Mid-West Educational Center Inc

MIDWEST EDUCATIONAL CENTER INC2COUNTYCOALITIONDFC - THE 2COUNTY COALITION IS A COMMUNITY-BASED, CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIP ESTABLISHED TO PREVENT AND REDUCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE ACROSS RILEY AND GEARY COUNTIES, KANSAS. THE COALITION’S MISSION IS: “EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO MAKE INFORMED, HEALTHY CHOICES THROUGH EDUCATION, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT. PROMOTE WELL-BEING, PREVENT YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, AND FOSTER SAFE ENVIRONMENTS THAT HELP YOUNG PEOPLE REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.” COALITION EFFORTS FOCUS ON ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA, IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY SUBSTANCES BASED ON KANSAS COMMUNITIES THAT CARE (KCTC) DATA INDICATING EARLY AGE OF INITIATION (AVERAGE AGE OF 10.3 FOR ALCOHOL AND 10.7 FOR MARIJUANA), ELEVATED ACCESSIBILITY, AND PATTERNS OF USE THAT INCREASE ACROSS GRADE LEVELS. LOCAL DATA FURTHER INDICATE THAT 16.5% OF STUDENTS REPORT ALCOHOL IS EASY TO OBTAIN, EXCEEDING THE STATE AVERAGE, WITH MARIJUANA ACCESS AND FAVORABLE NORMS ALSO ELEVATED. THESE CONDITIONS REFLECT A SHARED REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT SHAPED BY ACCESSIBILITY, NORMALIZATION OF USE, AND LOW PERCEPTION OF RISK OF HARM. TO ADDRESS THESE CONDITIONS, THE COALITION WILL IMPLEMENT COORDINATED, CROSS-SECTOR STRATEGIES ALIGNED WITH PREVENTION SCIENCE AND THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK. THESE STRATEGIES TARGET KEY RISK FACTORS BY INCREASING PERCEPTION OF HARM, REDUCING FAVORABLE ATTITUDES TOWARD SUBSTANCE USE, STRENGTHENING FAMILY-LEVEL PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND REDUCING ACCESS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACHES. KEY OBJECTIVES FOR THE 12-MONTH PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: (1) STRENGTHENING COALITION CAPACITY AND EFFECTIVENESS; (2) INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR PREVENTION; (3) INCREASING PERCEPTION OF RISK OF HARM AND REDUCING FAVORABLE NORMS TOWARD ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE; AND (4) REDUCING YOUTH ACCESS TO SUBSTANCES THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES. STRATEGIES INCLUDE EVIDENCE-BASED AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED APPROACHES SUCH AS TALK. THEY HEAR YOU, PROJECT STICKER SHOCK, PARENT CAFÉ SESSIONS GROUNDED IN THE STRENGTHENING FAMILIES FRAMEWORK, MEDIA LITERACY WORKSHOPS, YOUTH-LED PREVENTION INITIATIVES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCANS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS ACCESS POINTS. IMPLEMENTATION OCCURS ACROSS SECTORS INCLUDING SCHOOLS (USD 383 AND USD 475), HEALTHCARE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, MEDIA, BUSINESS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, CIVIC GROUPS, YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS WITHIN BOTH COUNTIES. THE COALITION SERVES YOUTH IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12 ACROSS BOTH COUNTIES, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION OF MILITARY-CONNECTED YOUTH, AND ENGAGES FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS. THROUGH COORDINATED IMPLEMENTATION AND DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING, THE 2COUNTY COALITION WILL BUILD A SUSTAINABLE PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS MEASURABLE AND SUSTAINED REDUCTIONS IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE