Thursday, May 2, 2024
5/2/2024
Substance Abuse-Free Environment (SAFE) in Juneau County Grant Abstract SAFE’s mission is to improve the lives of children, youth, and adults by mobilizing communities to prevent and treat alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drug abuse in Juneau County. SAFE strives to achieve their mission through evidence-based programming, educational campaigns, effective policy changes, strategic partnerships, and improved community systems. SAFE will focus on youth alcohol, tobacco, and non-medical prescription drug use with both middle and high school students in the five school districts located within Juneau County. The schools’ population is predominately white (95%) with minorities representing the Ho-Chunk Nation and Spanish-speaking students. Within the five school districts 47-55.8% of students are economically disadvantage, according to the WI Department of Public Instruction. SAFE’s goals are to increase community collaboration and reduce youth substance use. The coalition’s community collaboration will be increased through providing skill-development trainings, leadership opportunities, community prevention education, and community outreach and recruitment strategies. SAFE will increase membership by 15% as measured by SAFE’s member list and increase member engagement in coalition activities by 10% as measured by meeting attendance logs by 9/29/2019. Effective prevention efforts require making appropriate modifications in the community at large, reaching the Juneau County population of 26,224 residents. SAFE will reduce youth substance use by the following measurements from the OYRBS by 9/29/2019: decreasing the 30 day-use of alcohol of youth 7th-12th grade from 21.2% to 17%, decreasing the 30 day-use of prescription drugs without a doctor’s permission of 7th-12th graders from 5.7% to 3.7%, and decreasing the 30-day use of tobacco of 7th-12th grade students from 6.1% to 4.1%. The funding through the Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grant will support the resources and staffing needed to implement a coordinated response and move further into the realm of environmental strategies by identifying key steps to change policies, enact ordinances, and reduce access-resulting in improved, sustained health outcomes. SAFE will conduct alcohol and tobacco compliance checks, retailer and medical professional education, assist schools to adopt more comprehensive tobacco policies and consistent enforcement of substance use violations that reflect the severity of the action and other evidenced-based strategies for community change.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
