Hope Coalition

EMPOWERING YOUTH: BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE IN HENDERSON COUNTY - PROJECT TITLE: EMPOWERING YOUTH: BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE IN HENDERSON COUNTY HOPE COALITION PROPOSES TO EXPAND THE EXISTING YOUTH CONNECTION CENTER (YCC) INTO HENDERSON COUNTY'S CENTRALIZED HUB FOR YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. SERVING YOUTH AGES 12-18 AND THEIR FAMILIES, THE YCC PROVIDES A COORDINATED, TRAUMA-INFORMED ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN ACCESS SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EDUCATION, MENTORING, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCREENING AND REFERRAL, LIFE-SKILLS EDUCATION, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, AND RESOURCE NAVIGATION. BY EXPANDING AN EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCE RATHER THAN CREATING A NEW PROGRAM, THIS PROJECT WILL IMMEDIATELY INCREASE ACCESS TO COORDINATED SERVICES WHILE STRENGTHENING PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT REDUCE THE RISK OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE AND IMPROVE LONG-TERM HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES. HENDERSON COUNTY CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES RELATED TO YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, AND OTHER RISK FACTORS THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT. ALTHOUGH MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE VALUABLE SERVICES, YOUTH AND FAMILIES OFTEN ENCOUNTER FRAGMENTED SYSTEMS THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS TIMELY AND COORDINATED SUPPORT. THE YOUTH CONNECTION CENTER ADDRESSES THIS GAP BY SERVING AS A SINGLE POINT OF ACCESS WHERE YOUTH CAN BE CONNECTED TO PREVENTION SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, MENTORING, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES BASED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS AND NEEDS. FEDERAL FUNDING WILL EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING YOUTH CONNECTION CENTER THROUGH FACILITY RENOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT UPGRADES, TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES, ENHANCED STAFFING, AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING SPACE THAT SUPPORTS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS. HOPE COALITION HAS ALREADY ACQUIRED THE YOUTH CONNECTION CENTER FACILITY, ALLOWING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY UPON AWARD AND WILL ENSURE THAT FEDERAL RESOURCES ARE INVESTED DIRECTLY INTO EXPANDING SERVICES RATHER THAN PROPERTY ACQUISITION. DURING THE ONE-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, HOPE COALITION WILL UTILIZE EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAMMING, HOPE RISING, ALTERNATIVES-TO-SUSPENSION SERVICES, MENTORING, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCREENING AND REFERRAL, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO AT LEAST 200 YOUTH ANNUALLY. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HENDERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AGENCIES, JUVENILE JUSTICE PARTNERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, THE PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION ACROSS SYSTEMS WHILE IMPROVING ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES. PROJECT SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT, IMPROVED SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS, REDUCTIONS IN SELF-REPORTED SUBSTANCE USE INITIATION AND SUBSTANCE-RELATED DISCIPLINARY INCIDENTS, SUCCESSFUL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REFERRALS, AND PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES MEASURED THROUGH STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS, REFERRAL TRACKING, SCHOOL DATA WHEN AVAILABLE, AND CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES. BY EXPANDING THE YOUTH CONNECTION CENTER, HOPE COALITION WILL STRENGTHEN HENDERSON COUNTY'S PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPROVE COORDINATION AMONG COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND PROVIDE YOUTH AND FAMILIES WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES NEEDED TO BUILD HEALTHY, RESILIENT, AND SUBSTANCE-FREE FUTURES.

