Peer Coalition Inc

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES (DFC) SUPPORT PROGRAM

PEER COALITION DFC YEAR 6 - SINCE 2013, THE PEER COALITION HAS BUILT OUT A DIVERSE COMMUNITY COALITION TO PREVENT AND REDUCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE CURRENT PROBLEM, PEER COALITION HAS IDENTIFIED ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AS THE PRIORITY SUBSTANCES TO BE ADDRESSED USING DFC SUPPORT PROGRAM FUNDING. STUDENTS ENROLLED IN EAST RAMAPO SCHOOLS ARE AT RISK FOR ABUSE/MISUSE OF THESE SUBSTANCES BASED ON RECENT SURVEY DATA, THE STATUS OF LOCAL RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND LOCAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING AN OPPRESSIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY, EAST RAMAPO STUDENT ENROLLMENT IS 96% MINORITY. PEER COALITION ADDRESSES YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE WITH COMPASSION, PROFICIENCY, AND EQUITY. IT USES COMPASSION TO FOSTER TRUST AMONG THE VARIOUS POPULATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. IT USES PROFICIENCY TO MEASURE, EVALUATE, AND IMPROVE PROJECT PERFORMANCE. IT USES EQUITY TO NETWORK WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS IN ALL 12 SECTORS AND TO ENGAGE AND RECRUIT YOUTH MEMBERS WHO ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR STUDENT BODY. PEER HAS ADOPTED THE SEVEN STRATEGIES THAT CAN BRING ABOUT COMMUNITY CHANGE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR OUR APPROACH TO STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT, WITH EACH STRATEGY REPRESENTING A KEY ELEMENT TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY COMMUNITY. WHEN FOCUSING ON THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR 12-MONTH ACTION PLAN, WE FOCUS OUR EFFORTS TO CONSIDER THE TYPES OF INFORMATION PROVIDED, ENHANCING SKILLS, PROVIDING SUPPORT, CHANGING CONSEQUENCES, AND ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO MOVE INTERVENTIONS FORWARD. RELATIVE TO DFC GOAL 1, PEER WILL MEASURE INCREASES IN THE SIZE OF THE COALITION AS WELL AS INCREASES IN ITS ACTIVITY IN THE COMMUNITY AND ITS DIVERSITY. IT WILL CHALLENGE AND EQUIP MEMBERS TO INCREASE OUTREACH TO RELEVANT SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE AMONG MARGINALIZED MINORITY POPULATIONS. RELATIVE TO DFC GOAL 2, THE COALITION WILL EVALUATE PROGRAM IMPACT ON THE FOLLOWING MEASURES: • REDUCE ALCOHOL SALES THROUGH THE ADVOCACY AND/OR IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY CHANGE INITIATIVES • EDUCATE PARENTS, THE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS ON THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS USE • MAINTAIN OR REDUCE FURTHER THE HISTORICALLY LOW PAST 30-DAY ALCOHOL USE • MAINTAIN OR REDUCE FURTHER THE HISTORICALLY LOW PAST 30-DAY MARIJUANA USE • MAINTAIN OR REDUCE FURTHER THE HISTORICALLY LOW PAST 30-DAY PRESCRIPTION OPIOID USE IMPLEMENTING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY INITIATIVES, PSA CAMPAIGNS, FORUMS, AND COMPLIANCE CHECKS, PEER EXPECTS TO REDUCE FACTORS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE AND DECREASE THE EASE, ABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO ACCESS SUBSTANCES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE COALITION WILL LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN EDUCATING PARENTS AND YOUTH ON THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE USE AND MEDICATION SECURITY, ENGAGE STUDENTS IN PROJECT STICKER SHOCK, CHALLENGE PARENTS AND YOUTH THROUGH SOCIAL NORMING CAMPAIGNS, AND IMPLEMENT OTHER STRATEGIES TO SHARPEN AND CLARIFY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING SUBSTANCE USE, PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL, AND PEER DISAPPROVAL. VIA THESE ACTIVITIES, PEER EXPECTS TO INCREASE THE PROMOTION OF FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE. PEER COALITION USES A CDC-APPROVED DMP AND HAS THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO MANAGE THE DFC PROGRAM, TRACK REVENUE AND EXPENSES WITH PRECISION, AND EVALUATE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE.

