Northeastern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center Inc

HEALTHIEST MANITOWOC COUNTY-SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION (HMC-SAP)

MANITOWOC COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION

HEALTHIEST MANITOWOC COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION: DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT

CE26-0220 - THE TWO RIVERS PARTNERS IN PREVENTION COALITION WILL WORK TO REDUCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. - THE TWO RIVERS PARTNERS IN PREVENTION (TR PIP) COALITION REPRESENTS THE CITY OF TWO RIVERS IN MANITOWOC COUNTY, WISCONSIN—A SMALL, CLOSE-KNIT LAKESIDE COMMUNITY WITH A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 11,271. KNOWN FOR ITS SCENIC SHORELINE, FAMILY-ORIENTED ATMOSPHERE, AND STRONG CIVIC PRIDE, TWO RIVERS ALSO FACES PRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUTH. DESPITE STRONG COMMUNITY TIES, THE CITY GRAPPLES WITH YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, FOOD INSECURITY, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DUE TO ITS SEMI-RURAL GEOGRAPHY. A COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING 2023 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY (YRBS) DATA, SCHOOL DISCIPLINE REPORTS, COMPLIANCE CHECKS, AND Q1 2025 YOUTH FOCUS GROUPS, IDENTIFIED EARLY INITIATION OF SUBSTANCE USE, LOW PERCEPTION OF HARM, AND EASY SOCIAL ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND VAPE PRODUCTS AS KEY RISK FACTORS. YOUTH REPORTED HIGH RATES OF THC VAPING AT SCHOOL, UNSUPERVISED DRINKING AT HOUSE PARTIES, AND MINIMAL CONSEQUENCES FOR SUBSTANCE USE—HIGHLIGHTING THE NORMALIZATION OF RISKY BEHAVIORS. MENTAL HEALTH INDICATORS ARE ALSO ALARMING, WITH OVER HALF OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTING ANXIETY, 22% ENGAGING IN SELF-HARM, AND 11% ATTEMPTING SUICIDE. THESE CHALLENGES ARE EXACERBATED BY BULLYING, LACK OF TRUSTED ADULT CONNECTIONS, FOOD INSECURITY, AND SLEEP DEPRIVATION. IN RESPONSE, TR PIP HAS PRIORITIZED REDUCING YOUTH ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE THROUGH A MULTI-SECTOR, DATA-DRIVEN STRATEGY GROUNDED IN SAMHSA’S STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK. THE COALITION WILL IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE WORK PLAN FOCUSED ON ENHANCING PROTECTIVE FACTORS, SHIFTING COMMUNITY NORMS, INCREASING PERCEPTION OF RISK, AND REDUCING ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY. STRATEGIES INCLUDE SCHOOL-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAMS, YOUTH-LED PEER EDUCATION THROUGH THE YOUTH COALITION, PARENT TRAINING WORKSHOPS, POLICY CHANGE EFFORTS, AND “IMPROVED ACCESS TO PREVENTION MESSAGING ALIGNED WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS” THE TR PIP COALITION BRINGS TOGETHER WITH MULTIPLE SECTORS, INCLUDING SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, YOUTH, AND PARENTS—TO COLLABORATIVELY IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES THAT BUILD CAPACITY AND CREATE LASTING CHANGE. WITH CLEARLY DEFINED SHORT-, INTERMEDIATE-, AND LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES, TR PIP IS COMMITTED TO CREATING A HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT TWO RIVERS COMMUNITY BY REDUCING SUBSTANCE USE AND SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF ITS YOUTH.

HEALTHIEST MANITOWOC COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION: DRUG-FREE COMMU

RURAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES OUTREACH GRANT PROGRAM