Montgomery Institute

RECOVERY ACT GREEN JOBS

TMI/CHIN DRUG-FREE COALITION WILL SERVE AS A COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM TO CAUSE THE REDUCTION OF SUBSTANCE USE, WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON REDUCING YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH, AGES 12-18. - PROJECT ABSTRACT IN 2016 THE MONTGOMERY INSTITUTE FORMED THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT NETWORK (CHIN) THROUGH A HRSA RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK PLANNING GRANT. CHIN'S PURPOSE IS TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY AND PROVIDER PARTNERS TO CREATE JOINT PROGRAMS AND COOPERATIVE VENTURES THAT IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND QUALITY DELIVERY, ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERSERVED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED POPULATIONS, IN LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MS, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. TODAY, CHIN OPERATES AS A D/B/A OF TMI WITH ITS OWN BROAD-BASED ADVISORY BOARD FEATURING BOTH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. CHIN IS AN INTEGRATED NETWORK THAT WORKS TO FOSTER CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION AMONG THE MEDICAL, PUBLIC HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL, BUSINESS, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS CDC DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM GRANT, TMI/CHIN DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES COALITION WILL IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED AND PRACTICE-BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES TO REDUCE AND PREVENT INITIATION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG YOUTH. BASED UPON COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS BY TWO LOCAL HOSPITALS LOCATED IN MERIDIAN, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MS, TMI/CHIN DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES COALITION HAS CHOSEN TWO NAMED SUBSTANCES TO FOCUS ON AND EDUCATE YOUTHS IN GRADES 6-12. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS: • MARIJUANA-GATEWAY DRUG • OPIOIDS SAMHSA’S PREVENTING MARIJUANA USE AMONG YOUTH PUBLICATION REVEALS, “MARIJUANA USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN. EARLY YOUTH MARIJUANA USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH: • NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DECLINE • POOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE • INCREASED SCHOOL DROP-OUT RATES • INCREASED RISK FOR PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS IN ADULTHOOD • INCREASED RISK FOR LATER DEPRESSION • SUICIDAL IDEATION OR BEHAVIOR AS POLICY AND LEGALIZATION EFFORTS EVOLVE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF LEGAL MARIJUANA INCREASES, COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES NEED GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT THE PREVENTION OF MARIJUANA USE AMONG YOUTH.” ACCORDING TO THE MISSISSIPPI BUREAU OF NARCOTICS, 2023 DRUG THREAT ASSESSMENT, MISSISSIPPI RESPONDENTS REPORTED MARIJUANA PRODUCTS CONTINUE TO BE SEIZED, WHICH INCLUDES PROCESSED MARIJUANA AND INCREASES IN THE QUANTITY OF VAPE PENS AND EDIBLES ENCOUNTERED. SEIZURES PRIMARILY OCCURRED ON I-10 AND I-20 (AN INTERSTATE WHICH RUNS THROUGH MERIDIAN, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.) ACCORDING TO PREVENTMEDABUSE (A CADCA INITIATIVE) “THIS POPULATION NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEW USERS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS HAVE CAUGHT UP WITH NEW USERS OF MARIJUANA, AND NEXT TO MARIJUANA, THE MOST COMMON ILLEGAL DRUGS TEENS ARE ABUSING ARE PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.” BASED UPON THESE FINDINGS AND SIMILARITIES FOUND IN MERIDIAN, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MS, IF AWARDED, THE TMI/CHIN DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES COALITION WILL USE FUNDING FROM THIS GRANT TO PREVENT INITIATION OF SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE.

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM