YEPP's primary goal is to change factors in the social, legal, economic and political environment that encourage, enable or support underage drinking. YEPP uses policy, enforcement and community strategies, including media focused strategies, to positively affect risk and protective factors in three domains: the individual, the community and the society/environment.

Research indicates that youth are exposed to a number of factors which may either increase their risk for, or protect them from, problems such as abusing drugs or engaging in delinquent behavior¹, hence the use of the terminology "risk factors" and "protective factors".

"Risk factors" are any circumstances that may increase youths' likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors. Conversely, "protective factors" are any circumstances that promote healthy youth behaviors and decrease the chance that youth will engage in risky behaviors.

Risk factors and protective factors are often organized into five categories: Individual, Family, School, Peer Group, and Community."

Step 1 Convene a group of youths from across the state.
Step 2 Youths pick a policy issue to work on relevant to substance abuse prevention.
Step 3 Youths conduct research, either by designing their own data collection efforts or by consulting with experts in relevant fields to provide an educated perspective.
Step 4 Based on research, youths create Findings and Recommendations on the chosen topic.
Step 5 The group works to disseminate the information on the local level so communities can "take up" the actions suggested within the Findings and Recommendations.