Pact Coalition For Safe And Drug-Free Communities

PACT COALITION PFS FOR THE LGBTQI+ COMMUNITY IN CLARK COUNTY NEVADA - TO ADDRESS DISPARITIES AMONG LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER AND QUESTIONING, AND INTERSEX (LGBTQI+) INDIVIDUALS IN CLARK COUNTY, PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES (PACT) WILL COLLABORATE WITH LGBTQI+ SERVING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE GOALS OF INCREASING AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY CAPACITY AROUND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, AS WELL AS REDUCING RISK FACTORS AND INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS TO PREVENT THE ONSET AND PROGRESSION OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. OF THE 2.3 MILLION RESIDENTS OF CLARK COUNTY, 5.1% OR APPROXIMATELY 117,300 INDIVIDUALS, IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) (WILLIAMS INSTITUTE, 2023). IN NEVADA, THE LGBTQI+ POPULATION IS PRIMARILY BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-34 (59%) WITH THE NEXT HIGHEST PERCENTAGE BEING AGES 50-64 (17%) (WILLIAMS INSTITUTE, 2023). FURTHER, THE RACIAL DISTRIBUTION IN THIS POPULATION IS 49% WHITE, 33% LATINO/A, AND 19% ALL OTHER RACES. 34.38% OF HOUSEHOLDS SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH (HEALTHY SOUTHERN NEVADA, 2023); SECONDARY LANGUAGES IN CLARK COUNTY INCLUDE PRIMARILY SPANISH AND TAGALOG. NEVADA'S YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY (YRBS) REPORTED THAT 28.1% OF CCSD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, OR NOT SURE AND 5.2% REPORTED THEY WERE EITHER TRANSGENDER OR UNSURE. AMONG THOSE IDENTIFYING AS LGBTQI+, 70.6% ARE FEMALE AND 29.4% ARE MALE (YRBS, 2023). THE YRBS SHOWS EARLIER REPORTED ONSET OF SUBSTANCE USE AMONG LGBTQI YOUTH RELATIVE TO THEIR PEERS, AND RATES OF USE OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND OPIOIDS ARE TYPICALLY 10% HIGHER THAN HETEROSEXUAL AND CISGENDER PEERS. IN ADDITION, THE REPORT FOR CLARK COUNTY REVEALS THAT 38.8% OF LGBTQI+ HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH HAVE HAD SUICIDE IDEATION AND 56.4% NEVER/RARELY GET THE HELP THEY NEED (YRBS, 2023). 62.5% OF LGBI+ HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH EXPRESS DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS COMPARED TO 35.1% HETEROSEXUAL STUDENTS AND 70.2% OF TRANSGENDER OR QUESTIONING COMPARED TO 41.3% CISGENDER PEERS. PACT WILL BE PARTNERING WITH MANY LGBTQI+ SERVING AGENCIES TO EXECUTE A CROSS-SECTOR APPROACH TO COMBATTING SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. THE FOCUS OF THE PROJECT IS ON DISSEMINATING SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION INFORMATION, PROVIDING EDUCATION, OFFERING HARM REDUCTION RESOURCES, ORGANIZING POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES, AND INCREASING COMMUNITY CAPACITY FOR SERVICES. THE LGBTQI+ CENTER OF SOUTHERN NEVADA (THE CENTER), LAS VEGAS PRIDE, AND PRIDE TREE WILL COORDINATE ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES REACHING 750 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY AND 3750 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE PROJECT PERIOD. PACT, THE CENTER, AND PACIFIC SOUTHWEST PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER NETWORK (PTTC) WILL PROVIDE EDUCATION SESSIONS TO AT LEAST 75 YOUTH AND YOUTH-SERVING PROFESSIONALS EACH YEAR, AND 375 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE PROJECT PERIOD. PACT, PRIDE MAGAZINE, AND KLAS-NEWS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION DISSEMINATION THROUGH MEDIA REACHING 50,000 INDIVIDUALS EACH YEAR, AND 250,000 OVER THE 5 YEARS. PACT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL ATTEND LGBTQI+ FOCUSED TRAININGS AND OR CONFERENCES AND BE PRESENT AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO REMAIN KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT LOCAL CONDITIONS AND EVOLVING BEST PRACTICES REACHING 30 INDIVIDUALS EACH YEAR, 150 OVER THE 5 YEARS. LASTLY, PACT AND ITS PARTNERS WILL DISTRIBUTE DETERRA SAFE DRUG DISPOSAL KITS TO A MINIMUM OF 200 HOUSEHOLDS PER YEAR THROUGH LGBTQI+ SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, AIMING TO REACH 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS OVERALL, IN ORDER TO REDUCE MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS.

