Conducting youth-focused prevention activities was identified by the Substance Use Prevention Alliance as an action that, when combined with other actions in our community, has a reasonable chance of making a difference in youth alcohol, tobacco and drug use in our community. This is an ongoing program in our community, with implementation of several new components.  

This program will continue or initiate the following:

• Provide six hours of school-based prevention education to eighth grade students (continuing program)
• Conduct focus groups with youth to further inform prevention efforts (new program)
• Create a youth-focused community calendar, enhancing the protective factor of ''strong neighborhood attachment'' (new program); NIDA. 2020, May 25. What are risk factors and protective factors?; retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-use-among-children-adolescents/chapter-1-risk-factors-protective-factors/what-are-risk-factors on 2021, February 23.  

The priority population/customers for youth-focused prevention are adolescents in Haywood County and youth-focused prevention aims to make a difference at the individual and environmental levels. Implementation will take place in school and community settings.

This program addresses the health disparities related to youth substance use.  Individuals who begin using substances at a young age are more likely to experience both short and long-term consequences.  Impacts include having difficultly returning to normal after the use of a substance (Partnership to End Addiction, 2021).  Poverty is also a risk factor for substance use; NIDA. 2020, June 17. Chapter 2: Risk and Protective Factors; retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-substance-abuse-prevention-early-childhood/chapter-2-risk-protective-factors on 2021, February 23.  

2020 Update:

• The drug prevention education classes normally offered to eighth-grade students at public middle schools in Haywood County were unable to be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic 
• As part of the Partnership for Success (PFS) grant, key informant interviews were held with seven youth, which assisted the PFS grant in identifying strategies (Mountain Projects, Inc., 2020).  
• A youth-focused community calendar has not been created at this time.  Capacity was limited in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The partners for youth-focused prevention activities include:

Evaluation Plan:

We plan to evaluate the impact of youth-focused prevention activities through the use of Results-Based Accountability™ to monitor specific performance measures. We will be monitoring How Much, How Well and/or Better Off Performance Measures. Our evaluation activities will be tracked in the Work Plan table, above.  Performance measures include the number of eighth-grade students who receive substance use prevention education, who participate in focus groups to inform prevention efforts, and who are reached through the youth-focused community calendar.  

Sustainability Plan:

The following is our sustainability plan for youth-focused prevention activities: 

• Sustainability Components:
  • Identify a champion for the program
    • Program champion will obtain buy-in from school staff and students, allowing the project to continue over multiple years
    • Ensure champion is included in communication of program objectives to stakeholders and ensure awareness amongst community members
    • Use data from youth focus groups to guide decisions about youth prevention programs
      • Communicate focus groups' decisions to stakeholders
    • Obtain program evaluation from students and staff about program performance and effectiveness
      • Address areas with less than positive performance and effectiveness early on
      • Ensure students are involved with actions to increase program performance and effectiveness
  • Focus group efforts can be easily sustained, as the only expense is staff time.  
  • Youth feedback will help ensure that calendar content is relevant and beneficial.