Project Grant NH28CE003331

COMPREHENSIVE ADDICTION AND RECOVERY ACT (CARA) LOCAL DRUG CRISES GRANT - THE PREVENTION COUNCIL OF ROANOKE COUNTY (OR SIMPLY, THE COUNCIL) IS A COMMUNITY COALITION WITH THE MISSION TO FOSTER THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF ROANOKE COUNTY YOUTH AND COMMUNITY. OUR VISION IS TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE TO ROANOKE COUNTY SCHOOLS, PARENTS, YOUTH, AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS ON MATTERS CONCERNING SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION; PROVIDE SUPPORT AND COORDINATION TO SERVICES AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTING PROTECTIVE FACTORS; AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. WE FOCUS ON YOUTH AGES K-12TH GRADES.THE COUNCIL, A FORMER DFC RECIPIENT, WILL USE CARA FUNDING WILL BE USED TO ENHANCE OPIOID AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG PREVENTION EDUCATION FOR YOUTH AGES 6TH TO 12TH GRADE IN ROANOKE COUNTY. OUR GOALS ARE TO: 1) PREVENT OPIOID, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND/OR PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE AMONG YOUTH; AND 2) CHANGE THE CULTURE AND CONTEXT REGARDING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF YOUTH USE AND MISUSE OF THESE SUBSTANCES. THE OUTCOME OF GRANT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE THE REDUCTION OF REPORTED YOUTH LIFETIME AND 30-DAY USE OF HEROIN, METH, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AND ADHD MEDICATION IN THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY (YRBS). WE ALSO ANTICIPATE A CHANGE IN YOUTH CULTURE SURROUNDING DRUG USE, INDICATED BY AN INCREASE IN YOUTH?S PERCEPTION OF DISAPPROVAL OF DRUG USE/MISUSE BY THEIR PARENTS, PEERS, AND THEMSELVES IN THE YRBS.USING THE SPF AND SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE, THE COUNCIL?S STRATEGIES TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS AND OUTCOMES WILL INCLUDE: 1) DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO EXPAND SCHOOL-WIDE PREVENTION CURRICULUM IN ALL ROANOKE COUNTY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS THAT REACHES ALL STUDENTS (NOT ONLY THOSE IN HEALTH CLASSES); 2) EXPANDED COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A ?TIME TO TALK? SPEAKER SERIES THAT EXPOSES YOUTH TO LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THOSE IN RECOVERY AND IN HEALTHCARE; 3) THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A METHAMPHETAMINE AND STIMULANT CURRICULUM THAT RAISES YOUTH AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF METH AND ADHD MEDICATION MISUSE ; AND 4) THE CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YRBS IN ALL ROANOKE COUNTY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PREVENTION ACTIVITIES. PROGRAM EVALUATION IS CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VIRGINIA TECH, VIRGINA TECH CARILION RESEARCH INSTITUTE, AND RADFORD UNIVERSITY, WHO HAVE COLLABORATED WITH THE COUNCIL AND ROANOKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER THE YRBS FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. THE COUNCIL HAS THE FULL SUPPORT OF ALL 12 DFC SECTORS, AS WELL AS A LARGE ARRAY OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH THE COUNCIL ITSELF, AS WELL AS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE LOCAL HEROIN TASK FORCE AND ROANOKE VALLEY COLLECTIVE REPONSE PROJECT. THE COUNCIL IS LED BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NANCY HANS AND SUPPORTED BY PROGRAM COORDINATOR ASHLEY RICHARDSON. WE ARE REQUESTING $50,000 PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS TO SUPPORT THIS PROPOSED PROJECT THAT WILL REACH AN ANTICIPATED 7,500 YOUTH EACH YEAR.