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT WITH THE PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE 89144 ZIPCODE.

PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID PROGRAM - PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING TO TEENAGERS IN 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADES ACROSS CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA. PACT'S POPULATION OF FOCUS WILL BE TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH, 15-18 YEARS OLD IN THE SCHOOLS, AFTER-SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SETTING. TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IS A UNIVERSAL TRAINING APPROPRIATE FOR ALL YOUTH IN 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADES. THE CURRICULUM TEACHES YOUTH TO RECOGNIZE EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF A MENTAL HEATH ISSUE, HOW TO TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, AND SAFELY RESPOND TO A CHALLENGE OR CRISIS, INCLUDING CONNECTING AN ADULT TO THE SITUATION. TO PREPARE AND EQUIP THESE ADULTS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND SKILLSET TO RESPOND TO A CHALLENGE OR CRISIS, PACT WILL TRAIN ADULT STAFF, PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. EVERY ADULT AND YOUTH TRAINED WILL BE AWARE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES ACROSS THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY. THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING GRANT SUPPORTS TWO PRIMARY GOALS. THE FIRST GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADE YOUTH BY IMPLEMENTING TMHFA WITHIN SCHOOL, AFTER-SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS TO INFORM THEIR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLSET AND ATTITUDES. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2022, PACT WILL IMPLEMENT TMHFA AT A MINIMUM OF TWO BATTERIES INCLUDED (BI) AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM SITES, TRAINING ALL 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADE YOUTH, RESULTING IN 200 YOUTH TRAINED. AT THE END OF THE 5-YEAR FUNDING PERIOD, THERE WILL BE 1,675 YOUTH TRAINED. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2022, PACT WILL COORDINATE AND PROMOTE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (YMHFA) TO BI STAFF AND PARENTS/CAREGIVERS OF TRAINED YOUTH, RESULTING IN A TOTAL OF 30 ADULTS TRAINED. AT THE END OF THE 5-YEAR FUNDING PERIOD THERE WILL BE 265 ADULTS TRAINED. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, OF THE 1,675 YOUTH TRAINED IN TMHFA, 80% (1,340) WILL DEMONSTRATE AN INCREASE OF KNOWLEDGE AROUND WARNING SIGNS OF A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. ALSO, 75% (1,256) OF YOUTH WILL REPORT THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR SKILLS TO PROVIDE TMHFA TO A PEER AND 1 OUT OF 10 YOUTH WILL REPORT ACTUAL USAGE OF THE TMHFA WITH A PEER (168 YOUTH). THE SECOND GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT A SYSTEM-LEVEL APPROACH TO SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS AND POLICY CHANGES THAT IMPROVE CARE COORDINATION EFFORTS AND BARRIER REMOVAL. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, PACT WILL PROVIDE 100% (1,940) OF THE YOUTH AND ADULTS TRAINED IN MHFA THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY THROUGH A PAPER BOOKLET AND A QR CODE THAT CONNECTS TO RESOURCES ON PACT'S WEBSITE. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 PACT WILL EDUCATE KEY DECISION-MAKERS FOR 1 POLICY CHANGE THAT ADDRESS ISSUES OF ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES CARA TEEN PROJECT - THE PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SERVES CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA, WHICH IS HOME TO WHAT THE WORLD KNOWS AS LAS VEGAS, SIN CITY, ADULT DISNEYLAND, THE STRIP, DOWNTOWN, AND HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE AND A LITTLE MORE THAN 70% OF NEVADA?S POPULATION. LAS VEGAS IS A UNIQUE PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY. HERE WE HAVE A RATE OF ADDICTION THAT IS HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGES AND IS ALL PART