Friday, May 2, 2025
5/2/2025
Drug Free Baltimore - In 2015, the South East Baltimore Drug-Free Community Coalition (the Coalition) was organized after a change in strategy for the SAMHSA-funded Maryland Strategic Prevention Framework II (MSPF 2) grant awarded to the Maryland Department of Health to address underage drinking in Baltimore City. With the previous SAMSHA-funded MSPF 1, the project was community-based and supported by community coalitions. In 2015, with the MSPF 2 grant award, the City’s private non-profit agency funded to implement the MSPF award shifted strategies from a community-based focus to an agency administered strategy; meaning the private, non-profit agency used its existing staff to operate the MSPF program and discontinued relations with the community coalitions. The agency staff lacked the ability to connect with indigenous community youths. As formerly funded DFC began mobilizing community stakeholders to plan a comprehensive community-based (grassroots level) prevention strategy for Baltimore City to reduce youth substance use. From this convening, the South East Baltimore DFC Coalition was established in May 2015. The purpose of this proposal is to implement the seven strategies for community level change to address youth marijuana and non-medical prescription drug use/opioids in South East Baltimore, Maryland to prevent youth substance use. The goals are community collaboration and the reduction of youth substance use. The seven strategies are: provide information, enhance skills, provide support, change access/barriers, change consequences, physical design, and modify/change policies. The proposal will address the following core measures: past 30-day use, perception of risk/harm, parental disapproval of use, and peer disapproval of use. The target population is youth ages 12 to 18 in grades 7th through 12th. The core measures will be collected every two years.
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).