Drug free communities (DFC) support programs - located approximately 4 miles north of chicago in a suburban setting, sits the township of new trier, which includes the villages of wilmette,…

Drug free communities (DFC) support programs - located approximately 4 miles north of chicago in a suburban setting, sits the township of new trier, which includes the villages of wilmette, winnetka, kenilworth, northfield, glencoe and parts of glenview and northbrook. According to the most recent census, the population of new trier township is over 56,000. Of that, 29% of the population is 18 years and under. The average median household income is $167, 801 and 3.2% of the population falls below the poverty level. Over 83% of the adult population has a bachelor?s degree or higher. The breakdown of the different villages within the township is as follows: the village of wilmette is approximately 50% of the township with just over 27,000 residents; the village of winnetka has a populations of over 12,000 residents; the village of glencoe has a population of almost 9,000 residents; the village of northfield has over 5,500 residents and kenilworth has a population of just over 2,500 residents. Lastly, very small portions of glenview and northbrook fall within new trier township boundaries. New trier high school district 203, offers a high-level public education to approximately 4,000 high school students. The school district is comprised of 2 high schools; new trier northfield campus which consists of the freshmen class. The other campus, new trier winnetka, consists of the sophomore through senior classes. According to the illinois school report card from 2019, the racial and ethnic background data for district 203 as a whole was as follows: 79.7% white, 0.6% black, 4.9% hispanic, 9.4% asian, 0.2% american indian, and 5.1% multiracial. 16% of the students received services through an individualized education plan and 98% of students graduate in four years with over 90% of students moving on to post-secondary education. There are six middle schools located within the communities providing public education and feed into new trier high school. The largest middle school district is l ocated in wilmette which accounts for about 45% of the incoming class to new trier high school. There are also a number of elementary and high school private schools located within the township. The most prominent private schools are loyola academy (9TH-12TH grade), north shore country day school (prek-12TH grade) and regina dominican high school (9TH-12TH grade). New trier high school has a very strong reputation for offering students an excellent, well-rounded educational experience. However, the high academic demands and expectations for high school and beyond has led to an increase in the overall stress, anxiety and decreased mental health among students. One-third of all new trier high school students report receiving professional mental health services in the past year. Based on student reports, the mental health component is one of the main contributing factors in substance use among teens in the township. Students are turning to alcohol and other substance to cope with their mental health needs. Other contributing factors for use are permissive parental attitudes towards youth substance use and perceived social norms which directly correlate to the increase in use of drugs and alcohol in the community. The north shore coalition for drug free communities aims to bring community stakeholders together to create a community in which the teens feel supported in their mental health needs by increasing their positive coping skills to decrease youth substance use. Also, changing social norms and decreasing the acceptance of youth substance use to help our teens make the choice to remain substance free. Changing the culture of the community is key so that being substance free is the norm.