The Choose To Be Healthy Coalition: CARA Local Drug Crisis Prevention Program - Choose To Be Healthy Coalition serves nine communities in southern York County, Maine. The CTBH CARA Local Drug Crisis Prevention Program will prevent and reduce prescription medications and the abuse of opioids among youth with a combination of community change strategies to limit access to prescription medications and opioids; change the culture and context that influences youth substance misuse; and change the consequences associated with youth substance misuse. The specific identified problems to be addressed are lack of school capacity to educate students on prescription drug and opioid abuse harm; lack of parent and provider knowledge on how to help children with risks for substance use disorder; and, non-existent or insufficient tracking of youth data and provider practices around SBIRT and opioid prescribing. Objective 1: Perception that prescription drug misuse is harmful will increase from 86.2% to 90% among CTBH 9-12th graders and from 92.1% to 96% among CTBH 7-8th graders by June 14, 2021 as measured by the local Maine Integrated Youth Healthy Surveys (MIYHS). Objective 2: Lifetime misuse of pain medication will decrease from 10% to 5% among CTBH 9-12th graders by June 14, 2021, as measured by local survey (MIYHS). Objective 3: Past 30 day misuse of prescription drugs will decrease from 6.0% to 4.0% among CTBH 9-12th graders by June 14, 2021 as measured by local survey (MIYHS). Objective 4: Easy access to prescription drugs will be reduced from 19.2% to 15% among CTBH 9-12th graders by June 14, 2021, as measured by the local survey (MIYHS). Strategy 1: Increase youth belief about harmful consequences of Rx drug misuse and opioid use. Strategy 2: Increase the capacity of healthcare providers to help youth and families prevent substance use disorders. Strategy 3: Coordinate multi sector efforts to restrict access to prescription drugs and educate community about harms of prescription drug misuse. Goal 2: Sustain a vibrant and diverse coalition specializing in the early identification and prevention of prescription medication misuse and opioid abuse. Objective 1: Coalition members’ understanding, leadership and use of effective collaborative principles, processes, data and tools to prevent youth prescription medication misuse and opioid abuse will increase by 5 points from December, 2018 to December 2019 as measured by annual online “Health of the Coalition” survey. Strategy 1: Provide opportunities for coalition members to enhance skills to implement community change strategies that help prevent prescription drug misuse and opioid abuse. Objective 2: Coalition membership of diverse and active volunteer representation will increase by two members committed to opioid abuse prevention by January 2019 as measured by increase number on membership list and intake interview results. Strategy 1: Coalition members will outreach to communities and peers to engage new champions, expand and build leadership.
