The Orange County Council On Alcoholism Inc

TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DFC 2024 - THE TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP (TCCP) DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM YEAR 6 COMPETING CONTINUATION PROPOSAL TARGETS THE COMMUNITIES THAT COMPRISE THE PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (PBCSD): FOUR ADJOINING TOWNS THAT INCLUDE CRAWFORD AT THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY, WALLKILL TO THE SOUTH, AND FRACTIONS OF THE TOWNS OF MAMAKATING TO THE WEST, AND SHAWANGUNK TO THE NORTH. THIS IS ALSO THE AREA WHERE THE COUNTIES OF ORANGE, SULLIVAN, AND ULSTER INTERSECT, ALTHOUGH APPROXIMATELY 95% OF THE 33,000 RESIDENTS LIVE IN ORANGE COUNTY. THE COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS ARE 82% WHITE, 12% BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN, 4% MULTI-RACIAL, AND 3% ASIAN; 26% ARE OF HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY; 59% OF STUDENTS IN PBCSD ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND 14% LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THE LANDSCAPE OF THE 109 ACRES IS PREDOMINATELY RURAL, WITH THE SHAWANGUNK RIDGE, ONE OF THE MAJOR ROCK-CLIMBING AREAS OF NORTH AMERICA, AS A SCENIC BACKDROP. THE GOALS OF THIS APPLICATION ARE TO (1) ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, (2) REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE (ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA) AMONG YOUTH, AND, OVER TIME, REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG ADULTS BY ADDRESSING THE FACTORS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE AND PROMOTING THE FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE. THE MISSION OF THE TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP (TCCP) IS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE RISKS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE THROUGH PREVENTION, YOUTH PREVENTION, AND FAMILY SUPPORT. OUR VISION IS STRONG, RESILIENT YOUTH AND A HEALTHY COMMUNITY. TCCP ADDRESSES YOUTH SUBSTANCE IN THE PINE BUSH COMMUNITY BY MOBILIZING KEY ADULT AND YOUTH STAKEHOLDERS TO CHALLENGE AND ADDRESS RISK FACTORS OF COMMUNITY NORMS AROUND SUBSTANCE USE, LOW PERCEPTION OF RISK, AND EASY ACCESS TO SUBSTANCES BY PROMOTING AND REWARDING HEALTHY CHOICES AND LIFESTYLES, INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND REWARDS FOR PROSOCIAL INVOLVE MENT AND SOCIAL SKILLS BY SUPPORTING AND EXPANDING INCLUSIVE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND CLUBS IN AND OUT OF SCHOOLS, ENHANCING SKILLS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS LOCAL CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING TO YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, SUPPORTING POLICIES/LAWS THAT REDUCE ACCESS TO ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA BY MINORS, AND INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO ENGAGE IN NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING ACTIVITIES, ACT AS ROLE MODELS, AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION. THE THREE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IDENTIFIED BY TCCP TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT ARE ECONOMIC STABILITY (POVERTY), HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND QUALITY (ACCESS TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION), AND SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY CONTEXT (LGBTQ+ YOUTH).