Project Grant H79SP085427

CRANSTON YOUTH ALCOHOL PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS INITIATIVE - COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CCAP), THROUGH THE CRANSTON SUBSTANCE PREVENTION COALITION (CSPC), PROPOSES A COMPREHENSIVE FOUR-YEAR UNDERAGE ALCOHOL PREVENTION INITIATIVE SERVING YOUTH AGES 12-20 IN CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON STUDENTS ENROLLED AT HUGH B. BAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CRANSTON EAST HIGH SCHOOL WHILE ALSO ENGAGING PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY IN COORDINATED PREVENTION EFFORTS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE BY INCREASING KNOWLEDGE OF ALCOHOL-RELATED RISKS, STRENGTHENING PROTECTIVE FACTORS AMONG YOUTH AND FAMILIES, REDUCING YOUTH ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, AND SHIFTING COMMUNITY NORMS REGARDING UNDERAGE DRINKING. CSPC WILL IMPLEMENT A MULTI-LEVEL PREVENTION STRATEGY GROUNDED IN THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES. KEY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DELIVERING THE PREVENTION PLUS WELLNESS (PPW) CURRICULUM TO STUDENTS IN ALL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS; CONDUCTING UNDERAGE ALCOHOL COMPLIANCE CHECKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CRANSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT; IMPLEMENTING LOCALIZED PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS; CONVENING MONTHLY COMMUNITY MEETINGS; AND PROVIDING BILINGUAL ALCOHOL PREVENTION EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS. THROUGH THESE ACTIVITIES, THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: - BY THE END OF THE FOUR-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, REDUCE SELF-REPORTED 30-DAY ALCOHOL USE AMONG CRANSTON MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY AT LEAST 10 PERCENT FROM BASELINE, AS MEASURED BY THE RHODE ISLAND STUDENT SURVEY. - BEGINNING IN YEAR 1 AND CONTINUING ANNUALLY, CONDUCT A MINIMUM OF SIX UNDERAGE ALCOHOL COMPLIANCE CHECKS AT CRANSTON RESTAURANTS AND BARS EACH YEAR. - DURING EACH PROJECT YEAR, INCREASE STUDENT KNOWLEDGE OF ALCOHOL-RELATED RISKS AND PERCEIVED HARM BY AT LEAST 10 PERCENT FROM PRE-TEST TO POST-TEST AMONG STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN PREVENTION PLUS WELLNESS PROGRAMMING. - CONDUCT AT LEAST 12 ALCOHOL PREVENTION SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ANNUALLY AND MONITOR ENGAGEMENT THROUGH IMPRESSIONS, SHARES, LIKES, AND OVERALL ENGAGEMENT RATES. - DISTRIBUTE A MINIMUM OF SIX PARENT/CAREGIVER PREVENTION NEWSLETTERS ANNUALLY AND DEMONSTRATE ANNUAL INCREASES IN CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT THROUGH QR-CODE ACCESS DATA AND PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK. - REACH AT LEAST 90% OF BAIN MIDDLE AND CRANSTON EAST HIGH SCHOOL WITH EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION EDUCATION BY YEAR 3. - CONVENE PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEETINGS AT LEAST 10 MONTHS ANNUALLY THROUGHOUT THE GRANT PERIOD TO GATHER FEEDBACK AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN UNDERAGE DRINKING PREVENTION EFFORTS. BY COMBINING EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH EDUCATION, CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION STRATEGIES, PUBLIC AWARENESS EFFORTS, AND STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THE PROJECT WILL CREATE A SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK FOR REDUCING UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AND IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CRANSTON YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.