The Vibrant Future Coalition (VFC) Prescription Drug/Opioid Abuse Prevention Initiative will serve the community, with a focus on youth (both male and female, including individuals aged 18 years and younger from any ethnic or racial background) substance abuse prevention in North Clackamas County in Oregon. The number of students enrolled in school here is 17,320. Youth with and without addictions or disabilities will be served. The community along with family of these youth and members of their communities are also expected to benefit from the initiative. The project goals are (a) to enhance the ability of the coalition and the community to create community level change and strengthen collaboration among local and government entities in order to reduce the use of opioids and the abuse of prescription medications among youth and (b) to reduce prescription drug abuse and opioid use amongst youth in North Clackamas. Project objectives include (a) In 3 years (by June 15, 2021) expand and improve the capacity of VFC to address prescription drug/opioid misuse and abuse in youth ages 18 years old and younger, by increasing coalition membership that is working directly on prescription drug/opioid prevention strategies by 75% as measured by the number of members that attend monthly Prescription Medication/Opioid Prevention (PMOP) Taskforce meetings; (b) In 3 years (by June 15, 2021) increase by 5 percent in 11th grade, 8th grade and 6th grade, youth perception of harm of prescription drug misuse or abuse as indicated in the Student Wellness Survey; (c) In 3 years, (by June 15, 2021) increase by 750 community members and 5,800 youth trained and/or working with on curbing community wide opioid misuse and abuse, especially by youth ages 18 years old and younger, as measured by the number of community members who have successfully completed one of the trainings and the number of organizations that are working with the PMOP Taskforce on various initiatives.
The action plan includes strategies and interventions based on SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework to improve VFC’s capacity to prevent and reduce prescription drug and opioid abuse. The action plan includes specific activities that directly address opioid misuse: (a) information tables at events; (b) provide the “This is not about drugs” program to students and parents; (c) Provide the “Talk. Lock. Drop” program information on our website and present to senior centers, support and parent groups; (d) create or update regional treatment options lists/ inventories and distribute to youth screened at local school sites and post in schools, pharmacies, churches, etc.; (e) provide information in different languages in printed, verbal, and online materials; (f) work with pharmacies and police departments on strategies to inform/assist their populations; (g) develop written procedures for school-based substance use disorder screening; (h) provide “The Opioid Public Health Crisis Program” to professionals; (i) provide the online program “Prescribe to Prevent” to prescribers along with initial free drug disposal materials; (j) provide training related to Naloxone/ Narcan to school staff, healthcare, business professionals, and friends and families of loved ones who use or misuse prescription drugs, including opioids; (k) provide recognition to pharmacies and retirement centers for cooperating with unused drug disposal procedures; and (l) work with the state to modify licensing rules to include Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) registration.
