Carlsbad Youth Sober Truth - Carlsbad STOP Act Grant Abstract The Carlsbad Community Anti-Drug/Gang Coalition’s proposed activities for the STOP Act Grant will expand evidence-based prevention initiatives to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth ages 12-20. A youth council will be strengthened and will lead schoolwide service-learning projects for their peers and community events to include parents and other adults to address norms related to alcohol use by youth. Carlsbad’s STOP grant will provide regular presentations to 6th grade students to establish positive norms and personal commitments to avoid risky behaviors (including substance use), promote bonding to the school and peer group, and build positive parent/adult connections. Community-level work will include Town Halls, media campaigns, the advocacy for a Social Host Ordinance. Our goal is to mobilize community efforts to reduce substance abuse and gang activity among youth. We work together to promote a healthy, safe community, and target risk factors that lead to substance abuse. • Goal 1: Reduce current drinking and binge drinking among middle and high school youth in Eddy County. • Goal 2: Delay onset of alcohol initiation of youth reported drinking before the age of 13 in Eddy County. • Objective 1: Increase healthy norms and beliefs around underage alcohol use (the belief that it is never ok to provide alcohol to minors, perceived disapproval, perception of harm) among Eddy County youth and parents by 1% in Eddy County by June 30, 2024. (Increase by 4% by June 30, 2027) • Objective 2: Decrease social access of alcohol among youth in Eddy County, by parents, adults and parties by 1% by June 30, 2024. (Decrease by 4% by June 30, 2027) The Carlsbad Community Coalition’s STOP Act Grant will be carried out in the City of Carlsbad and south Eddy County and is estimated to reach 500 youth annually (2,000 over the four years) through presentations and education sessions, and annual youth-led events to reach at least 400 youth annually (1,600 over the four years). Media messages and campaigns are expected to reach 60,000 people annually to raise awareness of the costs and consequences of underage drinking and reinforce healthy norms. In addition to the goals listed above, this project will enhance intergovernmental cooperation on the issue of underage drinking; increase citizen participation and commitment to reduce alcohol use among youth; and disseminate timely information to the community regarding substance use data, emerging trends, and current initiatives to address those needs through a variety of methods.
