Project Grant NH28CE003346

ANTI-DRUG COALITION OF TIPTON(DRUG FREE TIPTON)-COMPREHENSIVE ADDICTION AND RECOVERY ACT LOCAL DRUG CRISES-COVINGTON - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARYTHE ANTI-DRUG COALITION OF TIPTON COUNTY/DRUG FREE TIPTON?S CARA LOCAL DRUG CRISES GRANT PROJECT?S GOAL IS TO FOCUS ON PREVENTING AND REDUCING PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE AMONG YOUTH AGES 12-18 IN COVINGTON, TN. THE PROGRAM WILL SEEK TO CHANGE THE CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT REGARDING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF YOUTH USE AND MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, BY ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES AND LOCAL CONDITIONS. THE 2019 STUDENT SURVEY REPORTED THAT THE AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST MISUSE IS 12.97. 7.8% OF YOUTH SURVEYED REPORTED PAST THIRTY-DAY DRUG MISUSE. 22.6% OF THESE STUDENTS REPORTED A HIGH RATE OF USAGE. 50.9% OF YOUTH THAT REPORTED PAST THIRTY-DAY USAGE REPORTED OBTAINING SUBSTANCE FROM A FRIEND OR RELATIVE(SHARING). BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CASE MANAGERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEIR CLIENTS DO NOT DISPOSE OF UNUSED MEDICATION PROPERLY. MANY TIMES, THE CLIENTS SAVE THE MEDICATIONS TO SHARE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. THE SHARING OF MEDICATIONS OFTEN RESULTS IN CRISIS INTERVENTIONS. THIS DATA IDENTIFIES THE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF SUBSTANCES AS ROOT CASES. THOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE DRUG OVERDOSE DEATH RATES FOR YOUTH ALONE, THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REPORTS A 60% INCREASE IN FATAL AND NONFATAL OVERDOSES FROM 2019 TO 2020 IN TIPTON COUNTY. THE COALITION WILL WORK WITH LEADERS IN COVINGTON, TN ACROSS SECTORS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS LOCAL YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED AND PRACTICE-BASED STRATEGIES. SUCH STRATEGIES SEEK TO: (1) LIMIT ACCESS TO SUBSTANCES; (2) CHANGE THE CULTURE AND CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH DECISIONS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE ARE MADE; AND/OR (3) SHIFT THE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. THE COALITION WILL COMPLETE STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE COMPREHENSIVE AND THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (OVER THE 5-YEAR PERIOD). THE SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE AND THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK WILL BE USED TO GUIDE WORK.