Akron-Newstead Drug And Alcohol Prevention Coalition

AKRON-NEWSTEAD DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION COALITION - PROJECT ABSTRACT THE AKRON-NEWSTEAD DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION COALITION (ANDAC) HAS GATHERED BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA REVEALING THAT YOUTH, NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH, AND LGBTQ+ YOUTH ARE AT A HEIGHTENED RISK OF DEVELOPING SUBSTANCE USE AND MISUSE BEHAVIORS. KEY VULNERABILITIES AMONG THESE DEMOGRAPHICS INCLUDE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, UNEMPLOYMENT IN FAMILIES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, DISABILITIES, LACK OF ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION AND SERVICES, CURRENT SUBSTANCE USE, BULLYING, AND SOCIAL ISOLATION. THE YOUTH IN AKRON-NEWSTEAD ENCOUNTER SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES IN AVOIDING RISKY BEHAVIORS DUE TO THE SCARCITY OF ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS, AND SUPPORT SERVICES TAILORED TO THEIR NEEDS. THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH KEY INFORMANTS SUCH AS YOUTH, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, AND FACULTY, ANDAC HAS NOTED AN INCREASING TREND IN ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND NICOTINE USE AMONG YOUTH AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH SCHOOL GRADES. THE PRIMARY AIM OF THE COALITION IS TO REDUCE SUBSTANCE PREVALENCE AMONG YOUTH BY ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES AND ENHANCING ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT PROMOTE DRUG-FREE LIFESTYLES. TO PINPOINT LOCAL CONDITIONS AND ROOT CAUSES OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, ANDAC UTILIZES THE NATIONAL COALITION INSTITUTE’S COALITION LOGIC MODEL AND THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION’S STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK (SPF). THESE FRAMEWORKS AID IN ASSESSMENT, PLANNING, AND DECISION-MAKING TO FORMULATE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT TARGET SHORT-TERM, INTERMEDIATE, AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AIMED AT CURBING SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH. IN ADDITION, ANDAC WILL INTEGRATE THE COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG COALITIONS OF AMERICA’S SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE AND COLLABORATE WITH YOUTH, LOCAL LEADERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO IMPLEMENT CULTURALLY COMPETENT AND SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE. DATA-DRIVEN INITIATIVES WILL BE EMPLOYED TO ALTER SOCIAL NORMS BY INFLUENCING SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY-LEVEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. INFORMATION AND RESOURCES WILL BE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT A MORE EQUITABLE APPROACH TO SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EFFORTS, ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH CULTURALLY SENSITIVE APPROACHES AND DELIVERING HEALTH EDUCATION THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED AND PRACTICE-BASED PREVENTION INITIATIVES. STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS HAVE ENABLED ANDAC TO ESTABLISH A ROBUST FOUNDATION WITHIN THE AKRON-NEWSTEAD COMMUNITY, ENSURING EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE WORK. THE COALITION WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND COLLABORATE TO INTRODUCE INNOVATIVE PREVENTION PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND PUBLIC POLICY CHANGES AIMED AT REDUCING NICOTINE, ALCOHOL, AND MARIJUANA USE AMONG YOUTH, THEREBY ENHANCING THE OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. 1