Empowering actions for a better tomorrow - the drug free task force, dftf, of hunterdon county, NJ project, empowering actions for a better tomorrow will decrease youth alcohol use and increase…

Empowering actions for a better tomorrow - the drug free task force, dftf, of hunterdon county, NJ project, empowering actions for a better tomorrow will decrease youth alcohol use and increase perception of harm of underage drinking. The geographic catchment area where the project will be implemented will be hunterdon county, NJ population, 129,924 census indicates the following racial breakdown: 89.9 percent caucasian, 7.8 percent latino, 4.8 percent asian, 3.3 percent black, 1.6 percent mixed. We also have a high growing undocumented latino population. The dftf will focus on more than 50 percent of our total population in underserved communities greatly impacted by substance use disorder. The grant will focus on populations identified as rural pockets, lgbtq plus and non-english speaking hispanic and latino. Our needs assessment has uncovered that within hunterdon county, there are many systemic barriers and equity for these underserved populations. IT is important to note that the census data does not capture the growing undocumented hispanic and latino population. Hispanic/latino population has the largest ethnic group increase. Our first goal is to reduce past 30 day use of alcohol consumption among ages 12-20 by implementing evidenced based programming, providing information and support, decreasing access, modifying policy and implementing physical design change. Our second goal is to decrease community tolerance and social acceptability of underage consumption specifically among the latino and hispanic communities within our county. Third goal is to increase perception of harm of youth alcohol use by implementing evidenced based programming, providing information and support, decreasing access and modifying policy. The dftf will continue to utilize the strategic prevention framework, while incorporating cultural humility and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging into all strategic planning and infrastructure. By identifying evidence-based practices, promising approach programming, and 7 strategies for community-level change, the coalition will be able to implement the required activities of the stop act.