Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/2024
Through a proposed project called the North Central Community Action Team (NCCAT), L.U.K. Crisis Center, Inc. (LUK) in partnership with the Community Health Network Area of North Central Massachusetts (CHNA9) will work to prevent alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine use among youth ages 9-20 in the 27 cities and towns of the North Central Massachusetts region. The total population of this area is 270,652. This population is predominantly White, but has become more diverse over the past two decades. A portion of the population speaks Spanish as their first language. LUK plans to work with CHNA9 to enhance and expand their existing infrastructure. CHNA9 brings together and supports diverse voices to promote health equity in our communities. CHNA9 members include three hospital systems, two colleges, and more than 70 other municipalities, and organizations. LUK is an active member of CHNA9. NCCAT will use the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) to guide us in our work by assessing needs and finalizing a plan to prevent underage drinking, marijuana, and nicotine use, to include evidence-based curricula for parents, youth, and schools; social marketing campaigns for youth and parents; and supporting grassroots prevention efforts by local youth groups, including policy and practice changes. The overarching goal of the project is aligned with the purpose of the funding opportunity: To prevent the onset and reduce the progression of substance abuse and its related problems while strengthening prevention capacity and infrastructure at the community level. Our sub-goals are to: Decrease past 30 day use of alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine among high school students by 10% by September of 2024; Increase by 10% the number of parents who report that they have talked to their child about alcohol, marijuana, and/or nicotine; and Increase by 10% the number of parents who report that they feel like they have enough information to talk to high school aged youth about drugs and alcohol. Our objectives are: By the end of the 5-year project, 15 schools in the CHNA9 service area will be providing evidence-based prevention curriculum, 15 youth groups will have received mini-grants to address policy or practice changes, and NCCAT will have created and implemented at least one social marketing campaign each to reduce underage drinking, marijuana and nicotine use. Additionally, we anticipate that by the end of the 5-year project, 125 parents/caregivers will have completed the evidence-based Guiding Good Choices curriculum, and NCCAT will have created and implemented at least three social marketing campaigns directed toward parents/caregivers. We estimate reaching 10,000 youth and parents each year, for a total of 50,000 reached throughout the five-year project.
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).