Project Grant H79SP085407

THE PREVENTION OF UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING - UPLIFT IRONDEQUOIT (D-FI DRUG-FREE IRONDEQUOIT TOGETHER) PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT THE FY2026 SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING (STOP) UNDERAGE DRINKING ACT PROJECT. OUR PROJECT IS ENTITLED, THE PREVENTION OF UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED BOATING . FOR THIS PROJECT, OUR FOCUS POPULATION WILL BE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 16-20 RESIDING IN THE TOWN OF IRONDEQUOIT AND ITS SHARED ZIP CODES WITH THE CITY OF ROCHESTER (14609, 14617, 14621, 14622). THE PROPOSED PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS A SIGNIFICANT PREVENTION NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY IS CHARACTERIZED BY ITS UNIQUE WATERFRONT ACCESS, INCLUDING THE IRONDEQUOIT BAY, LAKE ONTARIO, AND THE GENESEE RIVER. GIVEN THIS, WATERFRONT RECREATION IS POPULAR WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS. OUR COMMUNITY HOUSES NUMEROUS BOAT LAUNCHES, MARINAS, AND WATERFRONT RESTAURANTS AND BARS, MAKING POPULAR GATHERING SPACES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THESE CHARACTERIZATIONS PROVIDE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. CURRENT DATA REVEALS ONGOING CONCERNS RELATED TO YOUTH ALCOHOL USE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT ASSESSMENT GAP, AS EXISTING SYSTEMS OF DATA COLLECTION DO NOT ADEQUATELY CAPTURE INDIVIDUALS AGES 18-20, AS WELL AS BOATING-RELATED ALCOHOL BEHAVIORS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE COALITION WILL CONDUCT ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS THIS SERVICE GAP AND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND LOCAL CONDITIONS THAT WILL GUIDE EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION EFFORTS. THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, UPLIFT WILL STRENGTHEN COALITION CAPACITY BY ENGAGING IN NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, ENGAGING INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, AND EXPANDING A YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE FOCUS POPULATION. WE WILL CONDUCT A COMMUNITY READINESS ASSESSMENT, CONDUCT LISTENING SESSIONS, AND DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER A NEW COALITION SURVEY TO GATHER INPUT AND TO ESTABLISH BASELINE DATA ON UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE, PERCEPTION OF HARM, PEER AND PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS, BOATING BEHAVIORS, AND IMPAIRED BOATING, AMONG YOUTH AGES 16-20 IN OUR CATCHMENT AREA. THESE FINDINGS WILL ASSIST THE COALITION IN IDENTIFYING EVIDENCE-BASED, EVIDENCE-INFORMED, AND COMMUNITY-DEFINED ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE ASSESSED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE COALITION WILL ENGAGE IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING COALITION CAPACITY BUILDING, THE EXPANSION OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE SELECTED AND IMPLEMENTED BASED ON THE ASSESSED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND WILL AIM TO REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, MARINAS, WATERFRONT BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, MARINE LAW ENFORCEMENT, PREVENTION ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT, THE COALITION EXPECTS TO HAVE INCREASED CAPACITY, EXPANDED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, IMPROVED LOCAL ASSESSMENT DATA FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 16-20, INCREASED AWARENESS OF IMPAIRED BOATING, IMPROVED PERCEPTION OF HARM, REDUCED SOCIAL ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, AND IMPLEMENTED SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPAIRED BOATING.