HOPE4YOUTH'S PFS PROJECT - MAYES COUNTY HOPE (HEALTH OUTREACH PREVENTION EDUCATION), LOCATED IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA, AIMS TO REDUCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE BY STRENGTHENING PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDING RESILIENCE WITHIN YOUTH AGES 12-20, FAMILIES, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES—PARTICULARLY THE AT-RISK POPULATIONS OF RURAL RESIDENTS AND NATIVE AMERICANS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE PROJECT WILL TARGET KEY RISK FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, SUCH AS LOW PERCEPTION OF HARM, SOCIAL AVAILABILITY OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND FAVORABLE COMMUNITY NORMS TOWARD USE. BY IMPLEMENTING PREVENTION EDUCATION, PEER-LED INITIATIVES, AND POLICY ADVOCACY, THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THESE RISKS, LEADING TO A DECLINE IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. PROTECTIVE FACTORS, SUCH AS STRONG PARENTAL AND PEER DISAPPROVAL OF SUBSTANCE USE, POSITIVE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT, AND INCREASED ACCESS TO PREVENTION RESOURCES, WILL BE STRENGTHENED THROUGH EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS, COALITION ACTIVITIES, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. ENHANCING THESE FACTORS WILL HELP EMPOWER YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO RESIST SUBSTANCE USE AND PROMOTE HEALTHIER BEHAVIORS. THROUGH THE PROJECT’S IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH, WE AIM TO ENGAGE A TOTAL OF 5,000 YOUTH AND 20,000 ADULTS. OF THESE, WE ANTICIPATE 4,000 OF THE YOUTH AND 16,000 OF THE ADULTS TO LIVE WITHIN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES OF THE COUNTY. BY THE END OF THE PROJECT, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING DIRECTLY SERVED 3,700 YOUTH, (3,000 RURAL), AND 10,000 ADULTS (8,000 RURAL). THE SUCCESS OF THESE EFFORTS WILL BE MEASURED BY A DECLINE IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE-RELATED CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, SUBSTANCE-RELATED OFFENSES, AND HEALTH INCIDENTS, DEMONSTRATING IMPROVED COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY OUTCOMES.

HOPE4YOUTH

DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES (DFC) SUPPORT PROGRAM ? NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION - DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES (DFC) SUPPORT PROGRAM - NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION

MAYES COUNTY HOPE4YOUTH

HOPE4YOUTH'S STOP ACT PROJECT - MAYES COUNTY HOPE COALITION IS IMPLEMENTING THIS STOP ACT PROJECT TO PROMOTE HEALTHY DECISION MAKING AND REDUCE AND PREVENT ALCOHOL USE AMONG THE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN MAYES COUNTY, OKLAHOMA. THE TARGET POPULATION OF THE STOP ACT PROJECT IS THE PRYOR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES THE TOWN OF PRYOR (ZIP CODES: 74361 & 74362) AND OUTLYING AREAS DEFINED BY DISTRICT BOUNDARIES (99 SQUARE MILES). PRYOR IS THE LARGEST COMMUNITY IN MAYES COUNTY, A VERY RURAL, ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED AREA OF NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA. OUR PROJECT ANTICIPATES BEING ABLE TO IMPACT THE 3000 STUDENTS AND AN ADDITIONAL 6000 ADULTS WITHIN THE 74361 AND 73462 ZIP CODES. ESTABLISHED IN 2008, MAYES COUNTY HOPE IS A MULTI-FACETED, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT AIMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ITS RESIDENTS BY REDUCING HIGH-RISK HEALTH BEHAVIORS. THE STOP ACT PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF THE COALITION TO ADDRESS UNDERAGE DRINKING BY RAISING AWARENESS THROUGH PREVENTION CAMPAIGNS AND OUTREACH EVENTS AND DECREASING YOUTH SOCIAL ACCESS TO ALCOHOL BY MODIFYING POLICIES AND BUILDING CAPACITY IN OUR HOPE AND YOUTH COALITIONS. LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES AND SAFE SOURCES OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUTH HAS LED TO INCREASED CONCERN OVER ALCOHOL USE BY YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN MAYES COUNTY. ACCORDING TO THE OKLAHOMA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, THERE WERE 16 ALCOHOL-RELATED ARRESTS AMONG YOUTH AGES 10-20 IN MAYES COUNTY IN 2018, AND IN 2017, ALCOHOL RELATED CRIME REPRESENTED 0.6% OF ALL CRIMES AMONG YOUTH AGES 12-17. CURRENT DATA FROM OSBI SHOWS THAT THERE WERE 10 JUVENILE ARRESTS FOR ALCOHOL IN 2022. CONTRIBUTING TO YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE ARE SOCIAL NORMS ACCEPTING OF USE AND LOW PERCEIVED RISK OF HARM. ADDITIONALLY, SOCIAL ACCESS CONTRIBUTES TO UNDERAGE DRINKING WITH 43.1% OF MAYES 10TH GRADERS AND 58% OF 12TH GRADERS REPORTING GETTING ALCOHOL FROM SOMEONE THEY KNOW OVER THE AGE OF 21. WITH THIS STOP ACT PROJECT, OUR COALITION WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION TO ACHIEVE REDUCED YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. MAYES COUNTY HOPE COALITION HAS PROVEN ITS ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR GRANT ACTIVITIES AND TRACK MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. THIS STOP ACT FUNDING WILL SERVE TO ENHANCE, NOT REPLACE, THE CAPACITY OF THE COALITION AND FURTHER REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING IN THE COMMUNITY.

