Alliance For Substance Abuse Prevention Inc

FAM & CHILDRENS SERV OF NANTUCKET COUNTY INC

NANTUCKET OPIOID PREVENTION EDUCATION

NANTUCKET ASAP'S PROJECT TO PREVENT AND REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 12-20

STEWART COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY THE STEWART COUNTY PREVENTION COALITION, ALSO KNOWN AS THE STEWART COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, IS WORKING TO REDUCE YOUTH TOBACCO, NICOTINE, ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE ACROSS STEWART COUNTY THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PREVENTION EFFORT. OUR FOCUS IS ON YOUTH AGES 10–18, AND OUR WORK REFLECTS THE UNIQUE CULTURE, GEOGRAPHY, AND SOCIAL INFLUENCES THAT SHAPE LIFE IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY. LOCAL DATA SHOW THAT NICOTINE AND ALCOHOL USE CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNS FOR OUR YOUTH. THE 2022–2023 TN TOGETHER STUDENT SURVEY FOUND THAT 12% OF STEWART COUNTY STUDENTS REPORTED PAST 30-DAY NICOTINE USE THROUGH VAPING DEVICES, WITH RATES INCREASING AS STUDENTS GET OLDER. ALCOHOL USE REMAINS SIMILARLY COMMON, WITH 14.6% OF YOUTH REPORTING PAST 30-DAY USE AND 30 MARIJUANA USE IS 11.1%. COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND JUVENILE COURT DATA SHOW THAT YOUNG PEOPLE OFTEN OBTAIN THESE SUBSTANCES THROUGH FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS, OR SOCIAL GATHERINGS, MAKING SOCIAL ACCESS AND NORMALIZATION ONGOING CHALLENGES. OUR COUNTY’S HISTORY ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN SHAPING CURRENT ATTITUDES. STEWART COUNTY SITS WITHIN THE HISTORIC BLACK PATCH TOBACCO REGION, WHERE TOBACCO USE WAS ONCE PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE, AND THOSE CULTURAL INFLUENCES STILL LINGER. ALCOHOL USE IS ALSO COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH OUTDOOR RECREATION AND SOCIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, STEWART COUNTY HAS A STRONG MILITARY AND VETERAN PRESENCE, AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SUGGESTS THAT TOBACCO, NICOTINE, AND ALCOHOL ARE SOMETIMES VIEWED AS ACCEPTABLE COPING OR BONDING BEHAVIORS IN SOME MILITARY-CONNECTED HOUSEHOLDS. ALL OF THESE FACTORS INFLUENCE HOW YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES VIEW SUBSTANCE USE AND ACCESS. THE COALITION ADDRESSES THESE CHALLENGES USING THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK, BRINGING SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN PREVENTION EFFORTS. OUR WORK INCLUDES COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS, PROGRAMS THAT HELP PARENTS AND YOUTH COMMUNICATE ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE, PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS AND JUVENILE COURT TO SUPPORT EARLY INTERVENTION, AND EFFORTS TO REDUCE SOCIAL ACCESS TO SUBSTANCES. WE INTENTIONALLY ADDRESS TOBACCO AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS TOGETHER SO WE DO NOT UNINTENTIONALLY NORMALIZE ONE PRODUCT OVER ANOTHER WHILE REMAINING RESPONSIVE TO NEW AND EMERGING TRENDS. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE AIM TO INCREASE YOUTH AND PARENT AWARENESS OF SUBSTANCE USE RISKS, STRENGTHEN FAMILY COMMUNICATION, REDUCE YOUTH ACCESS TO ALCOHOL AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS, AND BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. ULTIMATELY, OUR GOAL IS TO SUPPORT HEALTHIER NORMS AND CREATE STRONGER OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES ACROSS STEWART COUNTY THROUGH PREVENTION EFFORTS THAT ARE LOCALLY DRIVEN AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTED.

FAM & CHILDRENS SERV OF NANTUCKET COUNTY INC

CDC-RFA-CE21-2106