Metro Drug Coalition Inc

MDC REGIONAL COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE

EDUCATION, AWARENESS, RECOGNITION-TRAINING FOR ACTION TO SAVE LIVES - THE PURPOSE OF THE METRO DRUG COALITION MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING PROJECT IS TO: 1) INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS AND SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE; 2) PROVIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS WITH THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO INTERVENE DURING A MENTAL HEALTH EPISODE; AND 3) DEVELOP A NETWORK OF CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINERS FOR THE KNOXVILLE/KNOX COUNTY AND 15 SURROUNDING COUNTIES. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS WILL INCLUDE TEACHERS/ SCHOOL PERSONNEL, EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL, FAMILIES/CAREGIVERS/SERVICE PROVIDERS IN CONTACT WITH ARMED SERVICES PERSONNEL, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, PARENTS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE 80 MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAININGS OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD AND TRAIN A TOTAL OF 600 INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO THE 600 INDIVIDUALS TRAINED IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, THE METRO DRUG COALITION WILL ALSO HOST 4 ON-SITE TRAIN THE TRAINER SESSIONS. THESE SESSIONS WILL EACH RESULT IN THE CERTIFICATION OF 20 INDIVIDUALS AS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINERS FOR THE COMMUNITY. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, THE SELECTED GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WILL POSSESS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRAINED TO RESPOND TO A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND A ROBUST NETWORK OF TRAINERS WHO ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN GOING MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES TO PREVENT AND REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING ACT GRANT: METRO DRUG COALITION, INC. RAISING THE BAR ON UNDERAGE DRINKING - THE METRO DRUG COALITION IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE WILL CONTINUE ITS 33 YEAR HISTORY IN REDUCING THE IMPACT UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE HAS ON THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ON-GOING MULTI-SECTOR COLLABORATION, USING THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES CONSISTING OF AWARENESS, EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND ENFORCEMENT. THROUGH DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING, OVERALL COMMUNITY-LEVEL INDICATORS WILL BE MEASURED AND PROGRESS TOWARDS THE OVERALL GOAL OF DECREASING ALCOHOL USE AMONG UNDERAGE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. ENHANCING PREVIOUS WORK UNDER DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT GRANT FUNDING, MDC WILL DRIVE DOWN USE RATES WITH THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING THE HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020 OBJECTIVE THROUGH ADDITIONAL EMPHASIS ON UNDERAGE DRINKING USING TOOLS AND STRATEGIES IN THE SURGEON GENERAL’S REPORT ON REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING. THROUGH ENHANCED PARTNERSHIPS AND SUSTAINED EFFORTS, WE CAN REDUCE THE DOWNSTREAM HARM AND CONSEQUENCES UNDERAGE DRINKING HAS ON THE GREATER KNOXVILLE COMMUNITY.

MENTORING PROGRAM BETWEEN THE KNOXVILLE METROPOLITAN DRUG COMMISSION & THE ANDERSON COUNTY HEALTH

THE GATEWAY RECOVERY COMMUNITY COALITION - THE GATEWAY RECOVERY COMMUNITY COALITION, A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE OF METRO DRUG COALITION AND THE GATEWAY RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER, SEEKS TO REDUCE YOUTH OPIOID AND MARIJUANA MISUSE IN KNOX COUNTY, TENNESSEE, THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE, RECOVERY-INFORMED, COMMUNITY-LEVEL PREVENTION APPROACH. KNOX COUNTY FACES ELEVATED RISK FACTORS FOR YOUTH SUBSTANCE MISUSE, INCLUDING INCREASING OVERDOSE RATES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, HIGH LEVELS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISTRESS, WIDESPREAD EXPOSURE TO SUBSTANCE USE IN THE HOME, AND GEOGRAPHIC VULNERABILITY TO DRUG TRAFFICKING CORRIDORS. DESPITE EXISTING PREVENTION EFFORTS ADDRESSING ALCOHOL AND NICOTINE, OPIOIDS AND MARIJUANA REMAIN LARGELY UNADDRESSED, CREATING A CRITICAL SERVICE GAP FOR SELECTIVE AND INDICATED YOUTH. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY SYSTEMS, ENHANCE PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND REDUCE RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUTH OPIOID AND MARIJUANA MISUSE BY INTEGRATING EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES WITH THE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP OF INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY. THE COALITION LEVERAGES THE GATEWAY RECOVERY ECOSYSTEM TO BRIDGE PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND RECOVERY SERVICES, ENSURING COORDINATED AND SUSTAINABLE RESPONSES ACROSS SECTORS. INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN COALITION LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP, EDUCATION, AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT, PROVIDING AUTHENTIC, CREDIBLE PREVENTION MESSAGING AND FOSTERING RESILIENCE AMONG YOUTH AND FAMILIES. USING DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES FUNDING, THE COALITION WILL IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK AND THE SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE TO GUIDE ALL ACTIVITIES. UNDER GOAL 1, THE COALITION WILL STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND EFFECTIVENESS BY EXPANDING MEMBERSHIP, ENHANCING PARTNER COLLABORATION, BUILDING WORKFORCE SKILLS, INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS, AND ADVANCING PREVENTION-INFORMED POLICIES. UNDER GOAL 2, THE COALITION WILL ADDRESS KEY RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS BY EDUCATING AND TRAINING PARENTS AND ADULTS, INCREASING ACCESS TO PREVENTION AND CESSATION RESOURCES, PROMOTING HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES, ADVOCATING FOR SUPPORTIVE DISCIPLINE PRACTICES, IMPROVING MEDICATION DISPOSAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ENGAGING POLICYMAKERS THROUGH DATA-INFORMED ADVOCACY. PRIMARY TARGET POPULATIONS INCLUDE SELECTIVE AND INDICATED YOUTH UNDER AGE 18 WHO ARE AFFECTED BY FAMILY SUBSTANCE USE, TRAUMA, JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT, HOUSING INSTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. SECONDARY POPULATIONS INCLUDE PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, EDUCATORS, AND YOUTH-SERVING PROFESSIONALS WHO INFLUENCE HOME, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTS. EXPECTED YEAR 1 OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED COALITION MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY; IMPROVED EFFECTIVENESS AND QUALITY OF PREVENTION PROGRAMMING; INCREASED COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF OPIOID AND MARIJUANA RISKS; ENHANCED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AMONG ADULTS WORKING WITH YOUTH; STRENGTHENED INTERGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION; EXPANDED REACH OF PREVENTION SERVICES TO AT-RISK YOUTH; AND DISSEMINATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY BRIEF TO COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT STAKEHOLDERS. THROUGH CONTINUOUS EVALUATION, DATA-INFORMED DECISION-MAKING, AND STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THE GATEWAY RECOVERY COMMUNITY COALITION WILL ADVANCE LONG-TERM REDUCTIONS IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, PREVENT OVERDOSES, AND PROMOTE HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS KNOX COUNTY.