Prevent drug use/misuse and change the culture in rockland county - peer coalition has identified community conditions that contribute to drug use/misuse, including poverty and cultural issues

Many adolescents do not have money to pursue constructive interests during unsupervised time while both parents are working. ERCSD parents ? Many of them non-english speakers ? View illicit substance abuse as a less pressing issue when compared to the other threats faced by the family. Many parents do not speak any english and rely on their children to translate. (peer translates materials into spanish and HAITIAN creole to ensure community-wide access and education.) these conditions contribute to increases in youth abuse of heroin and methamphetamines. In 2019, a yrbs survey of NY students returned an historic rate of 5.8% of students who ?ever used heroin.?peer coalition?S purpose is to supplement current strategies and activities with evidence-based approaches specifically to change the culture and prevent opioid, methamphetamine, and prescription drug use among youth ages 12-18 in east ramapo central school district (ERCSD). This program also seeks to alleviate health disparities among black (HAITIAN), hispanic, and lgbtq youth populations. In year one. We will identify in more detail patterns of youth opioid, methamphetamine, and/or prescription drug use by adding relevant questions to our student surveys; increase provider awareness of youth use, especially local prescribers; increase community awareness of youth use utilizing OD2A materials and other resources; lead collaborative efforts (with youth, rcadd and others) to increase local agencies? And organizations? Capacities to address youth use; and increase intergovernmental cooperation and coordination as an active and invaluable partner with CDC agencies.