Roots to rise: youth-led prevention for a drug-free future project abstract summary roots to rise: youth-led prevention for a drug-free future is project ricochet's comprehensive community coalition…

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Project Ricochet Inc. $250,000 on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program (CFDA 93.276) to establish and operate a youth-led prevention coalition addressing substance use in Fayette County, Kentucky.

Project Ricochet will activate the Roots to Rise coalition, a community partnership encompassing 12 federally required sectors—youth, parents, educators, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and civic leaders—to reduce and prevent youth substance use focusing on alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and opioids. The initiative targets youth ages 12 to 18 in underserved areas within ZIP codes 40505, 40508, and 40509 and is anchored in public health equity, trauma-informed prevention, and culturally grounded youth leadership. Year one activities include conducting a comprehensive needs assessment, developing a 12-month action plan with SMART objectives, and establishing coalition infrastructure through monthly meetings, memoranda of understanding, and shared leadership structures that prioritize youth voice in decision-making. Coalition members will receive training in strategic prevention frameworks, health equity, and evidence-based community-level change strategies.

Performance runs from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2026, with the overall project period extending through June 30, 2031. Work is performed in Kentucky.

Roots to rise: youth-led prevention for a drug-free future project abstract summary roots to rise: youth-led prevention for a drug-free future is project ricochet's comprehensive community coalition initiative designed to reduce and prevent youth substance use across fayette county, kentucky. This initiative aligns with the strategic intent of the drug-free communities (DFC) support program, focusing on alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and opioids. The project targets youth ages 12 to 18, particularly those living in underserved areas within ZIP codes 40505, 40508, and 40509. The roots to rise framework is anchored in public health equity, trauma-informed prevention, and culturally grounded youth leadership. This abstract provides an overview of the program's goals, infrastructure, evaluation plan, and proposed outcomes for its first year of implementation, from september 30, 2025 to september 29, 2026. The roots to rise initiative will activate a new coalition under the project ricochet umbrella, bringing together 12 federally required sectors including youth, parents, educators, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and civic leaders. Together, these stakeholders will CO-create an ecosystem of prevention informed by local data, community experience, and proven strategies. The coalition's infrastructure will be formalized through monthly meetings, memoranda of understanding, a living logic model, and shared leadership structures that emphasize the importance of youth voice in decision-making. From the outset, coalition members will be trained in strategic prevention frameworks, health equity, and the seven strategies for community-level change to ensure all activities are evidence-based and outcome-driven. Year one objectives include: conducting a comprehensive needs assessment to identify key risk and protective factors influencing youth substance use; developing a 12-month action plan with smart objectives; building sector capacity through workshops and trainings; launching youth-led peer education groups in middle and high schools; producing a community-wide awareness campaign; and advocating for local policies that reduce substance access and support healthy youth environments. Special attention will be paid to the rising risk of opioid misuse among adolescents, particularly related to counterfeit pills and trauma-linked substance initiation. Collaborative work with local health departments and PR health's mental health team will ensure a wraparound approach that includes mental wellness education and referral to early intervention services. The program will engage more than 500 youth in direct prevention education and reach over 5,000 community members through digital campaigns, events, and public service announcements. Each strategy is rooted in cultural relevance and is responsive to the unique challenges faced by black, brown, and underserved youth in fayette county. Through project ricochet's longstanding relationships with faith communities, barbershops, grassroots organizations, and local schools, the roots to rise coalition will have trusted access points for implementation. In partnership with media outlets such as wuky and the urban art collective, youth will produce mini-documentaries, murals, and digital storytelling projects that address substance use prevention through an artistic, affirming lens. The evaluation component of roots to rise is robust, with a performance measurement plan that adheres to the CDC's national cross-site evaluation requirements. The coalition will collect baseline and post-intervention data on 30-day substance use, perception of risk, and peer/parental disapproval across at least three school grades. Data will be disaggregated by race, ZIP code, and age group to identify disparities and tailor interventions accordingly. Evaluation tools include youth surveys, focus groups, partner feedback, and coalition capacity assessment.