The van buren county & LEE county strategic prevention framework - partnerships for success program (SPF - PFS) goals are to build capacity and reduce youth (ages 12-18) use of alcohol, nicotine,…

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $250,000 to Van Buren County Community School District on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.492) to implement the Van Buren County & Lee County Strategic Prevention Framework–Partnerships for Success Program.

The recipient will build capacity in three existing prevention coalitions (VBC Safe Coalition, Strive Fort Madison Coalition, and Best You Coalition), develop a new prevention coalition in central Lee County, and establish a tri-state prevention coalition network serving approximately 39,768 residents across Lee and Van Buren counties. Work includes collecting substance use prevention needs data, engaging and developing youth leaders, implementing seller and server trainings mandatory for businesses failing alcohol compliance checks, supporting law enforcement compliance check operations, and delivering prevention education in at least two local school districts. Performance metrics by September 29, 2029, include holding at least two joint training sessions per year, increasing community awareness of underage drinking and youth nicotine and cannabis use risks by 15 percent through annual media campaigns, increasing stores passing alcohol compliance checks in Lee County by 10 percent, securing independent funding for at least 1 FTE supporting the Strive Fort Madison Coalition, and establishing the new central Lee County coalition with documented monthly meetings.

The period of performance runs through September 29, 2031. Place of performance is Keosauqua, Iowa.

The van buren county & LEE county strategic prevention framework - partnerships for success program (SPF - PFS) goals are to build capacity and reduce youth (ages 12-18) use of alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis. This project will cover the geographic area of LEE and van buren counties with approximately 39,768 residents. The project will work to do the following: collect data to assess needs related to substance use prevention in both counties; build the capacity of the VBC safe coalition, strive fort madison coalition, and the best you coalition; develop a new prevention coalition in central LEE county; engage and develop youth leaders; make seller/server trainings mandatory for every business that fails a compliance check; support law enforcement to perform compliance checks; implement prevention education in at least two of the local school districts; and develop a TRI-state prevention coalition network. A summary of objectives is below. By september 29TH, 2027: • increase knowledge of coalition members by holding at least 2 joint training sessions on substance use or other relevant topics per year, as measured by TRI-CO network records. • increase community awareness of risks related to underage drinking, youth nicotine and cannabis use by 15% through annual media campaigns, as measured by impressions. By september 29TH, 2028: • increase the percentage of stores passing alcohol compliance checks in LEE county by 10% (baseline: 80.6%) as measured by law enforcement reports. By september 29TH, 2029: • secure independent funding to support staff (at least 1 FTE) for the strive fort madison coalition, as measured by the strive budget. • establish a new substance misuse prevention coalition that serves central LEE county, as evidenced by at least 6 monthly meeting minutes. • increase collaboration by implementing at least 1 annual TRI-state prevention coalition network strategic planning meeting, as measured by meeting minutes. • increase moderate/great perception of risk of alcohol and nicotine use by 3% and cannabis by 5% in 11TH graders as measured by the core measures survey • increase the number of businesses having their employees trained in merchant alcohol training by 5, and nicotine retailers by 2, as measured by attendance records • increase youth coping skills by having each youth council implement at least 2 peer presentations on the topic per year, as measured by coalition records. By september 29, 2030 • increase school best practices by adding educational components to discipline policies in at least two school districts, as measured by school policies. By september 29, 2031 • increase collaboration by adding at least 3 coalitions from adjacent counties to the TRI-state prevention coalition network, as measured by membership records • reduce exterior promotion of cannabis products in LEE county by 20%, as measured by retail scans. • reduce past 30-day alcohol and nicotine use by 3% and marijuana use by 2% among 11TH graders, as measured by the core measures survey.