Communities Together Inc

MARION COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION - PROJECT ABSTRACT “TRUE PREVENTION IS NOT WAITING FOR BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN—IT’S PREVENTING THINGS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.” DON MCPHERSON FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, INC. (FACT), IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MARION COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION (SAPC), WILL CONTINUE ITS MISSION TOGETHER TO PREVENT AND REDUCE YOUTH ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE THROUGH THE DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES—YEAR 6 GRANT. WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS FROM THE TWELVE DIVERSE SECTORS OF MARION COUNTY AND PARTNERING WITH VARIOUS BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT ITS COMMUNITIES, SAPC WILL USE EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES TO ACCOMPLISH ITS TWO IDENTIFIED GOALS: 1) STRENGTHENING AND INCREASING COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND 2) REDUCING SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH AND, OVER TIME, REDUCING USE AMONG ADULTS BY ADDRESSING THE RISK FACTORS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT INCREASES THE PROBABILITY OF SUBSTANCE USE AS WELL AS ACTING ON THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF SUBSTANCE USE. BASED UPON THESE GOALS AND THE STRATEGIES PROPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH THEM, SAPC ANTICIPATES THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: 1. EXPANDED COALITION PARTNERSHIPS AND EXTENDED COMMUNITIES’ KNOWLEDGE OF SAPC. 2. INCREASED ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN THE SAPC YOUTH SECTOR. 3. INCREASED INTRA-COALITION AND COUNTYWIDE RECOGNITION OF SAPC MEMBERS IN RESPONSE TO THEIR EFFORTS IN UNDERAGE SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION. 4. INCREASED MARION COUNTY SCHOOLS’ KCTC STUDENT SURVEY PARTICIPATION RATE. 5. FOSTERED AND STRENGTHENED STUDENT AND FAMILY DECISION-MAKING SKILLS. 6. PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR YOUTH BY CREATING ACTIVITIES THAT HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE. 7. REDUCED ACCESS AND DEVELOPED BARRIERS TO DECREASE YOUTH ALCOHOL USE. 8. EDUCATED AND INFORMED COUNTY MEMBERS OF MARION COUNTY COMMISSION’S POLICIES AND SUPPORT OF PREVENTION. 9. PROVIDED INFORMATION TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS ON THE DANGERS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS THROUGH AN INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION CAMPAIGN. 10. CHANGED CONSEQUENCES FOR MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOUND USING OR POSSESSING TOBACCO PRODUCTS ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS THROUGH EDUCATION INTERVENTION. 11. ALTERED PHYSICAL DESIGN IN SCHOOLS TO DETER THE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, ALCOHOL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON YOUTH IN GRADES 1-12 IN MARION COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEIR FAMILIES OF WHICH 94.9% ARE WHITE AND APPROXIMATELY 40.13% ARE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. SAPC WILL BASE ITS DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY WORK ON THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK (SPF) FOUNDATION AS IT HAS DONE WITH ITS PREVIOUS DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT, STOP ACT GRANT, AND KANSAS PREVENTION COLLABORATIVE IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.

MARION COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION (SAPC) STOP ACT PROJECT