Risk factors are those conditions that increase the likelihood that a child will develop one or more behavior problems during their developmental years. CAST attempts to identify and reduce or counter the risks present in the community, home, and school in an effort to help Upper Merion Area students make positive decisions related to drugs and violence.

Upper Merion Area Risk Factors:

1. Low Neighborhood attachment- A feeling of detachment from the community to the point where change seems out of reach.
   
2. Poor family management- A lack of clear expectations, monitoring, and consequences within the family leading to substance abuse and violence.
   
3. Constitutional Factors- Depression in young people can lead to sensation- seeking, risk- taking, and lack of impulse control, which contributes to substance abuse and violence.