Project Grant H79SP085431

THE MARTINSBURG INITIATIVE'S SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING (STOP) ACT GRANT, JEFFERSON COUNTY EXPANSION - THE MARTINSBURG INITIATIVE (TMI), A POLICE-SCHOOL-COMMUNITY HEALTH-EDUCATION COALITION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JEFFERSON-BERKELEY ALLIANCE ON SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION (JBA), WILL EXPAND ITS PROVEN, COALITION-DRIVEN UNDERAGE DRINKING PREVENTION MODEL INTO JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, TO PREVENT AND REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 12-20 THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES, YOUTH-LED PREVENTION, AND COORDINATED COMMUNITY ACTION ACROSS THE COUNTY'S FIVE MUNICIPALITIES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. JEFFERSON COUNTY (POPULATION 61,264, WITH 20.5% UNDER AGE 18) IS THE EASTERNMOST COUNTY IN WEST VIRGINIA'S EASTERN PANHANDLE AND SITS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO TMI'S CURRENT BERKELEY COUNTY SERVICE AREA, MAKING THIS APPLICATION A NEW GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA ENTIRELY DISTINCT FROM TMI'S EXISTING WORK. ALTHOUGH THE COUNTY BENEFITS FROM STRONG SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, IT LACKS AN INTEGRATED, YOUTH-FOCUSED PREVENTION SYSTEM TO CONNECT THEM. THE NEED IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND KEENLY FELT BY RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. THE NEED IS WELL DOCUMENTED: NEARLY ONE IN FOUR WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CURRENTLY DRINKS ALCOHOL AND ONE IN EIGHT BINGE DRINKS, BOTH ABOVE NATIONAL RATES (CDC YRBS, 2021). THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE THE COUNTY'S YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 12-20, A POPULATION THAT INCLUDES THE 8,389 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS AS WELL AS YOUNG ADULTS ATTENDING SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY IN SHEPHERDSTOWN. TMI AND JBA WILL LAUNCH A JEFFERSON COUNTY YOUTH ADVISORY GROUP BUILT ON TMI'S DRUG-FREE WV YOUTH COALITION MODEL AND ITS UNDER 21 ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION TASK FORCE, ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CO-CREATE THE PROGRAM FROM THE START. WORKING ALONGSIDE THESE YOUTH LEADERS, THE PROJECT WILL ADAPT AND DISSEMINATE SAMHSA'S NATIONAL TALK. THEY HEAR YOU. CAMPAIGN FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY AUDIENCES, DELIVER TIPS (TRAINING FOR INTERVENTION PROCEDURES) RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVER TRAINING TO THE COUNTY'S RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY ESTABLISHMENTS, AND CONDUCT YOUTH-LED STICKER SHOCK CAMPAIGNS AND MERCHANT COMPLIANCE CHECKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS. TMI WILL ALSO REPLICATE ITS SOCIAL HOSTING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN, MODELED ON ITS MARTINSBURG DMV PSAS, AT JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC VENUES, AND IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION CURRICULA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS. THROUGH THESE STRATEGIES, THE PROJECT PURSUES THREE GOALS: REDUCING UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY NORMS AGAINST UNDERAGE DRINKING AND YOUTH ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, AND BUILDING SUSTAINABLE, YOUTH-DRIVEN PREVENTION CAPACITY. BY THE END OF YEAR 4, THE PROJECT WILL REDUCE PAST 30-DAY AND ANNUAL YOUTH ALCOHOL USE BY 5% FROM BASELINE, AS MEASURED BY LOCAL SCHOOL SURVEYS ADMINISTERED IN AT LEAST THREE GRADE LEVELS, AND WILL INCREASE YOUTH-REPORTED PERCEPTION OF RISK OR HARM, PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL, AND PEER DISAPPROVAL OF ALCOHOL USE BY 5% EACH ON THE SAME INSTRUMENT. ON THE ACCESS SIDE, THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE A MERCHANT COMPLIANCE RATE OF 90% OR GREATER ON UNANNOUNCED COMPLIANCE CHECKS AND WILL TIPS-TRAIN STAFF AT A MINIMUM OF 20 JEFFERSON COUNTY ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SELL OR SERVE ALCOHOL. THESE OBJECTIVES DIRECTLY ADVANCE SAMHSA'S STRATEGIC PRIORITY OF PREVENTING SUBSTANCE MISUSE, ABUSE, AND ADDICTION, PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUTH.