survey questions on the federal model enables comparisons to other states and to the nation, while at the same time making within-state comparisons. The fact that the KIP Survey has been administered for a number of years within Kentucky enables school/community comparisons over time.

The survey is conducted bi-annually in the fall of even-numbered years (2000–2018), with sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders who attend school in Kentucky communities participating. All costs are paid by the DBHDID Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion Branch through federal grant funds.

Extensive efforts go into assuring the anonymity of students who fill out the brief survey, and to ensuring that no student feels coerced to participate. Parents who do not wish for their child to participate are given the opportunity through both general and specific notifications that they may do so (passive consent).

Classroom administration of the KIP Survey takes about 40 minutes. REACH Evaluation provides technical assistance to school districts to ensure standardization in administration and comprehensive reports of findings to school districts. The survey is administered to classroom groups via a secure Web-based form, then analyzed by REACH Evaluation.

School districts have some flexibility as to when to administer the survey within an approximate five-week window (October), and results are analyzed and reported in approximately two months following administration. Local results are reported only to the school district and are not released in a public report. Regional and statewide reports are available.

In 2018, more than 128,000 students representing 151 school districts completed the KIP Survey. The next administration is in the Fall of 2020. Access the "KIP Survey Website" Related Link for contact Information and a comprehensive description of the KIP initiative.