Kansas strategic prevention framework-partnerships for success for states - kansas strategic prevention framework - partnerships for success-states the kansas department for aging and disability…

Kansas strategic prevention framework-partnerships for success for states - kansas strategic prevention framework - partnerships for success-states the kansas department for aging and disability services (kdads) strategic prevention framework-partnerships for success-states (kansas SPF-PFS-states) 5-year initiative is centered around youth and young adults ages 12-20 years in underserved/underrepresented diverse communities to prevent the onset of/reduce substance use. This project will be focused on alcohol and marijuana use by youth and young adults, while comprehensively linking mental health and wellness promotion with the included goal of increased protective factors and decreased risk factors through family/community engagement strategies/activities for youth, young adults, youth/human service workers, parents, and caregivers. Communities of focus are finney, ford, seward, grant, wyandotte, geary, reno, and harvey counties in kansas. Annually, kdads will award funding to 15 community level subrecipients that have demonstrated a youth/young adult led structure to implement recognized center for substance abuse prevention (csap) prevention strategies. Kansas SPF-PFS-states will offer three trainings: PAX tools for human services, PAX tools for youth workers, and guiding good choices. PAX tools for human services provides foundational information on how trauma, adversity, and the environment can affect behavior and how adults who work with children in professional settings outside of school can implement PAX tools as universal prevention paths to improve behavior, collaboration, and relationships with young people. PAX tools for youth workers provides evidence-based, trauma-informed strategies for those who work with youth in the community during out-of-school time. Guiding good choices curriculum is a five or six session evidence-based parenting class in which parents/caregivers learn specific actions that promote healthy development and reduce risky behavior in the teen years. The four goals of kansas SPF-PFS-states are goal 1: increase perceptions of harm of regular alcohol and marijuana use among youth and young adults ages 12-20 years in underserved/underrepresented communities; goal 2: reduce the onset and progression of alcohol and marijuana use among youth and young adults ages 12-20 years in underserved communities; goal 3: promote individual and community health and wellness to enhance mental health among youth and young adults ages 12-20 years in underserved communities; and goal 4: increase the prevention infrastructure capacity in underserved communities by utilizing the SPF to implement data-driven substance use prevention and mental health promotion strategies.