OF THE VEGAS CULTURE. WE HOLD SOME OF THE LOOSEST DRINKING LAWS IN THE COUNTRY, WITH NO RESTRICTIVE OPEN CONTAINER LAWS AND NO SOCIAL HOST LAWS, EVERYWHERE CAN BE A PARTY. THIS IS FURTHER PERPETUATED BY THE FACT THAT LAS VEGAS AND CLARK COUNTY OPERATE ON A TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR CLOCK; ALCOHOL CAN BE ACCESSED AT ANY TIME OF ANY DAY VIA LIQUOR STORES, CONVENIENCE STORES, AND GROCERY OUTLETS. THERE IS NO ?LAST CALL?,, AND THEREFORE NO NEED TO END THE PARTY. THE ENVIRONMENT AND TOURIST CULTURE IN LAS VEGAS LENDS ITSELF TO THE NORMALIZATION OF SUBSTANCE USE. FROM AN?EARLY AGE CHILDREN?ARE EXPOSED TO MEDIA AND MARKETING PROMOTING SUBSTANCE USE. TEENS LEARN TO DRIVE ON FREEWAYS WHERE IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE BILLBOARDS DISPLAYING PHRASES SUCH AS, ?ALCOHOL: IT?S CHEAPER THAN THERAPY?, ENCOURAGING LIQUOR SALES, A FEATURE UNIQUE TO LAS VEGAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. ?LAS VEGAS, OR MORE SPECIFICALLY THE CLARK COUNTY REGION, HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN FENTANYL IN THE PAST 12-24 MONTHS. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAS COINCIDED WITH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND UNPRECEDENTED UNEMPLOYMENT IN CLARK COUNTY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. MOST FENTANYL SEIZED IN CLARK COUNTY HAS BEEN IN ILLICITLY MANUFACTURED PRESSED PILLS, OFTEN OXY 30S (HIDTA). THE HEAT MAP OF SUSPECTED FENTANYL OVERDOSES SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM IN A SINGLE ZIP CODE OR REGION, BUT ACROSS ALL BOUNDARIES, RACE, SOCIOECONOMIC, RURAL, URBAN, ETC. UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE INCREASE IN FENTANYL IN OUR DRUG SUPPLY, MOST OF THE OVERDOSES ARE OCCURRING IN YOUNGER PEOPLE, AND MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE FENTANYL IN THEIR SYSTEM ARE NOT DESIROUS OF THE DRUG. OFTEN FENTANYL IS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL A BODY REACHES THE CORONER?S OFFICE. CLARK COUNTY ALSO HAS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH ILLICIT ADULT METH USE AND OTHER STIMULANT DRUGS. AS OF 2018, NEVADA HAD THE HIGHEST RATES OF METH OVERDOSES IN THE COUNTRY (CDC). WHILE THE OPIOID CRISIS WAS SWEEPING THE NATION, OUR TREATMENT PROVIDERS ROUTINELY TOLD US THAT WHILE THEY WERE SEEING AN INCREASE IN OPIOID OVERDOSES, THEIR MAIN PROBLEM CONTINUED TO BE STIMULANTS, ESPECIALLY ADULT METH USE. WHAT PACT HAS LEARNED FROM THE DFC GRANT IS THAT IT IS BEST TO START IN A SINGLE SCHOOL AND IN A SINGLE ZIP CODE TO ACHIEVE LASTING CHANGE. PACT HAS ALSO FOUND THAT WHILE CERTAIN AREAS MAY HAVE HIGHER NEED, THOSE AREAS OFTEN ALREADY HAVE MULTIPLE RESOURCES AND ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE WILLING TO PARTNER. FOR THIS REASON, PACT HAS CHOSEN TO PARTNER WITH CIMARRON MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL DUE TO ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS, PRINCIPAL BUY IN, ABILITY TO COLLABORATE ON YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY DATA AS WELL AS PROXIMITY TO DFC FUNDED PROGRAM AT SIG ROGICH MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH IS A FEEDER SCHOOL TO CIMARRON. OUR INTENDED LONG-TERM OUTCOMES ARE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH WHO ARE USING OPIOIDS AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND TO CHANGE THE CULTURE AROUND THESE SUBSTANCES THROUGH INCREASED PERCEPTION OF HARM AND INCREASED PEER/PARENT DISAPPROVAL. PACT MANAGES ALL OF OUR GRANTS IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. WITH EVERY FINDING STREAM PACT EITHER DONATES TIME, RESOURCES OR FUNDING TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT PREVENTION IS EMBEDDED IN ALL LEVELS OF COMMUNITY, AND PACT PLANS TO USE THESE GRANT FUNDS TO CONTINUE TO EMBED PREVENTION OF OPIOID, METH AND PRESCRIPTION MISUSE INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS CHANGING CULTURE AROUND ACCEPTABILITY OF THESE DRUGS BY FOCUSING ON THE SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY LEVEL CHANGE AND THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK.

