Faricares youth alcohol and tobacco use prevention and education grant proposal - faricares coalition, under the fiscal host of ISD 2134 (united south central public schools) is applying for the…

Faricares youth alcohol and tobacco use prevention and education grant proposal - faricares coalition, under the fiscal host of ISD 2134 (united south central public schools) is applying for the drug-free communities (DFC) support program. Our coalition is determined to continue working on prevention and reducing youth alcohol and tobacco use and abuse. Faricares is requesting 5 years of funding at $125,000 per year with the coalition providing 1:1 match. Faricares was formed in 2012 when community members and organizations of faribault county recognized the need for a structured group focusing on reducing and preventing youth substance use. A wide range of members and organizations participated on the coalition and together, applied for and received a 2016 planning and implementation (p & i) grant from the minnesota department of human services (DHS), behavioral health unit. The p & i grant implemented several prevention strategies for combating underage consumption, including using positive community norms (PCN) messaging. This messaging focuses on the fact that most students are choosing not to use substances and choosing healthy activities in its place. DHS has been using the PCN strategy for almost 20 years with proven results in reducing youth substance use/abuse. In the 10 years since faricares started, the coalition has strengthened many partnerships with local and regional organizations, and worked closely with our communities to promote and educate about reducing youth substance use. The p & i grant was effective in helping reduce youth alcohol use, and had a promising start to reducing youth tobacco use via e-cigarettes before momentum was lost in 2020 due to the pandemic. The positive messaging has been well received and we know we will continue making further progress in changing perceptions and behaviors related to youth substance use with the DFC support program grant. The DFC grant will help faricares continue their work in reducing youth alcohol use rates, as well as focusing on tobacco use via e-cigarettes (vaping). The coalition has been successful in reducing youth alcohol rates based on minnesota student survey (MSS) data from 2016 to 2019, but the rates are still significant enough that IT is important to continue focusing on alcohol as a substance. Past 30 day use for 11TH graders on the 2019 MSS was 18%. Youth tobacco use via e-cigarette soared in the 2019 MSS data, and was a substance the coalition added in fall of 2019. 28% of 11TH graders reported past 30 day use of tobacco via e-cigarette, and based on PCN and anecdotal data, the coalition believes strongly that those rates have risen since the 2019 MSS survey and during the pandemic. We believe 2022 MSS data will support our rationale for continued focus on alcohol and tobacco use via e-cigarettes, and will provide further context for behaviors and perceptions that changed throughout the pandemic. The DFC grant will allow the coalition to have a dedicated person focused on youth substance use prevention and reduction, as well as focusing on growing our coalition partnerships and youth participation in substance-free activities. IT is our hope that this grant will allow US to spread county-wide to include both school districts in faribault county, as well as have concurrent, positive messaging throughout the entire region.