Bethels Heavenly Hands

KASHMERE DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY COALITION - THE BETHEL’S HEAVENLY HANDS KASHMERE DRUG FREE COMMUNITY COALITION (KDFCC) DFC PROJECT TARGETS THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY WITHIN WHICH THEY LIVE. THE PRIMARY EMPHASIS OF THE KDFCC PROJECT IS GIVEN TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS INCLUDES 725 KASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF WHOM 382 (52.7%) REPRESENT ONE OR MORE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BASED ON RACE AND ETHNICITY. ADDITIONALLY, 96% (696) OF THE STUDENT POPULATION ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. THE TOTAL POPULATION OF FOCUS TO BE SERVED BY THE KDFCC PROJECT IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BASED ON THE STUDENT POPULATION ALONE IS, AT A MINIMUM, 696 OR 96%. THE COMMUNITY DATA REPRESENTS A SNAPSHOT OF THE YOUTH SUBSTANCE MISUSE PROBLEM IN HOUSTON; HOWEVER, IT CLEARLY ESTABLISHES ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA AS THE DRUGS OF CHOICE FOR OUR YOUTH. THE CURRENT FINDINGS CLEARLY INDICATE A HIGH PREFERENCE FOR BOTH ALCOHOL (28.9%) AND MARIJUANA (21.5%). MARIJUANA HAS QUICKLY GAINED IN POPULARITY AMONG OUR YOUTH AND FOR THAT REASON, PATHDPC HAS DEVISED AN ACTION PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE AS WELL AS IN PROVIDING MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUBSTANCE USE. KDFCC HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES IN RESPONSE: OBJECTIVE 1: REDUCE 30-DAY ALCOHOL USE AMONG KASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE CURRENT 2023 BASELINE OF 28.9% TO 23.1% (-20%) BY 2031 AS MEASURED BY THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY. (TO BE ADMINISTERED IN 2027, 2029, AND 2031.) OBJECTIVE 2: REDUCE 30-DAY MARIJUANA USE AMONG KASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE CURRENT 2023 BASELINE OF 21.5% TO 17.2% (-20%) BY 2031 AS MEASURED BY THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY. (TO BE ADMINISTERED IN 2027, 2029, AND 2031.) THE EFFORTS DESCRIBE IN THE 12-MONTH ACTION PLAN WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: OUTCOME 1: INCREASE PERCEIVED PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL OF MARIJUANA USE AMONG KASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM 78.9% TO 94.7% (+20%) BY 2031 AS MEASURED BY THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY. (TO BE ADMINISTERED IN 2027, 2029, AND 2031.) OUTCOME 2: INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OPIOID USE BY 40% AS MEASURED BY THE TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE. (BASELINE BY DECEMBER 31, 2026.) OUTCOME 3: DECREASE COMMUNITY ATTITUDES FAVORABLE TO ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OPIOID USE BY 20% BY 2031 AS MEASURED BY TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE. (BASELINE BY DECEMBER 31, 2026.) TO ACHIEVE THIS END, KDFCC WILL TARGET MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AGE YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FIRST YEAR AND SUSTAINED THROUGH THE 5-YEAR PROJECT: 1) SECURING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE MISUSE PREVENTION THROUGH WIDE-RANGING COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, 2) IMPROVING COALITION COMPETENCY THROUGH TRAININGS AND EDUCATION, 3) INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE ISSUES AROUND ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA WITH MULTIMODAL COMMUNICATIONS, 4) ENHANCING PARENTING SKILLS TO BUFFER EXPOSURE TO NEGATIVE INFLUENCES, 5) IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION MEDIA CAMPAIGN TARGETING ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA, 6) ENHANCING SCHOOL-BASED YOUTH COALITIONS WITH TRAINING AND ACTIVITY SUPPORT, 7) ADVOCATING FOR SCHOOL DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESPONSE POLICY REVIEWS AND UPDATES, 8) CONDUCTING OUTREACH TARGETING UNDER-RESOURCED, UNDERREPRESENTED BIPOC POPULATIONS TO INCLUDE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, AND 9) IMPROVING ACCESS TO PREVENTION RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.