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT SERVING THE COMMUNITY ZIPCODE 89144. THE PROJECT FOCUS ON TWO DRUGS MARIJUANA AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. THE PROJECT SITE IS ROGICH MIDDLE SCHOOL.

PACT COALITION STOP GRANT ALCOHOL USE PREVENTION GRANT - PACT COALITION FOR SAFE AND DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES (PACT) WILL IDENTIFY, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT RELEVANT EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNITY APPROACHES THAT WILL EXPAND AND INCREASE THE COALITION'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE DRINKING IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY COLLABORATION TO REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH. PACT WILL FOCUS ON THE 89146-ZIP CODE, NEAR THE 89144- ZIP CODE CURRENTLY SERVED UNDER DFC FUNDS, BUT IN AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. PACT IS WORKING WITH BONANZA HIGH SCHOOL, UTILIZING AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM IN SCHOOL. AS A TITLE 1 SCHOOL, BONANZA IS RECOGNIZED AS HAVING A HIGH NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO COME FROM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SITUATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE 2021 AND 2022 ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT, 2,082 STUDENTS ATTEND BONANZA WITH THE FOLLOWING RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS: 58% HISPANIC, 15% BLACK, 15% WHITE, 5% PACIFIC ISLANDER, 5% TWO OR MORE RACES, 3% ASIAN, AND 3% NATIVE AMERICAN. BONANZA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT BODY IS COMPOSED OF A MINORITY MAJORITY, MEANING MOST STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS BLACK, LATINO, INDIGENOUS, NATIVE AMERICAN, ASIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS. AS DEFINED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 13895 REFERENCED IN THE NOTICE OF FUNDING, 89146 MEETS THE DEFINITION OF AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, BONANZA HIGH SCHOOL IS RANKED NUMBER 68TH OUT OF 72 HIGH SCHOOLS IN CLARK COUNTY. THIS RANKING IS BASED ON STATE-REQUIRED TESTS, GRADUATION AND HOW WELL THEY PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE. RATES OF POVERTY ARE LIKEWISE AMPLIFIED WITHIN CCSD'S DEMOGRAPHICS. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS, CCSD IS REPORTED AS HAVING 18.3% OF 5 TO 17 YEAR OLDS LIVING IN POVERTY IN 2018. THIS GRANT APPLICATION FOCUSES ON THREE GOALS, GOAL 1: PACT WILL WORK TO ASSESS STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL NORMS AROUND UNDERAGE DRINKING AND DEVELOP A PREVENTION PLAN SPECIFIC TO THESE FINDINGS. GOAL 2 IS PACT WILL WORK TO REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING BY REDUCING ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY. GOAL 3 IS PACT WILL COLLECT AND ANALYZE THE LOCAL CONDITIONS SPECIFIC TO UNDERAGE DRINKING AMONG STUDENTS AT BONANZA HIGH SCHOOL BY CONDUCTING LISTENING SESSIONS WITH THE STUDENTS AND THEN DEVELOP A PREVENTION PLAN STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND ADDRESS PENALTIES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING, ENSURING HARMFUL, PUNITIVE CONSEQUENCES ARE AVOIDED. PACT WILL IDENTIFY, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT RELEVANT EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNITY APPROACHES THAT WILL EXPAND AND INCREASE THE COALITION'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE DRINKING IN THE COMMUNITY BY ENGAGING INSTRUCTORS IN THE CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT (CCSD) TO IMPLEMENT AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM AT BONANZA HIGH SCHOOL. USING PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES SUCH AS EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH WILL HELP TO COMPLETE OUR GOAL TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE PREVALENCE AND RISKS OF UNDERAGE DRINKING AND SUBSTANCE USE TO YOUTH AND PARENTS OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN CLARK COUNTY TO REDUCE BARRIERS. PACT WILL ENHANCE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION ON THE ISSUE OF ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS THROUGH THE CREATION OR ENHANCEMENT OF POLICIES THAT REDUCE YOUTH'S ABILITY TO USE ALCOHOL FURTHERMORE, WE ARE A COMMUNITY IN NEED OF MORE STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO SELL ALCOHOL TO YOUTH. PACT COALITION WILL STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITIES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS TO REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. PACT WILL DISSEMINATE TIMELY INFORMATION TO COMMUNITIES REGARDING STATE-OF-THE-ART PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES THAT HAVE PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING AND REDUCING ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH.