Project Grant NH28CE004173

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $125,000 to Quality Behavioral Health on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grants (CFDA 93.276) to support the Pomeroy Partners for Healthy Families Coalition's efforts to reduce youth substance use in Garfield County, Washington.

The coalition addresses elevated rates of underage alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco/nicotine use in Pomeroy, a rural community of approximately 2,400 residents. Data from the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey show that 19 percent of 10th graders reported past 30-day alcohol use (double the state average) and 10 percent of 8th and 10th graders reported vaping nicotine in the past 30 days (also twice the state average). The coalition operates under the Strategic Prevention Framework and deploys four core strategies: information dissemination through public awareness campaigns such as "Talk. They Hear You" and Project Sticker Shock; skills enhancement via evidence-based prevention training; supportive environments through the Pirate Partners youth coalition; and access reduction. The coalition, which has operated for thirteen years and previously held Drug-Free Communities grant funding, maintains two full-time staff and 22 members representing twelve community sectors.

The award period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, with place of performance in Washington.