PREVENT DRUG USE/MISUSE AND CHANGE THE CULTURE IN ROCKLAND COUNTY - PEER COALITION HAS IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY CONDITIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO DRUG USE/MISUSE, INCLUDING POVERTY AND CULTURAL ISSUES. MANY ADOLESCENTS DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO PURSUE CONSTRUCTIVE INTERESTS DURING UNSUPERVISED TIME WHILE BOTH PARENTS ARE WORKING. ERCSD PARENTS ? MANY OF THEM NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS ? VIEW ILLICIT SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS A LESS PRESSING ISSUE WHEN COMPARED TO THE OTHER THREATS FACED BY THE FAMILY. MANY PARENTS DO NOT SPEAK ANY ENGLISH AND RELY ON THEIR CHILDREN TO TRANSLATE. (PEER TRANSLATES MATERIALS INTO SPANISH AND HAITIAN CREOLE TO ENSURE COMMUNITY-WIDE ACCESS AND EDUCATION.) THESE CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASES IN YOUTH ABUSE OF HEROIN AND METHAMPHETAMINES. IN 2019, A YRBS SURVEY OF NY STUDENTS RETURNED AN HISTORIC RATE OF 5.8% OF STUDENTS WHO ?EVER USED HEROIN.?PEER COALITION?S PURPOSE IS TO SUPPLEMENT CURRENT STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES WITH EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES SPECIFICALLY TO CHANGE THE CULTURE AND PREVENT OPIOID, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE AMONG YOUTH AGES 12-18 IN EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (ERCSD). THIS PROGRAM ALSO SEEKS TO ALLEVIATE HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG BLACK (HAITIAN), HISPANIC, AND LGBTQ YOUTH POPULATIONS.IN YEAR ONE. WE WILL IDENTIFY IN MORE DETAIL PATTERNS OF YOUTH OPIOID, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND/OR PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE BY ADDING RELEVANT QUESTIONS TO OUR STUDENT SURVEYS; INCREASE PROVIDER AWARENESS OF YOUTH USE, ESPECIALLY LOCAL PRESCRIBERS; INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF YOUTH USE UTILIZING OD2A MATERIALS AND OTHER RESOURCES; LEAD COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS (WITH YOUTH, RCADD AND OTHERS) TO INCREASE LOCAL AGENCIES? AND ORGANIZATIONS? CAPACITIES TO ADDRESS YOUTH USE; AND INCREASE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION AS AN ACTIVE AND INVALUABLE PARTNER WITH CDC AGENCIES.

STOP ACT PROJECT TO PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING IN SPRING VALLEY, NY - THE PREVENTION EDUCATION EAST RAMAPO COALITION (PEER) IS LOCATED IN ROCKLAND COUNTY, A SUBURB OF NEW YORK CITY. PEER COALITION WILL WORK ACROSS THE 12 SECTORS, PRIMARILY COLLABORATING WITH THREE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS - SPRING VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, TENDER STEPS OF NEW YEAR, AND SAIL AWAY MEDIA - TO PREVENT AND REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING. IN ITS FOURTH YEAR OF DFC FUNDING, PEER’S RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUILT CAPACITY, PROVIDED INFORMATION, AND ENHANCED SKILLS. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, PEER HOSTED A PRESENTATION BY KEITH DAVIS, A FORMER COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER. HE SPOKE TO EAST RAMAPO HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ON WAYS TO PREVENT ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS IS 12-20 YEAR OLDS SERVED BY THE EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (ERCSD), APPROXIMATELY 4,400 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. THE LOCAL HISPANIC STUDENT POPULATION COMPRISES 75-80% OF TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION, ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT’S LATEST ENROLLMENT DATA. CLOSE TO HALF OF EAST RAMAPO’S RESIDENTS (40%) ARE FOREIGN BORN AND 89% ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. DUE TO LOW PERCEPTIONS OF RISK OR HARM FROM ALCOHOL USE, MANY OF OUR LOCAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN RISKY BEHAVIORS WHILE INTOXICATED. ONE YEAR AGO, A 2003 SEDAN WITH 5 ERCSD STUDENTS SPLIT A UTILITY POLE IN HALF BEFORE FLIPPING ON ITS SIDE, INJURING 4 AND KILLING 1. THE JUVENILE DRIVER WAS CHARGED WITH DWI AND 2ND DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER IN THE DEATH OF A 16-YEAR-OLD FEMALE. STOP ACT FUNDING WILL INCREASE THE PEER COALITION’S EFFECTIVENESS ADDRESSING UNDERAGE DRINKING TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS COMMUNITY NORMS BUT ALSO REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING, CREATE CHANGES IN UNDERAGE DRINKING ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, ADDRESS PENALTIES FOR UNDERAGE USE, AND ULTIMATELY REDUCE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING, INCLUDING MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES AND FATALITIES. THE COALITION’S 12-MONTH ACTION PLAN INCLUDES THE EIGHT REQUIRED ACTIVITIES IN ADDITION TO SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO SUPPORT TWO PROGRAM GOALS: STRENGTHEN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AROUND YOUTH ALCOHOL USE AND PREVENT AND REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 12-20 IN SPRING VALLEY, NY. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR IS AN EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY COLLABORATOR IN THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK. SHE ESTIMATES THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE 2,500 PEOPLE ANNUALLY AND 10,000 OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT.