Project Grant NH28CE003287

LOWER NAUGATUCK VALLEY OPIOID PREVENTION PROJECT - THE OPIOID PREVENTION PROJECT DETAILED IN THIS APPLICATION SEEKS TO RENEW THE COALITION INFRASTRUCTURE IN THREE TOWNS IN THE LOWER NAUGATUCK VALLEY OF CONNECTICUT. LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE DEA-DESIGNATED HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREA OF SOUTH CENTRAL CT ON WHAT POLICE REGARD AS AN EASY DRUG TRAFFICKING ROUTE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FIVE MAJOR HIGHWAYS, THE TOWNS HAVE DEALT WITH THE READY AVAILABILITY OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND HIGH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVALENCE FOR A LONG TIME. BETWEEN 1999 AND 2008, THE ALLIANCE FOR PREVENTION AND WELLNESS (THEN THE VALLEY SUBSTANCE ACTION COUNCIL) OPERATED TWO 5-YEAR DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANTS TO BUILD A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PREVENTION COALITION INFRASTRUCTURE IN THESE TOWNS WHICH PERSISTS TO THE PRESENT DAY. THIS PROGRAM WAS HIGHLY REGARDED AS A MODEL OF ACTIVE CAPACITY-BUILDING AMONG RELATIVELY SMALL TOWNS UNABLE TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL TOWN PREVENTION COUNCILS. AS A RESULT, THE VALLEY SUBSTANCE ACTION COUNCIL WAS EXPANDED, WITH STATE FUNDING, FIRST FROM 5 TO 11 TOWNS IN 2011 (RENAMED THE ALLIANCE FOR PREVENTION AND WELLNESS), AND THEN TAKING LEADERSHIP OF THE ENTIRE SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION OF CT (REGION 2), COMPRISING 36 TOWNS. DURING THIS TIME, THE COALITION MEMBERS FROM THE LOWER NAUGATUCK VALLEY CONTINUE TO COMPRISE ABOUT HALF OF THE ENLARGED COALITION MEMBERSHIP, AND HAVE REMAINED ACTIVE IN THE THREE TOWNS - ANSONIA, DERBY, AND SHELTON - TARGETED IN THIS PROPOSAL. DESPITE THE EARLIER SUCCESS OF THE PREVENTION INITIATIVES IN THESE TOWNS, OPIOID OVERDOSE FATALITIES IN BOTH ANSONIA AND DERBY EXCEEDED THE NATIONAL RATE EVERY YEAR FROM 2014 TO 2018. MORE RECENT DATA IS AVAILABLE ON NON-FATAL OVERDOSES, WHICH SHOW THAT THE ANSONIA RATE MORE THAN DOUBLED, AND THE SHELTON RATE INCREASED BY 76%, DURING 2018-2020. THESE DATA PROVIDE GOOD REASON TO WORRY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE THREE TOWNS ARE GROWING TO ADULTHOOD. WARNING SIGNS IN THE SCHOOLS INCLUDE REPORTED EASY ACCESS TO OPIOIDS AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, RELATIVELY LOW PERCEPTION OF THE HARM OF MISUSING PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES, INCLUDING OPIOIDS, AND PERCEPTION OF A LACK PARENTAL DIRECTION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE. THE NUMBER OF SUSPENSIONS/EXPULSIONS AND THE RATES OF STUDENT REPORTS OF AN "UNSAFE" SCHOOL ARE DOUBLE AND TRIPLE THE STATE RATES. RENEWAL IS ALSO NEEDED DUE TO CHANGES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, RETIREMENT OF KEY LEADERS, DISRUPTION IN THE YOUTH SECTOR DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, AND THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC ITSELF, WHICH POSED NEW CHALLENGES THAT LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO MEET. CT RANKED 6TH IN THE NATION IN OPIOID-INVOLVED OVERDOSE DEATH RATES IN 2019. IF FUNDED UNDER THE CARA GRANT, OUR GOALS ARE (I) TO PREVENT/REDUCE THE ABUSE OF OPIOIDS AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN THE THREE TOWNS, WITH A FOCUS ON REDUCING ACCESS AND INCREASING THE PERCEPTION OF HARM, AND (II) TO REBUILD THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE. TO REDUCE ACCESS, WE WILL PURSUE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGIES, INCLUDING EDUCATING PARENTS, EDUCATORS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS, AND PROMOTING THE DISPOSAL OF UNUSED DRUGS IN THE COMMUNITY. TO INCREASE THE PERCEPTION OF HARM, WE WILL PROVIDE BOTH CLASSROOM EDUCATION AND PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING FOR STUDENTS, AND RAISE THE AWARENESS OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES AT STAKE. WE ALSO PROVIDE SBIRT TESTING FOR ALL 9TH GRADERS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS EARLY. EDUCATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE JUVENILE REVIEW BOARD, WHICH HANDLES DRUG-RELATED DISCIPLINARY CASES, WILL RECEIVE TRAINING APPROPRIATE TO THEIR ROLES. CAPACITY-BUILDING WILL FOCUS ON THE FAITH, GOVERNMENT, YOUTH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTORS, WITH PERSONAL OUTREACH TO EACH AND PROVISION OF TRAINING SPECIFIC TO EACH SECTOR. WE PLAN TO OFFER ALL COALITION MEMBERS TRAINING IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF SBIRT, THE SPF PROCESS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARENT AND WORKPLACE EDUCATION ON OPIOIDS AND