EZC eastside community prevention initiative - the eastside community prevention initiative (CPI) will positively impact the eastside neighborhoods by forming site-specific community prevention teams

The project will target 2,500 youth of whom 99% identify as african american. Furthermore, 90% are economically disadvantaged and 28% are receiving some form of special education. Along with culturally (race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation) and age-appropriate strategies targeting eastside youth, this project will also implement a series of environmental strategies targeting parents of school-aged youth, young adults aged 26 to 35, and the retail community serving the eastside of detroit. The empowerment zone coalition (EZC) will engage the innate capacity, competencies, and resources to implement all SPF-PFS required activities beginning with the strategic prevention framework (SPF). The EZC will facilitate implementation of each component of the SPF (assessment, capacity, planning, implementation, and evaluation) ensuring a high degree of cultural competence and probability for sustainability. The assessment step will begin with updating the existing eastside community profile within the first 60 days along with a behavioral health disparities impact statement. The updated epidemiology report will provide more complete information on the origin and effect of substance abuse, addiction, and recovery in the eastside neighborhoods of detroit. This new information will be used to strengthen prevention capacity/infrastructure, leverage other funding streams, and resources in both denby and east english village communities by updating our messaging and outreach strategies. The capacity step facilitated by the project director and community coordinators, will engage stakeholders [outreach], develop site-specific community prevention teams, and work with the teams to raise awareness [messaging] of the priorities identified in the EPI report. Over the ensuing 9- to 10-month period each prevention team will engage in strategic planning facilitated by the community coordinators and data analyst. Additional assessment and capacity building activities will be conducted to fill gaps as they are identified. Most notable will be the completion of EPI reports for the denby & east english village communities. The reports will demystify factors influencing substance abuse; evidence-based strategies, programs, and activities that prevent the onset and reduce the progression of substance misuse and associated problem behaviors. An outline of a comprehensive approach including a logic model and 12-month action plan are key components of the EPI report. Each action plan will detail a mix of evidence-based programs and activities selected by the prevention teams. At the end of the 5-year project period, the CPI will expand the coalition to include three community-specific prevention teams, increase the number of evidence-based environmental strategies working to prevent substance abuse among youth and adults, and significantly decrease the use rates for alcohol, marijuana, and opioids for both youth and adults.