MAYES COUNTY HOPE4YOUTH

HOPE4YOUTH CARA PROJECT - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY A COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE IN MAYES COUNTY, OKLAHOMA MAYES COUNTY HOPE IS A COMMUNITY COALITION THAT HAS WORKED SINCE 2008 TO KEEP YOUNG PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA SAFE, HEALTHY, AND DRUG-FREE. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE COALITION WILL HELP PREVENT AND REDUCE THE USE OF OPIOIDS, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND THE MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AMONG YOUTH AGES 12 TO 18 ACROSS ALL OF MAYES COUNTY, A RURAL COMMUNITY OF ROUGHLY 40,000 RESIDENTS THAT INCLUDES THE TOWNS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES OF PRYOR, ADAIR, CHOUTEAU, LOCUST GROVE, OSAGE, AND SALINA. NEARLY ONE IN FOUR COUNTY RESIDENTS IS UNDER THE AGE OF 18, AND THE COALITION IS COMMITTED TO REACHING EVERY ONE OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PREVENTION THAT WORKS. THIS WORK MATTERS BECAUSE MAYES COUNTY, LIKE MANY RURAL COMMUNITIES, HAS CARRIED A HEAVY AND LASTING BURDEN FROM THE OPIOID AND METHAMPHETAMINE CRISIS. FOR YEARS THE COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF DRUG-OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE STATE, AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND FENTANYL CONTINUE TO AFFECT LOCAL FAMILIES. RECENT SURVEYS OF LOCAL STUDENTS CONFIRM THAT PREVENTION MUST REACH YOUNG PEOPLE EARLY, BEFORE SUBSTANCE USE BEGINS. THE COALITION BELIEVES THAT A HEALTHIER FUTURE IS WITHIN REACH WHEN SCHOOLS, PARENTS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PHARMACIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FAITH COMMUNITIES, AND YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A SHARED GOAL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TWOFOLD: TO PREVENT AND REDUCE YOUTH USE OF OPIOIDS, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AND TO BUILD A COMMUNITY CULTURE IN WHICH THE MISUSE OF THESE SUBSTANCES IS WIDELY UNDERSTOOD TO BE HARMFUL AND UNACCEPTABLE. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE COALITION WILL BRING TRUSTED, EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION EDUCATION INTO CLASSROOMS ACROSS ALL SIX SCHOOL DISTRICTS; PARTNER WITH LOCAL PHARMACIES AND PRESCRIBERS TO PROMOTE SAFE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF MEDICATIONS; EXPAND THE COUNTY'S NETWORK OF PERMANENT MEDICATION DROP BOXES AND HOST COMMUNITY TAKE-BACK EVENTS; OFFER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES, OLDER ADULTS, AND COMMUNITY PROFESSIONALS; AND EMPOWER LOCAL TEENS TO LEAD POSITIVE, YOUTH-DRIVEN AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS. EACH OF THESE EFFORTS IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE YOUNG PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO THESE SUBSTANCES WHILE STRENGTHENING THE PROTECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTHY CHOICES THAT HELP THEM THRIVE. OVER THE FIVE-YEAR LIFE OF THE PROJECT, THE COALITION EXPECTS TO SEE MEASURABLE, LASTING RESULTS: FEWER YOUNG PEOPLE REPORTING RECENT USE OF OPIOIDS, METHAMPHETAMINE, OR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS; A GROWING UNDERSTANDING AMONG STUDENTS THAT MISUSING THESE SUBSTANCES CARRIES REAL RISK; NEW LOCAL POLICIES THAT SUPPORT SAFE MEDICATION STORAGE AND DISPOSAL; AND MORE UNUSED MEDICATIONS SAFELY REMOVED FROM HOMES AND OUT OF REACH OF YOUTH. PROGRESS WILL BE MEASURED THROUGH A TRUSTED STATEWIDE STUDENT SURVEY AND REVIEWED BY AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR, ENSURING THAT THE PROJECT REMAINS EFFECTIVE, ACCOUNTABLE, AND RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES. ABOVE ALL, MAYES COUNTY HOPE AIMS TO LEAVE BEHIND A STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITY WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE GROW UP HEALTHY, SUPPORTED, AND FREE FROM THE HARMS OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE.

CN FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT