D-Fi Drug-Free Irondequoit Together Inc

"THE REDUCTION OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE OF TOBACCO/NICOTINE AND MARIJUANA, INCLUDING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEMS" - DRUG-FREE IRONDEQUOIT WILL USE EVIDENCE BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES TO REDUCE MARIJUANA AND NICOTINE USE, PARTICULARLY WITH ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEMS (ENDS) AMONG TEENS BETWEEN 7TH AND 12TH GRADE. STRATEGIES INCLUDE MEDIA CAMPAIGNS PROVIDING INFORMATION TO PARENTS AND TEENS, ENHANCING SKILLS OF PARENTS TO START EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUTH, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO YOUTH BY INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND ENSURING ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES TO REDUCE ACCESS TO THESE SUBSTANCES.THE DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT GRANT WILL PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES TO DECREASE NICOTINE AND MARIJUANA USE AMONG APPROXIMATELY 3400 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLERS IN THE TOWN OF IRONDEQUOIT, NY. IT WILL ALSO HELP US TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND ENHANCE PARENT SKILLS TO INCREASE THE PERCEPTION OF HARM AND RISK.A COMMUNITY PARADIGM SHIFT OVER A PERIOD OF THE 5 YEAR GRANT WOULD IMPACT ABOUT 50000 RESIDENTS.OBJECTIVES OF THE GRANT INCLUDE DEVELOPING AND NURTURING PARTNERSHIPS WITH ADULT AND YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE TOWN AS WELL AS SPECIFIC AGENCIES WHO PROVIDE AREAS OF EXPERTISE TO THE COALITION. A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE IRONDEQUOIT POLICE IS ALSO PART OF OUR STRATEGIES IN RE: TO COMPLIANCE CHECKS AND ENSURING MORE POLICE ARE TRAINED AS DRE (DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERTS).STRATEGIES ALSO INCLUDE BUILDING A MEDIA LIBRARY OF EXPERTS TO SHARE INFORMATION, SOCIAL MEDIA AND VARIOUS OTHER MEDIA FORMATS, PROVISION OF CESSATION MATERIALS FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS.INCREASED COLLABORATION WITHIN THE TOWN IS ESSENTIAL AND WE WILL BE WORKING TO EXPAND MEMBERSHIP FROM UNDERSERVED SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE COALITION WILL ALSO BE REFINING THE EVALUATION AND SUSTAINABILITY PLANS OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS.

REDUCING YOUTH NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE IN IRONDEQUOIT, NY. THIS PROJECT WILL TARGET SCHOOL AGED YOUTH (GRADES 6-12) IN THE TOWN OF IRONDEQUOIT NY (14609, 14617, 14621, 14622). - D-FI DRUG-FREE IRONDEQUOIT TOGETHER INC. DBA,UPLIFT IRONDEQUOIT’S (UPLIFT) MISSION IS TO ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PREVENTION, EDUCATION AND REDUCTION OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. THE PROJECT ENTITLED, “REDUCING YOUTH NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE IN IRONDEQUOIT NY” WILL TARGET SCHOOL-AGE YOUTH (GRADES 6-12) IN THE TOWN OF IRONDEQUOIT, NY (14609, 14617, 14621, 14622). THE ALARMING RATES OF NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE AMONG YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATES THE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. DATA FROM THE 2023 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY (YRBS) AND 2023 SUBSTANCE USE SURVEY (SUS) REVEALS THAT 3.1% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 8.1% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTED PAST 30-DAY USE OF NICOTINE. IN ADDITION, 2.1% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 12.1% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTED PAST 30-DAY USE OF CANNABIS. TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UPLIFT WILL ENGAGE IN AN ONGOING PROCESS TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND CHANGE THE PERCEPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE SUBSTANCES BY ADDRESSING RISK FACTORS AND LOCAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE USE. OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, UPLIFT WILL COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS FROM ALL 12 SECTORS TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES IN OUR WORK PLAN (12-MONTH ACTION PLAN). THROUGH THESE STRATEGIES, UPLIFT WILL INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF OUR COALITION BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS, THE NUMBER OF YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES, AND THE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER HOURS PROVIDED BY MEMBERS. UPON THE COMPLETION OF OUR PROJECT, UPLIFT WILL HAVE INCREASED COLLABORATION THROUGH A CONSORTIUM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO FINANCIALLY SUSTAIN THE PREVENTION EFFORTS OF UPLIFT. IN ADDITION TO ACHIEVING COALITION SUSTAINABILITY, THE STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES AS OUTLINED IN OUR WORK PLAN (12-MONTH ACTION PLAN) WILL ALLOW UPLIFT TO ADDRESS THE FACTORS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE AND PROMOTE THE FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE. UPLIFT WILL IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT INCREASE THE PERCEIVED HARM OF NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE AMONG YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY BY RAISING AWARENESS AND INCREASING EDUCATION SURROUNDING THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE USE. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE WILL INCREASE THE PERCEPTION OF PEER DISAPPROVAL OF NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE BY ADDRESSING THE ATTITUDES AND SOCIAL NORMS SURROUNDING THESE SUBSTANCES. ADDITIONALLY, UPLIFT WILL WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL CANNABIS SALES IN OUR COMMUNITY BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF TOBACCO RETAILERS THAT SELL ILLICIT CANNABIS PRODUCTS. THESE SHORT-TERM AND INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES WILL FACILITATE UPLIFT ACHIEVING OUR LONG-TERM GOAL OF REDUCING NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE AMONG YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. UPLIFT WILL FOSTER A COLLABORATIVE, DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE PREVENTION INITIATIVES THAT NOT ONLY REDUCE THE USE OF YOUTH NICOTINE AND CANNABIS USE, BUT ALSO PROMOTE A HEALTHIER AND SAFER COMMUNITY FOR ALL. THESE EFFORTS WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINED IMPACT WELL BEYOND THE DURATION OF OUR PROJECT.

THE PREVENTION OF UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING - UPLIFT IRONDEQUOIT (D-FI DRUG-FREE IRONDEQUOIT TOGETHER) PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT THE FY2026 SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING (STOP) UNDERAGE DRINKING ACT PROJECT. OUR PROJECT IS ENTITLED, THE PREVENTION OF UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED BOATING . FOR THIS PROJECT, OUR FOCUS POPULATION WILL BE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 16-20 RESIDING IN THE TOWN OF IRONDEQUOIT AND ITS SHARED ZIP CODES WITH THE CITY OF ROCHESTER (14609, 14617, 14621, 14622). THE PROPOSED PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS A SIGNIFICANT PREVENTION NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY IS CHARACTERIZED BY ITS UNIQUE WATERFRONT ACCESS, INCLUDING THE IRONDEQUOIT BAY, LAKE ONTARIO, AND THE GENESEE RIVER. GIVEN THIS, WATERFRONT RECREATION IS POPULAR WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS. OUR COMMUNITY HOUSES NUMEROUS BOAT LAUNCHES, MARINAS, AND WATERFRONT RESTAURANTS AND BARS, MAKING POPULAR GATHERING SPACES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THESE CHARACTERIZATIONS PROVIDE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. CURRENT DATA REVEALS ONGOING CONCERNS RELATED TO YOUTH ALCOHOL USE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT ASSESSMENT GAP, AS EXISTING SYSTEMS OF DATA COLLECTION DO NOT ADEQUATELY CAPTURE INDIVIDUALS AGES 18-20, AS WELL AS BOATING-RELATED ALCOHOL BEHAVIORS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE COALITION WILL CONDUCT ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS THIS SERVICE GAP AND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND LOCAL CONDITIONS THAT WILL GUIDE EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION EFFORTS. THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, UPLIFT WILL STRENGTHEN COALITION CAPACITY BY ENGAGING IN NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, ENGAGING INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, AND EXPANDING A YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE FOCUS POPULATION. WE WILL CONDUCT A COMMUNITY READINESS ASSESSMENT, CONDUCT LISTENING SESSIONS, AND DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER A NEW COALITION SURVEY TO GATHER INPUT AND TO ESTABLISH BASELINE DATA ON UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE, PERCEPTION OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS, PEER AND PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS, BOATING BEHAVIORS, AND IMPAIRED BOATING, AMONG YOUTH AGES 16-20 IN OUR CATCHMENT AREA. THESE FINDINGS WILL ASSIST THE COALITION IN IDENTIFYING EVIDENCE-BASED, EVIDENCE-INFORMED, AND COMMUNITY-DEFINED ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE ASSESSED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE COALITION WILL ENGAGE IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING COALITION CAPACITY BUILDING, THE EXPANSION OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE SELECTED AND IMPLEMENTED BASED ON THE ASSESSED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND WILL AIM TO REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, MARINAS, WATERFRONT BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, MARINE LAW ENFORCEMENT, PREVENTION ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT, THE COALITION EXPECTS TO HAVE INCREASED CAPACITY, EXPANDED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, IMPROVED LOCAL ASSESSMENT DATA FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 16-20, INCREASED AWARENESS OF IMPAIRED BOATING, IMPROVED PERCEPTION OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS, REDUCED SOCIAL ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, AND IMPLEMENTED SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING.