Project Grant H79SP083618

WAYNE COUNTY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS DRUG FREE COMMUNITY COALITION - THE WAYNE COUNTY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES COALITION (WCCS-DFCC) SERVES ALL OF WAYNE COUNTY, NY, INCLUDING ALL OF ITS 11 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WITH A FOCUS ON YOUTH AGED 12-20. OUR TARGET POPULATION OF OUR PROPOSAL IS COMPRISED OF APPROXIMATELY 5,500 YOUTH, AGES 12-18 LIVING IN WAYNE COUNTY, NY. OUR PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE AND PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING IN WAYNE COUNTY. WE CARRY OUT OUR OBJECTIVES THROUGH THE FORMATION OF A 22 MEMBER YOUTH COALITION DEDICATED TO PREVENTING AND REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT INTEGRATION OF YOUTH VOICE CAN ENHANCE PREVENTION OUTCOMES AND THAT PEER TO PEER MESSAGING CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN CHANGING SOCIAL NORMS AND GIVING CREDIBLE, RELATABLE INFORMATION. THE EVALUMETRICS YOUTH SURVEY GUIDES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ROOT CAUSE; OUR YOUTH COALITION FRAMES THAT UNDERSTANDING WITH ACTIONABLE PERSPECTIVE. OUR PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES IN ORDER TO MEET THIS GOAL: - OUR PROJECT WILL REDUCE LACK OF PERCEPTION OF RISK OR HARM OF ALCOHOL USE BY ADOLESCENTS IN WAYNE COUNTY AS EVIDENCED BY A 20% REDUCTION (5%/YEAR) OF BASELINE DATA ON THE BIANNUAL EYS. - BY THE END OF YEAR FOUR, INCREASE THE PERCEPTION OF PEER DISAPPROVAL OF ALCOHOL USE BY 20% OVERALL AS MEASURED BY OUR EYS. - BY THE END OF YEAR FOUR, ENHANCE PARENTAL ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AGAINST UNDERAGE DRINKING AS MEASURED BY A 20% INCREASE IN PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL OF ALCOHOL USE AS MEASURED BY THE EYS. - BY THE END OF YEAR FOUR, REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING THROUGH THE MEANS OF POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES BY 10% AS MEASURED BY THE REPORTED PERCEPTIONS FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROSOCIAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY ON THE EYS. - BY THE BEGINNING OF YEAR TWO, ALL INVOLVED LOCAL COURT SYSTEMS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE FORMED A COUNTY-WIDE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE COMMITTEE. - BY THE END OF YEAR TWO, THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE COMMITTEE WILL FORM RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWN/COUNTY YOUTH COURTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS' BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO CHANGE PUNITIVE MEASURES TO INCLUDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE EDUCATION AS MEASURED BY ADPEP AND OTHER PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAM PARTICIPATION LOGS. - BY THE END OF YEAR FOUR, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COURTS WILL REPORT A 5% REDUCTION IN REPEAT OFFENDERS FOR ALCOHOL RELATED OFFENSES OF PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 21. SPECIFIC STRATEGIES THAT WE WILL USE TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) WE WILL FORM A 22 MEMBER COUNTY-WIDE YOUTH COALITION WHOSE MAIN PURPOSE WILL BE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF UNDERAGE DRINKING. 2) YOUTH WILL DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO INFORM YOUTH OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING 3) YOUTH WILL DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS SOCIAL NORMS AND PEER APPROVAL. 4) WE WILL FOLLOW THE YOUTH PARTNER MODEL, AS IDENTIFIED IN THE WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY'S INFORMATION GUIDE SERIES, "ENGAGING YOUTH TO IMPROVE SUBSTANCE MISUSE PREVENTION. 5) ALL TARGETED YOUTH WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ADPEP 6-HOUR COURSE FOR YOUTH.