Care coalition's stop project - the care coalition's stop project will build capacity to reduce the onset and progression of underage drinking in transylvania county (TC), north carolina, through a…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded $239,039 to Transylvania County on September 30, 2025, under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.243) to implement the CARE Coalition's STOP Project, a data-driven, community-based underage drinking prevention initiative.

The project will build capacity to reduce the onset and progression of underage drinking in Transylvania County, North Carolina, through engagement of youth and families, development of community protective factors, and reduction of youth access to alcohol. An estimated 1,893 youth in grades 6–12 will be served annually. Within the first 120 days, project staff will engage the 40-member coalition in developing, delivering, and monitoring prevention services.

The project targets two primary goals. Goal 1, capacity building, aims to increase youth coalition engagement in prevention activities by 30%, increase coalition and community engagement in underage drinking prevention project activities by 30%, and strengthen community capacity for prevention by increasing the percentage of Transylvania County families who routinely speak to their children about underage drinking by 10% by September 29, 2029. Goal 2, access reduction, seeks to reduce youth retail access to alcohol by improving the purchase survey pass rate from 40% to 80% and to decrease the percentage of students in grades 6–12 who report that alcohol is easy to access at home from 22% to 10% by September 29, 2029.

Performance occurs in Brevard, North Carolina. The period of performance runs through September 29, 2029.

Care coalition's stop project - the care coalition's stop project will build capacity to reduce the onset and progression of underage drinking in transylvania county (TC), north carolina, through a data-driven, community-based approach aligned with samhsa's SPF. The project will engage youth and their families, build community protective factors, and reduce youth access. The project's population of focus is all youth, grades 6-12, in transylvania county. An estimated 1,893 youth between 6TH and 12TH grade will be served by the project annually. Within the first 120 days of care coalition's stop project, staff will engage its 40+ member coalition in the development, delivery, and monitoring of prevention services. Project goals are as follows: 1. Increase youth and community capacity for preventing underage drinking; and 2. Reduce youth access to alcohol. Goal 1 (capacity building) objectives include increasing youth coalition engagement in prevention activities by 30%, increasing coalition and community engagement in underage drinking prevention project activities by 30%; and strengthening community capacity for prevention by increasing the percentage of TC families who routinely speak to their children about underage drinking by 10% by september 29, 2029. Goal 2 (access) objectives include reducing youth retail access to alcohol by improving purchase survey pass rate from 40% to 80%; and decreasing the percentage of students (grades 6-12) who report that alcohol is easy to access at home from 22% to 10% by september 29, 2029.