Project Grant H79SP085390

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded the State of Alaska Department of Health $2 million on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.492).

The recipient will implement a five-year statewide initiative to strengthen prevention infrastructure and expand community capacity to prevent alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and vaping, and other substance use among Alaska youth ages 10–17 and young adults ages 18–25. The project prioritizes rural, remote, economically disadvantaged, and underserved communities identified through data-driven needs assessment. The initial catchment area is the entire state of Alaska; assessment findings will identify priority regions and communities with elevated substance use risks, limited prevention services, workforce shortages, insufficient out-of-school programming, and barriers related to geography, transportation, cost, and internet access.

Direct prevention activities will focus on youth and young adults with limited access to prevention resources or elevated risk factors, including adverse childhood experiences, behavioral health needs, weak community connectedness, child welfare or juvenile justice involvement, and early substance use.

Using SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework, the project will conduct needs and community-readiness assessments; provide competitive subawards and individualized technical assistance; expand sustainable out-of-school prevention programs; strengthen workforce, fiscal, evaluation, and data capacity; and engage youth in planning and partner engagement.

Performance occurs in Juneau, Alaska. The period of performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2031.