The Amado STOP ACT Project (ASAP) will serve youth ages 12-20 and their adult parents/caregivers and other community members in Amado, AZ with the primary goal to prevent underage drinking and is consequences.
Amado, AZ is a rural community considered to be high-need as identified by HUD and USDA.
The population of focus is primarily identified as being Hispanic and living in an area with very few supportive services.
Situated just 25 miles from the Mexican Border along I-19 US Interstate Highway, the population is at further risk due to the prevalence of trafficking activities coming across the border.
The ASAP project intends to provide support and resources to the community served to build on strengths as protective factors and mitigate risk for youth prone to alcohol use underage and associated consequences through the implementation of multiple culturally sensitive and trauma informed direct and environmental strategies known to prevent underage drinking.
Some of these strategies include a public education and information campaign including social norms in both English and Spanish, using multiple media forms; training for local law enforcement on the enforcement of the Social Host Ordinance using a trauma informed approach; training of youth and parents using the M.A.D.D. Power of Parents; it's your influence and Power of Youth programming; and other activities to reduce access and availably of alcohol to minors preventing and reducing provision of alcohol through liquor serving establishments and other community settings.
The ASAP project seeks to reduce rates of youth reporting past 30-day use, increase youth' perception of harm of drinking alcohol, and increase youth's perception of peer and parental disapproval of youth alcohol use.
Through these and other project pieces, the ASAP seeks to serve 50 youth and 50 parents directly and over 1,000 people indirectly each year of the 4-year project.
It is anticipated that the ASAP will be successful in reducing and preventing underage drinking in Amado, AZ.