Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

CAPE COUNTY DRUG FREE INITIATIVE

FOUNTAIN HILLS YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION

PROTECT OUR YOUTH COALITION

THE GRANTS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM PROGRAM (REFERRED TO AS THE JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES PROGRAM) WAS AUTHORIZED IN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2013 TO IMPROVE THE RESPONSE OF THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO FAMILIES WITH A HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, OR IN CASES INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES FOR IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF COURTS AND COMMUNITIES TO RESPOND TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE TARGETED CRIMES: COURT-BASED AND COURT-RELATED PROGRAMS; SUPERVISED VISITATION AND SAFE EXCHANGE BY AND BETWEEN PARENTS; TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH FAMILIES IN THE COURT SYSTEM; CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES; AND THE PROVISION OF RESOURCES IN JUVENILE COURT MATTERS. PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES PROGRAM ARE THOSE THAT FOCUS ON KEEPING VICTIMS AND THEIR CHILDREN SAFE FROM FURTHER ABUSE AND HOLDING OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE. THROUGH THIS NEW JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES PROJECT, YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SAFE HOUSE OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND THE 32ND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT, WILL IMPLEMENT A STANDARD PROJECT ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE AREAS: 1) SUPERVISED VISITATION AND SAFE EXCHANGE; AND 3) TRAINING FOR COURT-BASED AND COURT-RELATED PERSONNEL FOR THE COUNTIES OF THE 32ND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT WHICH INCLUDE CAPE GIRARDEAU, PERRY, AND BOLLINGER COUNTIES. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS PRIORITY AREA 3: EXPAND ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND FINANCIAL ADVOCACY. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: 1) SUPPORTING A 1.0 FTE PROJECT COORDINATOR AND CONTRACT VISITATION MONITORS TO PROVIDE SUPERVISED VISITATION AND SAFE EXCHANGES; 2) FUNDING .25 FTE PARENT RESOURCE COORDINATOR/ ADVOCATE TO COORDINATE SERVICES FOR FAMILIES; 3) SUPPORTING .20 FTE SAFE HOUSE ADVOCATE TO PROVIDE ADVOCACY SERVICES TO VICTIMS; AND 4) HIRING A .30 FTE SAFE HOUSE EDUCATOR TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO COURT-BASED AND COURT-RELATED PERSONNEL.

FOUNTAIN HILLS YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION

FOUNTAIN HILLS YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION

CAPE COUNTY DRUG FREE INITIATIVE

CAPE COUNTY DRUG FREE INITIATIVE

ADDRESSING UNDERAGE DRINKING IN CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY - EPIC WORKS TO BUILD A HEALTHY AND SAFE COMMUNITY, REDUCING THE RISKS OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUGS WHILE PROMOTING THE HEALTHY ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF YOUTH IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS EPIC WILL SPECIFICALLY TARGET UNDERAGE DRINKING WITH A PLAN TO 1) BUILD ON OUR EPIC DESIGNATION PROJECT, WHICH ALREADY INCLUDES EPIC SCHOOLS BY FINALIZING THE NEW EPIC BUSINESS PROJECT AND 2) PARTNER WITH A LOCAL UNIVERSITY STUDENT CLUB WHO WILL SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO ESTABLISH A CAMPUS-WIDE ORGANIZATION, WORK FOR POLICY CHANGE, AND HELP ORGANIZE A SOCIAL NORMING CAMPAIGN ON CAMPUS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE PREDOMINANT CULTURE IN OUR COUNTY EMBRACES ALCOHOL USE AS A SOCIETAL NORM WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO HIGH RATES OF USE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. SPECIFIC LOCAL CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROBLEM INCLUDE CAPE GIRARDEAU BEING HOME TO SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY (SEMO) AND A CONSERVATIVE, BUSINESS FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO OFTEN CONSIDER ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO PREVENTION TO BE AT ODDS WITH BUSINESS. EPIC HAS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED THE SUCCESSFUL EPIC SCHOOLS PROJECT WHERE SCHOOLS PUT IN PLACE POLICES THAT HELP PREVENT YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE. POLICY REQUIREMENTS ARE ESTABLISHED BY EPIC IN ORDER TO GET THE OFFICIAL EPIC DESIGNATION AND THOSE AWARDED THE DESIGNATION ARE THEN RECOGNIZED IN LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS. THE SCHOOLS MUST DEVELOP STRONG POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO PREVENT YOUTH ALCOHOL ABUSE ON THEIR CAMPUSES. TO FURTHER OUR EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY WE WILL FINALIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EPIC BUSINESS PROJECT WHERE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT SELL ALCOHOL CAN BECOME “EPIC” WHEN THEY MEET REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS ALCOHOL SALES COMPLIANCE, RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE TRAINING AND UP-TO-DATE TECHNOLOGICAL SCANNING OF IDENTIFICATION CARDS. EPIC WILL ALSO JOIN WITH THE PSYCHOLOGY CLUB AT SEMO WHO WILL SERVE AS AN ADVISORY GROUP TO HELP ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATION ON CAMPUS THAT WILL HOLD ALCOHOL-FREE EVENTS, CHANGE POLICY SURROUNDING THE NEW RULE THAT ALLOWS ALCOHOL IN THE DORMS, AND ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A POSITIVE COMMUNITY NORMING CAMPAIGN ON THE SEMO CAMPUS ADDRESSING UNDERAGE DRINKING THAT EXISTS ON CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. WE EXPECT TO REACH AS MANY AS 30,000 PEOPLE BY PROJECTS END. MORE SPECIFICALLY EPIC PLANS TO WORK TO REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING IN THE COMMUNITY BY INCREASING THE AGE OF FIRST USE AND PERCEPTION OF HARM OF ALCOHOL AS MEASURED BY SEARCH INSTITUTE'S DEVELOPMENTAL ASSET PROFILE (DAP) AND TO DECREASE PERCEPTION OF AVAILABILITY OF ALCOHOL BY CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALSO AS MEASURED BY THE SEARCH INSTITUTE’S DAP, THE MISSOURI STUDENT SURVEY AND AS MEASURED IN FOCUS GROUPS. OUR TARGET POPULATION IS CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY YOUTH AGE 12 TO 20. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WILL REACH AT A MINIMUM, 1000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR. MEDIA EXPOSURE OF THESE COMMUNITY EFFORTS WILL CHANGE SOCIAL NORMS AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT THE NORM IN OUR COMMUNITY AMONG BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS IS TO SUPPORT A HEALTHY COMMUNITY AND PREVENT UNHEALTHY, HIGH-RISK BEHAVIORS LIKE UNDERAGE DRINKING.