Rise: otsego substance free coalition will reduce youth alcohol and marijuana use in otsego county, michigan by engaging all 12 community sectors and implementing evidence-based prevention strategies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded the Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency $125,000 on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program (CFDA 93.276) to implement the "RISE: Empowering Youth and Building a Drug-Free Otsego County" project.

The recipient will reduce youth alcohol and marijuana use in Otsego County, Michigan by engaging all 12 required community sectors in a multi-sector coalition focused on substance use prevention. Key activities include parent education initiatives, media campaigns addressing alcohol and marijuana storage ("Lock It Up" campaign and marijuana risk messaging), alternative drug-free youth events, and skill-building workshops for youth and parents. The coalition will measure progress through biennial data collection via the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth survey, focus groups, training evaluations, resource distribution tracking, and media analytics. Expected outcomes include increased community collaboration, reductions in 30-day youth use rates, improved perceptions of risk, and strengthened community support for prevention strategies.

The period of performance runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2031, with place of performance in Michigan. The Drug-Free Communities Support Program aims to establish and strengthen collaboration among community coalitions to prevent and reduce substance use among youth by addressing risk factors and promoting protective factors.

Abstract

Summary rise: empowering youth and building a drug-free otsego county rise: otsego substance free coalition seeks to prevent and reduce youth substance use in otsego county, michigan by strengthening cross-sector collaboration and implementing evidence-based prevention strategies. Through the project "rise: empowering youth and building a drug-free otsego county," the coalition will engage all 12 required community sectors to address youth alcohol and marijuana use, the two priority substances identified through local data from the michigan profile for healthy youth (MIPHY) survey and community focus groups. The project's objectives are twofold: (1) establish and strengthen collaboration among community stakeholders to sustain a multi-sector coalition focused on youth substance use prevention, and (2) reduce underage alcohol and marijuana use by promoting protective factors, reducing access, increasing perceived risk, and decreasing peer and parental approval of use. Key activities include parent education initiatives, media campaigns ("lock IT up" and marijuana risk messaging), education around safe alcohol and marijuana storage, alternative drug-free youth events, and skill-building workshops for both youth and parents. Progress will be measured through biennial MIPHY data collection, focus groups, training evaluations, resource distribution tracking, and media analytics. Expected outcomes include increased community collaboration, reductions in 30-day youth use rates, improved perceptions of risk, and strengthened community support for prevention strategies. This project will help build a sustainable, community-driven infrastructure that empowers youth and promotes a healthier, drug-free otsego county, MI.