The name of the project is Underage Drinking Prevention Program. The program is tailored to potentially reach up to 1,500 students, ages 12-20, who attend middle or high schools in Ft Defiance. The school district is on Navajo Nation in Arizona, bordering to New Mexico. Students are 99% Navajo American Indian and 0.8% Hispanic. The majority of the total population focus represents underserved communities with 43% living below the poverty level.
There is no reliable data source for Fort Defiance of social ills that can describe the lived experiences and environment. Due to the location of Fort Defiance, bordering McKinley County (MKC), New Mexico, and the closet accessible town being Gallup (32 miles from Fort Defiance), NM, substance use data in MKC may be more reliable. Fort Defiance residents come to Gallup for purchasing supplies and participate in widely cultural goods selling in Gallup, as it is a purchasing hub for Navajo jewelry and art. When comparing the following data to overall NM data, Alcohol Related Deaths are 185% higher, Alcohol Related Chronic Disease Death is 212% higher, and Alcohol Related Injury Death is 122% higher in MKC.
In addition to underage drinking prevention activities implementation in schools and outreach events, the program is focused on developing a policy that will enable the Navajo Police Department to mandate a culturally specific youth development program participation for underage drinking offenders.
This strategy supports the progression of past and present programs and creates a sustainable change. The following goals and objectives have been developed for the program and are aligned with the funding strategies.
Strategies: Provide Information. Enhance skills. Provide Support. Enhance access/reduce barriers.
Goal 1. To increase youth underage drinking education in schools and community settings in Ft. Defiance, AZ, and surrounding areas. Objective 1.1. By the end of the program period, CBI will have reached 120 poster contest entries focused on underage drinking prevention. Objective 1.2. By the end of the program period, CBI will have reached 27 Chapters in Ft. Defiance area with underage drinking prevention awareness and education outreach.
Strategies: Information sharing. Change consequences. Modify/change policies.
Goal 2. To increase intergovernmental and community coordination and on how to address underage drinking. Objective 2.1. By September 29, 2024, CBI will have drafted an underage drinking offender policy in collaboration with 12 Sectors and the NYBC. Objective 2.2. By September 29, 2025, CBI will have gained majority support of the 27 Chapters in the Ft. Defiance region for the underage drinking offender policy. Objective 2.3. By the end of the program period, CBI will have published 4 social media challenges to engage community members in tackling the underage drinking use.
Strategies: Provide information. Enhance skills. Provide support. Enhance access/reduce barriers. Goal 3: Increase information and skills for youth and adult residents of Ft. Defiance and surrounding areas in underage drinking awareness and traditional teachings. Objective 3.1. By the end of the program period, CBI will have delivered Underage Drinking Awareness Training to 100 underage drinking offenders in the Ft. Defiance and surrounding areas. Objective 3.2. By the end of the program period, CBI will have provided the Horse Journey culturally appropriate training to 10 community leaders in Ft. Defiance. Objective 3.3. Within six months of the program, but no later than March 30, 2024, CBI will have developed a 12 month Action Plan that builds upon the DFC program.