During our 2014 strategic planning process the LMB board considered the causes at work that lead to substance use among adolescents.Factors were discussed such as activity access due to limited resources as a result of major budget cuts across all public and private programs, and lack of transportation and the rural nature of the county.Substance use can be a direct result of unsupervised youth during the after school hours, accessibility of alcohol and other drugs for teens; and issues with poor self-esteem among young people.These stories behind the data continue to translate into the Hawkins’ evidence-based risk factors of isolation and lack of social bonding; community norms favorable to drug use; and greater influence or reliance on peers than parents and other caring adults.

The first priority Result chosen by the Local Management Board (LMB) for intervention is Healthy Children.Substance Use is an issue that is documented as a major concern by key stakeholders in the community and in data collected through the CTC survey and the YRBS survey. The Use of alcohol and other drugs poses many health risks for youth.Early use of alcohol is associated with later drug use and the prevalence of high risk behaviors.