Alianza- alliance for drug-free community initiatives to prevent latino underage drinking - center for prevention services is a nonprofit that has served mecklenburg county for more than 50 years

The organization now serves six different counties and has four departments including block grant, harm reduction, PFS, and the latino department. The latino department created the alianza coalition: for drug free youth, to further implement prevention efforts in the latino community. To promote these efforts we are applying to fund the following endeavors: further the implementation of the evidence-based program familia adelante, increase the exposure of arts and self-expression in the community through our amarteatro: theater program, and educate our latino community through a youth led and adult guided communications campaign, intergovernmental cooperation, and citizenship participation. Familia adelante is a program that serves latino youth ages 10-14 and their parents/caregivers. IT educates them on substance misuse prevention, stress management, improving communication, behavioral problems, and HIV education. This program has seen great success here in mecklenburg county over the last few years. With this funding, we will propagate success by training more facilitators and increase the expansion to other areas. Our theater program, amarteatro, was created to educate youth on the art of theater while also teaching alcohol prevention. This program uses art therapy to understand the negative impacts that alcohol can have on our health and communities, while also using fun and interactive prevention education materials. The theater program targets youth ages 10-18 and their parents/caregivers. Parents/caregivers who are a part of the program will attend a portion of the sessions; this makes IT easier for parents to participate in the program, which in turn elevates learning in the family unit. Familia adelante and amarteatro are both group-serving programs that target specific ages and families. To expand our reach we will be conducting a communications campaign that will target a larger audience, in person and online. The campaign will include social media videos and posts as well as in-person tabling sessions. Staff and coalition youth will table in the community to educate and interact with community members in different ways to engage conversations, gauge different substance stigmas, and to increase prevention education. For intergovernmental cooperation, staff and coalition members will work with festival leaders to create policies to increase protective factors for youth and families during festive times to prevent underage drinking and over-consumption. Lastly, the team will increase citizen participation by hosting town halls and policy/advocacy training activities to develop a policy action statement. The statement will request that mecklenburg county make explicit in its behavioral health strategic plan and county budget funds dedicated to latino behavioral health issues. This funding source will greatly support the implementation of these programs that target and serve our latino community and the advancement of prevention.