Project Grant H79SP083730

BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY FOR PREVENTION IN FRANKLIN COUNTY AND THE NORTH QUABBIN - BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY FOR PREVENTION IN FRANKLIN COUNTY AND THE NORTH QUABBIN THE COMMUNITIES THAT CARE COALITION OF FRANKLIN COUNTY AND THE NORTH QUABBIN WILL FOLLOW THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK TO REDUCE YOUTH USE OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND MARIJUANA AND PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUTH IN OUR RURAL REGION, WITH A FOCUS ON YOUTH FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING CAPACITY FOR MUNICIPAL POLICY IMPROVEMENTS AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN PREVENTION. OUR REGION ENCOMPASSES 88,000 PEOPLE IN THIRTY SMALL RURAL TOWNS. 62% OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE HIGH NEEDS, 53% ARE LOW INCOME, 24% HAVE DISABILITIES, AND 19% ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR. OUR COALITION HAS RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR OUR 20-YEAR TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFULLY REDUCING YOUTH DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE, NONETHELESS YOUTH ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND MARIJUANA USE REMAIN A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG YOUTH HAVE RISEN DRAMATICALLY. THE PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE HERE HAS A STRONG CORE BUT IS SMALL AND UNDERFUNDED. IN ADDITION, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A MOMENT OF SIGNIFICANT POLICY OPPORTUNITY WHILE MASSACHUSETTS ROLLS OUT RETAIL CANNABIS, DEBATES ALCOHOL REGULATIONS, AND OVERHAULS ITS PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM. OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THIS PROJECT ARE: GOAL 1: BUILD COMMUNITY AND COALITION CAPACITY FOR MUNICIPAL POLICY IMPROVEMENTS A) BY 2025, THE COALITION WILL HAVE A STRONG REGIONAL POLICY AND NORMS WORKGROUP THAT MEETS BIMONTHLY AND INCLUDES MEMBERS FROM ALL FOUR COUNTIES OF WESTERN MASS, MUNICIPAL LEADERS, BOARDS OF HEALTH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, PARENTS, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS. B) BY 2026, THE COALITION WILL HAVE PUBLISHED SETS OF MODEL POLICIES FOR YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION FOR SELECTBOARDS, CITY COUNCILS, AND BOARDS OF HEALTH. C) BY 2028, AT LEAST 10,000 PEOPLE WILL HAVE BEEN REACHED WITH MEDIA MESSAGES ABOUT COMMUNITY POLICIES AND NORMS AFFECTING YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH. D) BY 2028, AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT SELECTBOARDS, CITY COUNCILS, AND/OR BOARDS OF HEALTH WILL HAVE ADOPTED MODEL POLICIES FOR ALCOHOL, E-CIGARETTES, CANNABIS, ADVERTISING, ETC. GOAL 2: BUILD CAPACITY FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT IN PREVENTION A) BY THE END OF THE 180 DAYS, THE COALITION WILL HAVE DESIGNED AND STARTED A NEW YOUTH LEADER PROGRAM, AND THE FIRST 12+ YOUTH LEADERS WILL BE ENGAGED B) EACH YEAR, AT LEAST 12 YOUTH WILL BE ENGAGED AS YOUTH LEADERS, AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN A COMBINATION OF OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY WORK AT LEAST MONTHLY. THEY WILL BE TRAINED IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID OR A SIMILAR PROGRAM ANNUALLY. C) BY 2028, AT LEAST 5,000 YOUTH WILL HAVE BEEN REACHED THROUGH EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH LED BY YOUTH LEADERS. GOAL 3: GATHER AND SHARE HIGH-QUALITY DATA ON YOUTH HEALTH LOCALLY A) WE WILL CONDUCT A STUDENT HEALTH SURVEY IN FEBRUARY OF EACH YEAR, WITH ALL 9 SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING, AND 70-80% OF 8TH, 10TH, AND 12TH GRADE STUDENTS (1,500 STUDENTS) IN THE SAMPLE. B) WE WILL CONDUCT FOCUS GROUPS WITH AT LEAST 10 YOUTH, 10 PARENTS, AND 10 YOUTH SERVICES PROVIDERS EACH SPRING/SUMMER TO SUPPLEMENT THE STUDENT HEALTH SURVEY DATA. C) WE WILL ENGAGE AT LEAST 12 YOUTH LEADERS IN SURVEY DESIGN, ADMINISTRATION, AND REPORTING TO THE COMMUNITY. WE EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO REACH THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION'S 88,000 RESIDENTS - ESPECIALLY ITS 7,900 PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS - THROUGH SHIFTING COMMUNITY POLICIES AND NORMS FROM THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED ABOVE.