SOBER TRUTH ON UNDERAGE DRINKING-JEFFERSON TWP. YOUTH COALITION - "THE STOP GRANT PROJECT", WILL ENHANCE THE WORK OF THE JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP YOUTH COALITION (JTYC) A DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES, CDC FUNDED COALITION SINCE 2021. IT WILL DIRECTLY MEET THE STOP ACT PROGRAM GOAL "TO PREVENT AND REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AGED 12-20 IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES." STOP ACT FUNDING WILL ALLOW PROGRAMMATIC ADDITIONS TO THE ACTIVITIES OF JTYC, FOCUSING ON UNDERAGE DRINKING AMONG YOUTH AGED 12-20 YEARS OLD IN JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, NJ. THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT ALL RESIDENTS OF JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP THROUGH AN ONGOING COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AND DIRECT SERVICE INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMITS, ACES TRAININGS AND AWARENESS PRESENTATIONS REGARDING LGBTQ+ YOUTH. THE GOAL OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO REDUCE THE USE OF ALCOHOL BY YOUTH AGED 12-20 YEARS OLD IN JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP. THREE OBJECTIVES ARE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL: 1) BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2027, REDUCE EASE OF ACCESS TO ALCOHOL IN THE HOME BY INCREASING BY 5% (70% TO 75%) THE NUMBER OF ADULTS WHO TAKE MEASURES TO MONITOR IT, AS MEASURED BY THE MORRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY SURVEY. 2) BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2027, INCREASE BY 5% THE PERCEPTION OF RISK AND HARM OF YOUTH ALCOHOL USE AMONG ADULTS (74% TO 79%) AND YOUTH IN JEFFERSON TWP. (65.8% TO 70.8%) AS MEASURED BY THE MORRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY SURVEY AND THE FOUR CORE MEASURES SURVEY. 3) BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2027, INCREASE FROM 0 TO 4 THE NUMBER OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AMONG JEFFERSON TWP. PARENTS, SCHOOLS, YOUTH, AND ALL YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH, AS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF NEW INITIATIVES IMPLEMENTED IN JEFFERSON TWP. BECAUSE OF ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMITS. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING ONGOING SOCIAL AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA AWARENESS CAMPAIGN REGARDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING, AN ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMIT, ANNUAL ACES TRAININGS AND ANNUAL AWARENESS TRAININGS REGARDING INCREASED INCIDENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AMONG LGBTQ+ YOUTH. 1) JTYC WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT EXTENSIVE AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS THROUGH TRADITIONAL AND ATYPICAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS INCLUDING BILLBOARDS, DIGITAL DISPLAYS AT LOCAL DINERS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND TOWN HALL MEETINGS REGARDING THE CAUSES, PREVALENCE, AND CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING THROUGHOUT JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP AND SURROUNDING AREAS. 2) JTYC WILL CONDUCT FOUR ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMITS WITH SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND YOUTH TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUTH'S PERSPECTIVE ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE AMONG THEIR PEERS. JTYC WILL CONDUCT ANNUAL ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES) TRAININGS REGARDING FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUBSTANCE RELATED CONSEQUENCES AND CONSUMPTION IN COMMUNITIES. JTYC WILL PARTNER WITH THE INSTITUTE OF THE CENTER FOR GREAT EXPECTATIONS TO EDUCATE THE JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ACES ON MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES INCLUDING SUBSTANCE USE AND SUBSTANCE RELATED CONSEQUENCES. JTYC WILL COLLABORATE WITH EDGE NJ TO EDUCATE THE JEFFERSON TWP. COMMUNITY AND YOUTH SERVING PROFESSIONALS ABOUT THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AMONG LGBTQ+ YOUTH.