Project Grant H79SP083578

PORT CHESTER CARES PREVENTION PROGRAM - FAMILY SERVICES OF WESTCHESTER, INC. (FSW) WITH THE COMMITMENT OF COALITION PARTNERS INCLUDING THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OTHER PROMINENT MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, PROPOSES TO REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING IN PORT CHESTER, NY THROUGH THE STOP ACT FUNDING. THE PORT CHESTER CARES PREVENTION PROGRAM (PCCP) WILL ENABLE PORT CHESTER TO DEVELOP AND EXECUTE DATA-DRIVEN, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING AND ASSOCIATED ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES. SPECIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSIONS INCLUDE REGULAR MEASUREMENT OF UNDERAGE USE, AND RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS; IMPLEMENTATION OF A PREVENTION CURRICULUM IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL; ESTABLISHING PROJECT-BASED PREVENTION ACTIVITIES AMONG STUDENTS; ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND STIGMA REDUCTION; AND BUILDING UPON SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES DEVELOPED UNDER A PREVIOUS DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT. PORT CHESTER, NY IS A CULTURALLY, ETHNICALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND THE POPULATION OF FOCUS WILL BE MIDDLE AND HIGH-SCHOOLERS, GRADES 6 -12, ATTENDING PORT CHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THEIR FAMILIES. PORT CHESTER MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS AN ENROLLMENT OF 900 STUDENTS IN 6TH, 7TH AND 8TH GRADE, WHILE PORT CHESTER HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS GRADES 9 - 12 AND HAS A CURRENT ENROLLMENT OF 1,200. SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE STUDENT BODY IN 2021 WAS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, WHICH IS UP FROM 65% IN THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR (THE FIRST YEAR SUCH DATA WAS RECORDED). OF THE TOTAL STUDENT BODY, 83% IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC/LATINO, AND 36% ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. PORT CHESTER, NY, IS LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST WESTCHESTER, AND FORMS PART OF THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA. WITH A POPULATION OF 31,693 (US CENSUS, 2020), IT IS THE FIFTH-MOST POPULOUS VILLAGE IN NEW YORK STATE. PORT CHESTER CONSTITUTES AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY AND IS HOME TO POPULATIONS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY SUD AND CHALLENGED BY BARRIERS PREVENTING ACCESS TO SERVICES. OUR OVERALL PURPOSE IS TO REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING AND ASSOCIATED ADVERSE EVENTS IN PORT CHESTER. BY BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE COALITION, WE AIM TO ADDRESS THE RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SUBSTANCE USE AND ESTABLISH SUPPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO: DECREASE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND ACHIEVE A REDUCTION OF AT LEAST 10% IN 30-DAY ALCOHOL USE RATES AMONG 8TH, 10TH, AND 12TH GRADERS BY SEPTEMBER 2027 AND A REDUCTION OF AT LEAST 10% IN LIFETIME ALCOHOL USE RATES AMONG 8TH, 10TH, AND 12TH GRADERS BY SEPTEMBER 2027; ADDRESS NORMS REGARDING DRINKING AS EVIDENCED BY AN INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO REPORT PEER DISAPPROVAL OF ALCOHOL USE BY 10% BY SEPTEMBER OF 2027, AN INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO PERCEIVE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AS HARMFUL BY SEPTEMBER OF 2027 AND AN INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO REPORT PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL FOR ALCOHOL USE BY 10% BY SEPTEMBER 2027; PROVIDE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS BY TRAINING 30 COMMUNITY ADULTS IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND INCREASE COMMUNITY-WIDE PREVENTION AND PRO-SOCIAL PRACTICES BY ADDING 100 STUDENTS TO A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT, EDUCATING 1,200 MIDDLE SCHOOL USING THE ALL STARS CURRICULUM AND PROVIDE ADULT-FOCUSED PREVENTION MESSAGING TO AT LEAST 300 PARENTS/ADULTS ANNUALLY AND 1,200 STUDENTS BY SEPTEMBER 2027.