Project Grant NH28CE004131

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded the Arizona Border Alliance $125,000 on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grants (CFDA 93.276), a Project Grant.

The Arizona Border Alliance, through its Cochise County Coalition, will implement evidence-informed, culturally responsive, bilingual youth substance use prevention efforts in ZIP code 85603, encompassing the rural border communities of Bisbee, Warren, and Naco, Arizona. The project addresses shared risk factors including limited behavioral health infrastructure, transportation barriers, economic instability, rural isolation, and regional fentanyl, opioid, and methamphetamine availability. Prevention strategies grounded in the SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework and aligned with the DFC Seven Strategies include school-based and community prevention education, youth leadership and engagement, parent and caregiver training, public awareness campaigns, strengthened referral pathways, and coordinated coalition infrastructure. The coalition will serve at least 100 youth and 100 parents or caregivers annually while increasing active participation across at least ten of the twelve DFC sectors. A mixed-methods evaluation plan utilizing pre- and post-assessments, coalition performance tracking, community feedback, and biennial DFC Core Measures administered through the Arizona Youth Survey will guide implementation and continuous improvement. Two external evaluators, one quantitative and one qualitative, will ensure methodological rigor and independent assessment.

Period of performance runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. Place of performance is Arizona.