Project Grant H79SP085377

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Bridges Healthcare, Inc. $250,000 on September 30, 2026, through the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.492).

Bridges Healthcare will implement the BRIDGES Prevention of Early Use Initiative, a five-year Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnerships for Success effort designed to strengthen community prevention infrastructure across Milford, West Haven, Bethany, Orange, and Woodbridge, Connecticut. The initiative will serve approximately 7,500 youth in grades 6–12 attending Milford Public Schools, West Haven Public Schools, and Regional School District #5 (Amity). Activities include expanding multisector prevention coalitions, establishing youth advisory groups, implementing evidence-informed prevention strategies targeting early initiation of alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and vaping, and enhancing performance measurement and continuous quality improvement systems. The project will address documented capacity gaps in coalition infrastructure, middle school prevention programming, youth engagement, and evaluation, with particular emphasis on rebuilding prevention capacity in Bethany and Woodbridge.

The award runs through September 29, 2031, with place of performance in Milford, Connecticut. The project will strengthen organizational and community capacity through comprehensive needs assessment, strategic planning, youth leadership development, and data-driven decision making to build sustainable prevention systems beyond the grant period.