Pelham Together Inc

PELHAM TOGETHER REDUCES YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE AND IMPROVES YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH BY BUILDING RESILIENCE, EMPOWERING THEM THROUGH LEADERSHIP, AND INCREASING THEIR SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS. - PELHAM TOGETHER (PT) PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT A DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES AND MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION PROJECT. WE WILL ENGAGE 500 YOUNG PEOPLE ANNUALLY BY IMPLEMENTING YOUTH-CENTERED ACTIVITIES, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EDUCATION TO PREVENT AND REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH 18 YEARS AND YOUNGER, AND HELP REDUCE THE ONSET AND PROGRESSION OF SUBSTANCE USE AND RELATED CHALLENGES. PT’S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND MENTAL WELLBEING OF ALL PELHAM YOUTH BY OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD RESILIENCE AND CONNECTEDNESS THAT RESULT IN REDUCED SUBSTANCE USE AND IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. WE ACTIVELY WORK TOWARD A FUTURE IN WHICH YOUTH ARE EMPOWERED BY FEELINGS OF CONNECTEDNESS AND BELONGING, THEREFORE AT LESS RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE. PT’S FOCUS POPULATION INCLUDES YOUTH AGES 18 AND YOUNGER. LOCAL ASSESSMENT DATA FROM 2023 SHOWS THAT PELHAM YOUTH AS YOUNG AS 8TH GRADE ARE USING SUBSTANCES AND ALCOHOL USE AND BINGE DRINKING RATES AMONG PELHAM YOUTH ARE ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGES FOR BOTH 10TH AND 12TH GRADERS. SUBSTANCE USE OFTEN CO-OCCURS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND THIS CONFLUENCE OF ISSUES IS EVIDENT IN PELHAM. IN OUR MOST RECENT STUDENT SURVEY, PELHAM YOUTH REPORTED AN INCREASE IN CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION FROM 2021 TO 2023, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR 8TH GRADERS, OUR NON-BINARY YOUTH, AND FOR CERTAIN RACES/ETHNICITIES. ALIGNED WITH THE DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM LOGIC MODEL, PELHAM TOGETHER’S PROJECT’S PURPOSE IS TO ADDRESS THREE MAJOR COMMUNITY NEEDS: 1) HIGH RATES OF YOUTH ALCOHOL USE, INCLUDING BINGE DRINKING, 2) MARIJUANA USE AND VAPING, AND 3) HIGH RATES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO OUR NON-BINARY YOUTH AND, IN GENERAL, THE CO-OCCURRING CONNECTION TO SUBSTANCE USE. TO ACHIEVE OUR PROJECT’S PURPOSE, PT HAS IDENTIFIED SEVERAL SHORT-TERM, INTERMEDIATE, AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. (SHORT-TERM): IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE REGARDING PATTERNS OF YOUTH ALCOHOL, BINGE DRINKING, MARIJUANA, AND VAPING USE, INCLUDING CONNECTION TO MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS; INCREASED CAPACITY OF LOCAL AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLABORATIVELY ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE; INCREASED COMMUNITY EDUCATION, WITH YOUTH AT THE CENTER, ON UNDERAGE ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE TO PROMOTE POSITIVE COMMUNITY NORMS. (INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES) REDUCED FACTORS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE; INCREASED PROMOTION OF FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE; INCREASED EASE, ABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO ACCESS SUBSTANCE-FREE, SOCIAL SETTINGS, AND PROGRAMS EMPHASIZING SELF-EFFICACY, SKILL & CONFIDENCE BUILDING THAT PREVENT SUBSTANCE USE; DECREASED EASE, ABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO ACCESS SUBSTANCES; AND INCREASED SUPPORT FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FACING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, REDUCING THE GAP BETWEEN THOSE WHO CAN AND CANNOT AFFORD CARE. (LONG-TERM) ESTABLISHED AND STRENGTHENED COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE; REDUCED SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH AND, OVER TIME, REDUCED SUBSTANCE USE AMONG ADULTS.