Project Grant NH28CE004099

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $125,000 to ST Bernards Hospital Inc., operating as Cross County Hospital through its Crossridge Community Hospital Division, on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program (CFDA 93.276) for Year 6 funding of the Cross County Hometown Health Coalition's Youth for Health Project.

The coalition, based in rural eastern Arkansas and serving Cross County including Wynne, Cherry Valley, and Parkin, implements youth substance use prevention activities addressing elevated local risk from community norms favorable to substance use, easy access to alcohol and prescription drugs, and limited structured prevention. The 2023 Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment documented 34 percent of local 12th graders reporting lifetime alcohol use and 7 percent reporting prescription drug misuse.

Key activities include youth-led prevention campaigns, parent education, peer mentoring programs, medication take-back initiatives, and enforcement of underage drinking laws. The coalition coordinates across sectors including schools, law enforcement, and youth-serving organizations, aligned with the Strategic Prevention Framework and CADCA's Seven Strategies for Community-Level Change. In Year 6, the coalition will enhance youth coalition participation, strengthen community policy enforcement, and improve parental awareness. Short-term outcomes target increased knowledge of substance use risks and greater prevention effort visibility; intermediate outcomes focus on improved risk perception and sector collaboration; long-term goals include measurable decreases in 30-day alcohol and prescription drug use among youth and increased community protective factors.

The period of performance runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. Crossridge Community Hospital serves as the coalition's fiscal agent.