Drop-in, campus connect, peer support, and community-wide/school-wide trainings. - in eddy county, chaves county, curry county, roosevelt county, and LEA county in new mexico, there is a chronic sense…

Drop-in, campus connect, peer support, and community-wide/school-wide trainings. - in eddy county, chaves county, curry county, roosevelt county, and LEA county in new mexico, there is a chronic sense of hopelessness, with high rates of suicide, mental health issues, CO-occuring disorders, and substance abuse with limited or non-existent networks of support for youth. Transition-age youth in these communities experience multiple barriers to developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate services and supports. Until very recently, residents in our service communities were not ready to accept or discuss major problems in their community. The mission of youth rising (YR) is to empower vulnerable youth to use their voice and life experience to reduce youth substance abuse and improve mental health among their peers. YR's robust model focuses on implementing mental health and wellness promotion, awareness, prevention, intervention, and resilience activities to reduce youth substance use and improve mental health outcomes for youth and whole communities over time. With support from this grant, youth rising will grow and strengthen our youth-led programs to increase protective factors to reduce youth substance use and improve mental health using the following strategies: 1) increase education on school campuses for mental health, suicide, and substance use prevention; 2) provide safe, alternative options for youth after school through a youth-led drop-in center; 3) increase youth leadership opportunities through youth-led wellness campaigns at the local and state levels. We have identified six activities that address samhsa priorities and will work to strengthen our youth-centered and youth-led grassroots program: develop youth-led drop in centers in downtown areas, implement positive social norming programs in schools, implement youth rising leadership institute (YRLI) for leadership, advocacy, and policy change, promote community-based services to implement youth-led prevention education through awareness presentations and assemblies for youth, families, and school staff, provide mental health first aid training to identify issues of substance use and mental health concerns including suicidality among youth, and establish a student assistance program at local middle and high schools where the need is high due to complex social and emotional constructs. YR will create a platform to amplify youth contributions and input, allowing for advocacy for systems and policy changes while sitting across the table from community stakeholders, elected officials, and decision-makers. YR is a 501C3 non-profit organization with a 6-member board of directors and is affiliated with youth rising national. Collaborating with regional partners and other agencies, YR will work to implement systems change and policy improvement for school districts in our service areas. Our emphasis will be on a true youth-adult partnership model where youth and adults practice equitable practices through information and resource sharing, skill development and shared decision making. YR will catalyze and energize agencies and youth-serving groups, while championing best practices and legislative policies to ensure quality opportunities for all young people. The coalition will also convene youth, youth-service professionals and community members for ongoing training, mentoring, and capacity-building. All projects and initiatives will be authentically youth-led and youth-driven.