Health Connect Of South Dakota Inc

FUSE : FUELING UNITY FOR SUBSTANCE EDUCATION - FUSE (FUELING UNITY FOR SUBSTANCE EDUCATION) IS A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE LED BY THE SIOUX EMPIRE COALITION (SEC) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HEALTH CONNECT OF SOUTH DAKOTA (HCSD) AND THE CARROLL INSTITUTE. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON PREVENTING YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES OF GARRETSON (MINNEHAHA COUNTY) AND TEA AND HARRISBURG (LINCOLN COUNTY), SOUTH DAKOTA. ALTHOUGH STATEWIDE TRENDS SHOW DECLINES IN SOME SUBSTANCE USE BEHAVIORS, DATA FROM THE 2023 SOUTH DAKOTA YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY (YRBS) AND LOCAL DATA COLLECTED BY THE CARROLL INSTITUTE INDICATE THAT MANY YOUTHS CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN RISKY ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO USE. FUSE ADDRESSES THESE CONCERNS THROUGH A COORDINATED STRATEGY CENTERED ON PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE INITIATIVE SEEKS TO ACHIEVE FOUR LONG‑TERM OUTCOMES: 1) INCREASED COLLABORATION AMONG SCHOOLS; COMMUNITY ENTITIES SUCH AS BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS; AND LAW ENFORCEMENT; 2) IMPROVED LOCAL CAPACITY TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE; 3) REDUCED YOUTH SUBSTANCE RATES; AND 4) STRONGER PROTECTIVE COMMUNITY NORMS AND ENVIRONMENTS. TO REACH THESE GOALS, SEC AND ITS PARTNERS WILL WORK WITH COUNTY, CITY, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO IDENTIFY LOCAL RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND DEVELOP UNIFIED ACTION PLANS TAILORED TO EACH COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL. EVIDENCE‑BASED, COMMUNITY‑DRIVEN STRATEGIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO REDUCE YOUTH ACCESS TO AND USE OF ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO. YOUTH LEADERSHIP IS A CENTRAL COMPONENT OF FUSE. THE SEC’S YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD WILL DESIGN AND LEAD STUDENT‑DRIVEN MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, INTERACTIVE POP‑UP BOOTHS AT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND YOUTH WORKSHOPS THAT EDUCATE PEERS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO USE AND PROMOTE HEALTHY, DRUG‑FREE ALTERNATIVES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS, THE CARROLL INSTITUTE WILL DELIVER EVIDENCE‑BASED CURRICULA THAT ALIGN WITH EACH SCHOOL’S NEEDS, INCLUDING TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS AND VIOLENCE, PROJECT SUCCESS, AND WHY TRY. ALTHOUGH LOCATED NEAR AN URBAN CENTER, THE COMMUNITIES OF TEA, GARRETSON, AND HARRISBURG RETAIN RURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OFTEN FACE LIMITED ACCESS TO PREVENTION RESOURCES. FUSE LEVERAGES LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, AND EVIDENCE‑BASED PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS THESE GAPS AND BUILD SUSTAINABLE PREVENTION CAPACITY. BY COMBINING RESEARCH‑SUPPORTED STRATEGIES WITH COMMUNITY‑SPECIFIC ACTION, FUSE AIMS TO CREATE A CULTURAL SHIFT TOWARD SUPPORTIVE, INFORMED, AND SUBSTANCE‑FREE ENVIRONMENTS FOR YOUTH. THE INITIATIVE OFFERS A SCALABLE MODEL FOR RURAL‑URBAN FRINGE COMMUNITIES SEEKING TO PREVENT EARLY SUBSTANCE USE AND STRENGTHEN LONG‑TERM COMMUNITY HEALTH.

HEALTH CONNECT OF SOUTH DAKOTA IS PARTNERING WITH THE VIBORG PUBLIC LIBRARY, PARKER PUBLIC LIBRARY, HUDSON LIBRARY, AND BERESFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY TO CONNECT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WITH RURAL LIBRARIES IN SOUTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR LIBRARIANS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND INTERACT WITH PATRONS WHO ARE SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN NAVIGATING THE SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICE SYSTEMS AND BRING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS INTO RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES TO EDUCATE AND CONNECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SERVICES FOR CONSISTENT AND SUSTAINED PREVENTIVE CARE AND TREATMENT. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: HIRING A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER (CHW); CONVENING A WORKING GROUP OF LIBRARY PARTNERS AND THE CHW; DEVELOPING AND ADMINISTERING A SURVEY TO ASSESS LIBRARY STAFF KNOWLEDGE OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY; CONDUCTING A SOCIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN OF EACH COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY BUSINESS, HOUSING, SOCIAL, AND HEALTH RESOURCES THAT ARE AND ARE NOT AVAILABLE; FACILITATING A ONE-DAY TRAINING FOR LIBRARY STAFF; AND DEVELOPING TELEHEALTH CAPABILITIES SPECIFIC TO EACH PARTICIPATING LIBRARY. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN LIBRARY STAFF WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF AND SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE WITH PATRONS ABOUT AVAILABLE SOCIAL AND HEALTH RESOURCES; LIBRARY PATRONS WITH INCREASED ACCESS TO SERVICES; AND A MORE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIBRARY STAFF AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.