Project Grant H79SP083507

A.C.T. DFC COALITION'S STOP ACT PROJECT - EXPANDED CAPACITY & STRENGTHENED INFRASTRUCTURE TO REDUCE AND PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING - LAHC - LEADERS ADVANCING AND HELPING COMMUNITIES PRESENTS ITS ADVOCATE. COLLABORATE. TREAT (A.C.T.) DRUG FREE COMMUNITY COALITION (DFC) STOP PROJECT, WHICH WILL IMPLEMENT A NEW STRATEGY WITHIN ITS CURRENT DFC WORK TO PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING AMONG STUDENTS ATTENDING WESTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT (WPSD) SCHOOLS, WHICH SERVE DEARBORN HEIGHTS AND INKSTER, TWO CITIES IN THE DETROIT, MICHIGAN METROPOLITAN REGION. THESE CITIES ARE GENERALLY CHARACTERIZED BY LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS; ABOUT 75% OF THE WPSD STUDENT BODY QUALIFIES FOR FREE LUNCHES. 100% OF THE STUDENTS SERVED BY LAHC'S A.C.T. DFC REPRESENT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. STUDENTS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF INKSTER ARE MAJORITY BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN. STUDENTS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF DEARBORN HEIGHTS ARE MAJORITY ARAB AMERICAN, IMMIGRANT, AND/OR RAISED IN MUSLIM HOMES. OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD, LAHC'S A.C.T. DFC WILL SUPPORT 350+ MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL DUPLICATED AND UNDUPLICATED STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT EACH YEAR, OR A TOTAL OF 500+ STUDENTS DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD, BY IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCED-BASED COMMUNITY APPROACHES TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE DRINKING IN THE COMMUNITY. GOAL 1 OF THE PROGRAM WILL INCREASE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION TO PREVENT AND REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING. OBJECTIVES TO REACH THIS GOAL INCLUDE OBJECTIVE A: STRENGTHEN AND INCREASE COALITION MEMBERSHIP, OUTPUTS, AND DELIVERABLES, AND/OR PUBLIC AWARENESS BY 10% BY OCTOBER 2024; OBJECTIVE B: STRENGTHEN AND INCREASE COALITION MEMBERSHIP, OUTPUTS, AND DELIVERABLES, AND/OR PUBLIC AWARENESS BY 20% BY OCTOBER 2026; AND OBJECTIVE C: STRENGTHEN AND INCREASE COALITION MEMBERSHIP, OUTPUTS, AND DELIVERABLES, AND/OR PUBLIC AWARENESS BY 30% BY OCTOBER 2028. GOAL 2 OF THE PROGRAM WILL REDUCE THE RATE OF UNDERAGE DRINKING AMONG YOUTH AND, OVER TIME, INCREASE DISAPPROVAL OF UNDERAGE DRINKING AMONG ADULTS BY ADDRESSING THE FACTORS IN A COMMUNITY THAT INCREASE OR CONDONE UNDERAGE DRINKING. OBJECTIVES TO REACH THIS GOAL INCLUDE: OBJECTIVE A: REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING REPORTED ANONYMOUSLY BY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT TOMLINSON AND ROBICHAUD VIA THE DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES CREATE CORE MEASURES DASHBOARD IN THE PAST 30 DAYS BY 10% BY OCTOBER 2024; OBJECTIVE B: REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING REPORTED ANONYMOUSLY BY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT TOMLINSON AND ROBICHAUD VIA THE DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES CREATE CORE MEASURES DASHBOARD IN THE PAST 30 DAYS BY 20% BY OCTOBER 2026; AND OBJECTIVE C: REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING REPORTED ANONYMOUSLY BY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT TOMLINSON AND ROBICHAUD VIA THE DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES CREATE CORE MEASURES DASHBOARD IN THE PAST 30 DAYS BY 30% BY OCTOBER 2028. TO ACCOMPLISH GOAL 1, LAHC WILL ENACT FIVE STRATEGIES AND PURSUANT ACTIVITIES; FOR GOAL 2, LAHC WILL ENACT SIX STRATEGIES AND PURSUANT ACTIVITIES. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE INVITING YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY ON THE A.C.T. DFC'S YOUTH ACTION COMMITTEE (YAC), CONDUCTING SEVERAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, STRENGTHENING COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY PARTNERS (INCLUDING LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, CHURCHES, MOSQUES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS), DEVELOPING A 12 MONTH ACTION PLAN TO IMPLEMENT OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD (FOR A TOTAL OF A FOUR YEAR PROJECT PERIOD), USING TOWN HALLS AND LISTENING SESSIONS TO GAIN FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND COLLECT AND REPORT DATA IN KEEPING WITH SAMHSA'S DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TOOLS. THESE EFFORTS WILL BE ENHANCED AND INFORMED BY THE A.C.T. DFC'S CURRENT SUCCESSES IN DECREASING USAGE AND PREVENTING WPSD STUDENTS FROM TRYING TOBACCO, MARIJUANA, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, DEMONSTRATED BY THE DFC CREATE CORE MEASURES DASHBOARD.