This youth substance abuse prevention project will focus on programming designed to bring diversion from potential interfacing with the juvenile justice system, and the prevention of juvenile…

The federal Project Grant award of $500,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.731 Tribal Youth Program) will fund a youth substance abuse prevention project for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) in Baraga, Michigan. The project aims to provide culturally-based, holistic programming to divert youth from the juvenile justice system and prevent substance abuse. Key components include staff/volunteer training in trauma-informed approaches, youth leadership and summer employment programs, and transportation assistance to increase participation in prevention services. The award will enable KBIC to address identified community needs, such as reintegrating traditional Anishinaabe culture, increasing teen engagement, offering cultural immersion camps, and providing substance-free family events. This comprehensive, evidence-based approach seeks to strengthen protective factors and mitigate risk factors for delinquency and substance abuse among KBIC's youth population over the 5-year project period from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2029.

This youth substance abuse prevention project will focus on programming designed to bring diversion from potential interfacing with the juvenile justice system, and the prevention of juvenile substance abuse. Current youth programs are underfunded and do not provide intentional, best practices prevention programming at the level that keweenaw BAY indian community (KBIC) youth, families, and the community need. The proposed project will wrap youth in culturally based, holistic, protective factors, and increase the availability of prevention services for youth to mitigate risk factors for delinquency and substance abuse. A key component of the project will be extensive staff/volunteer/partner training in critical areas such as trauma-informed approaches. In addition, the project will be effective in maintaining participation by older youth and teens through activities such as the youth leadership program and the summer youth program for employment and skills building. Another key component is addressing a lack of transportation for tribal youth and families to and from youth activities. The provision of a 15-passenger van as part of the KBIC youth prevention project is a key factor contributing to project success. The community identified the following areas that this project will address: (1) bringing the traditional anishinaabe culture back into families and youth, (2) increasing the number of older youth and teens who participate in youth programming, (3) offering a culture camp where youth are immersed in the anishinaabe culture, (4) providing researched programming that prevents substance use, (5) increasing substance-free family events, (6) providing family cultural teachings, (7) providing adequate transportation for youth to get to and home from activities, (8) engaging families in youth programming, and (9) engaging tribal elders in youth programming.