Project Grant H79SP082464

THE LEE AND VAN BUREN COUNTY STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK - PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUCCESS PROJECT TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE DRINKING AND BINGE DRINKING IN LEE AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, IOWA. - THE LEE AND VAN BUREN COUNTY STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK - PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUCCESS PROGRAM (SPF - PFS) PLANS TO ENSURE THAT THE FOLLOWING ARE REDUCED: TEEN ACCESS TO ALCOHOL; TEEN ALCOHOL USE; BINGE DRINKING BY YOUTH; ADULTS REPORTING EXCESSIVE DRINKING; ALCOHOL IMPAIRED DRIVING DEATHS; TOBACCO/NICOTINE USAGE BY ADULTS AND YOUTH; AND MARIJUANA ABUSE BY YOUTH AND ADULTS. THE PROGRAM WILL WORK TO DO THE FOLLOWING: MAKE SERVER TRAININGS MANDATORY FOR EVERY BUSINESS THAT OBTAINS A LIQUOR LICENSE; SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PERFORM SEMI-ANNUAL COMPLIANCE CHECKS; BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE LEE COUNTY THE BEST YOU COALITION AND THE VAN BUREN COUNTY SAFE COALITION THROUGH WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN EACH COUNTY TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES IN A PRODUCTIVE AND EFFECTIVE MANNER; AND IMPLEMENT BOTVIN LIFE SKILLS TRAINING CLASSES IN LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE SPF - PFS PROGRAM WILL COVER THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF LEE AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES WITH APPROXIMATELY 41,075 RESIDENTS PER THE IOWA STATE DATA CENTER (LEE COUNTY - 34,055 AND VAN BUREN COUNTY - 7,020). THE PROJECT WILL REACH AT LEAST 20,000 RESIDENTS PER YEAR. LEE COUNTY AND VAN BUREN COUNTY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA WHERE UNDERAGE DRINKING, UNDERAGE TOBACCO/NICOTINE USE, AND MARIJUANA ABUSE ARE A PROBLEM BASED ON THE IOWA YOUTH SURVEY (IYS). THE IYS FOR THE TWO COUNTIES SHOWED IN 2018 THAT 42% (LEE) AND 18% (VB) 11TH GRADERS WERE DRINKING; 33% (LEE) AND 14% (VB) 11TH GRADERS WERE BINGE DRINKING; 9% (LEE) AND 12% (VB) 11TH GRADERS WERE SMOKING; 11% (LEE) AND 12% (VB) 11TH GRADERS WERE USING SMOKELESS TOBACCO; 32% (LEE) AND 30% (VB) 11TH GRADERS WERE VAPING; AND 14% (LEE) AND 10% (VB) 11TH GRADERS WERE USING MARIJUANA. LEE COUNTY'S COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT & SURVEY REPORTED THE FOLLOWING: 19% OF ADULTS SURVEYED REPORTED EXCESSIVE DRINKING; 17% OF ADULTS SURVEYED REPORTED TOBACCO USAGE; 63% OF ADULTS SURVEYED REPORTED THAT ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE IS A HEALTH CONCERN; 17% OF ADULTS SURVEYED REPORTED THAT TOBACCO ABUSE IS A HEALTH CONCERN; 63% OF ADULTS SURVEYED REPORTED THAT ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON HEALTH; AND 34% OF ADULTS SURVEYED REPORTED THAT TOBACCO USE HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON HEALTH. THE VAN BUREN COUNTY COMMUNITY READINESS SURVEY OF ADULTS SHOWED THAT 71% OF RESPONDENTS SAID ALCOHOL IS A MODERATE/SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR TEENS IN THE COUNTY. IN VAN BUREN COUNTY FOCUS GROUPS & ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS CONDUCTED WITH YOUTH HAVE REVEALED THAT UNDERAGE DRINKING, UNDERAGE BINGE DRINKING, UNDERAGE TOBACCO/NICOTINE USE, AND MARIJUANA ABUSE ARE ISSUES IN THE COUNTY. THESE NUMBERS ARE A CALL TO ACTION AND THE MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR THE SPF - PFS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE ABUSE.