What is the Focus On campaign?
Focus On is a prevention campaign by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) to educate high school students about the reality of underage drinking in Washington.

Who is behind Focus On?
The Focus On campaign is brought to you by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA).

Who pays for Focus On?
The funding for this campaign comes from a combination of federal funds.

Where does your data about teen drinking come from?
Statistics on teen alcohol use in Washington state come from the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey. Statistics used in the campaign are based on 10th grade state-wide data. The data is available online at www.askhys.net.

Where do you get your information on the health risks of underage drinking?
Information on health risks comes from sources like Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

I don’t drink. Why am I seeing Focus On ads?
Focus On is here to provide information on underage drinking to all teens in Washington state. We have no way of knowing whether you drink.

How was the Focus On campaign developed?
The Focus On campaign is the evolution of the Out of the Picture campaign, which was informed by research that shows when teens know most of their friends and classmates aren’t drinking, they are also less likely to drink. During the development phase, 90 Washington youth in Seattle and Spokane were interviewed to gauge perceptions of the frequency of drinking among peers and test reactions to potential creative messages. Substance use prevention professionals and researchers were also involved in creating the campaign.