Healthways alliance partnerships for success - healthvisions midwest, DBA healthways alliance (HWA) will implement the strategic prevention framework-partnerships for success (SPF-PFS) project in lake…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded Healthvisions Midwest $425,000 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.492) to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnerships for Success (SPF-PFS) project in Lake County, Indiana.

Healthvisions Midwest, operating as Healthways Alliance, will strengthen community prevention capacity and reduce youth substance use among ages 12–19 by conducting data-driven needs assessments, building coalitions, engaging youth, and implementing evidence-based strategies targeting alcohol, marijuana, prescription drug misuse, and emerging substance use concerns. The project will serve Lake County including Whiting, East Chicago, Hammond, Gary, Lake Station, Hobart, Highland, and Munster. Activities include comprehensive needs assessment to identify substance use priorities, at-risk populations, service gaps, and community readiness; youth and community stakeholder participation through coalition workgroups and a Youth Advisory Committee; collaboration with schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, community organizations, and state prevention partners; and development of a prevention plan, logic model, implementation plan, and evaluation plan.

Performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2031, with administrative and programmatic operations based in Hammond, Indiana. The project will build sustainable prevention infrastructure, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and increase local prevention provider capacity to reduce risk factors and promote youth well-being.

Healthways alliance partnerships for success - healthvisions midwest, DBA healthways alliance (HWA) will implement the strategic prevention framework-partnerships for success (SPF-PFS) project in lake county, indiana, to strengthen community prevention capacity and reduce youth substance use. Through data driven assessment, coalition building, youth engagement, and evidence-based strategies, the project will address alcohol, marijuana, prescription drug misuse, and other emerging substance use concerns among youth ages 12-19. The project will build sustainable infrastructure, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and increase the capacity of local prevention providers to reduce risk factors, strengthen protective factors, and promote youth well-being. The HWA SPF-PFS project will serve lake county, indiana, including the communities of whiting, east chicago, hammond, gary, lake station, hobart, highland, and munster. The population of focus includes youth ages 12-19, their families, schools, and community stakeholders. Lake county requires stronger coordination among prevention partners, increased youth involvement in prevention planning, expanded language access and outreach efforts, and enhanced capacity to use local data to identify and address substance use concern. Using the strategic prevention framework, HWA will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to identify substance use priorities, populations at elevated risk, service gaps, community readiness, and key risk and protective factors. Youth and community stakeholders will participate through coalition workgroups and a youth advisory committee. HWA will collaborate with schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, community organizations, state prevention partners, and other local prevention initiatives to coordinate efforts and maximize resources. Assessment findings will guide the development of a prevention plan, logic model, implementation plan, and evaluation plan. Strategies include coalition development, stakeholder training, youth leadership initiatives, positive social norms campaigns, parent and community education, sticker shock campaigns, prescription drug take-back events, mental health first aid training, language access initiatives, and evidence-based programs such as media ready and overdose lifeline. Prevention activities will begin within the first 6-9 months of the project period and will be refined through ongoing evaluation and community feedback. Project goals are to strengthen prevention infrastructure, increase collaboration among community partners, expand access to evidence-based prevention services, and reduce factors associated with youth substance use. Objectives include increasing coalition functionality by 40% by september 2031, increasing coalition member competency by 20%, adding at least five new prevention partners annually, expanding the reach of prevention activities each year, and demonstrating annual improvements in risk, protective, consumption, and consequence measures. Through sustained community collaboration and continuous quality improvement, HWA will establish a stronger prevention system that supports long-term reductions in youth substance use throughout lake county.