Project Grant H79SP085432

FACES 4 CHANGE: YOUTH RAISING THE MIC FOR ALCOHOL PREVENTION INITIATIVE - THE FACES 4 CHANGE: YOUTH RAISING THE MIC FOR ALCOHOL PREVENTION INITIATIVE WILL IMPLEMENT THE SAMHSA SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING ACT GRANTS TO PREVENT AND REDUCE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN THE CITY OF HARRISONBURG AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VIRGINA. THE GOALS ARE FOR THE YOUTH POPULAR CULTURE INSTITUTE, INC. (YPCI) AND ITS DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY COALITION (DFC) TO (1) IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING, SUCH AS IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNITY APPROACHES AND (2) ENHANCE COLLABORATION, COOPERATION, AND COORDINATION AMONG COMMUNITIES, FEDERAL, STATE, TERRITORIAL, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THE COMBINED POPULATION OF THE CITY AND COUNTY IS APPROXIMATELY 171,000 RESIDENTS, INCLUDING AN ESTIMATED 9,500 YOUTH. THE PROJECT'S PRIMARY POPULATION THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE CAPACITY BUILDING IS YOUTH AGES 14-18 (5.2% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION), WITH THE CATCHMENT AREA'S PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL (HS) STUDENTS SERVING AS THE PRINCIPAL POPULATION REACHED THROUGH PROJECT ACTIVITIES. THE PUBLIC HSS ENROLL 5,674 STUDENTS, INCLUDING 2,017 STUDENTS IN HARRISONBURG AND 3,657 STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY WHERE UNDERAGE DRINKING IS EVIDENT. THE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDED IS TO BUILD A COORDINATED COMMUNITY PREVENTION SYSTEM BY EXPANDING THE PREVENTION WORKFORCE, STRENGTHENING COLLABORATION AMONG PREVENTION PROVIDERS, ENGAGING YOUTH AND PARENTS AS PREVENTION PARTNERS, AND IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE-BASED/INFORMED AND COMMUNITY DEFINED STRATEGIES THAT REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING AND PROMOTE ALCOHOL-FREE NORMS. THE OBJECTIVES ARE: OBJECTIVE 1: CONDUCT A NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY THE COMMUNITY NORMS REGARDING ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AGES 14 TO 18. OBJECTIVE 2: IDENTIFY, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT ONE EVIDENCE-BASED, EVIDENCE-INFORMED, OR COMMUNITY-DEFINED PREVENTION STRATEGY TO EXPAND AND INCREASE YPCI'S DFC CAPACITY. OBJECTIVE 3: CONDUCT COMMUNITY TAILORED ALCOHOL PREVENTION EDUCATION AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION THROUGH A SOCIAL NORMS CAMPAIGN AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN. OBJECTIVE 4: ESTABLISH A YOUTH UNDERAGE DRINKING ADVISORY TASKFORCE AS A PART OF THE DFC'S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE STOP PROGRAM INPUT FROM IDEATION TO IMPLEMENTATION. OBJECTIVE 5: ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY-WIDE UNDERAGE DRINKING TASKFORCE TO INCREASE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION TO FACILITATE PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING (SAMHSA'S STRATEGIC PRIORITY). OBJECTIVE 6: REVIEW THE STATE PERFORMANCE AND BEST PRACTICES FOR THE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION OF UNDERAGE DRINKING REPORT AND IDENTIFY WHICH POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PRACTICES NEED TO BE ADDED OR MODIFIED TO MAXIMIZE THE STOP PROGRAM'S IMPACT TO PREVENT AND REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING. OBJECTIVE 7: CREATE A PREVENTION CORPS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING. OBJECTIVE 8: SUPPORT FOUR (4) PREVENTION CORPS MEMBERS TO BECOME CERTIFIED PREVENTION SPECIALISTS.