Reducing Underage Drinking in Anderson County, Tennessee - ASAP of Anderson serves Anderson County, Tennessee. Located in the historic and picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, our community contains a mixture of suburban and rural areas with a population of 77,576. The STOP Grant will impact all youth and young adults in Anderson County to prevent and reduce under age alcohol use. The specific population of focus for this grant will be youth ages 12-20 who are at high risk for alcohol use; specifically, the underserved population (at risk), LGBTQ+ youth, youth in rural areas, and students 18-20 at the community college and local level. We further aim to destigmatize high-risk groups through cultural competency due to the unacceptance of marginalized groups within the region. These groups include but are not limited to the LGBTQ+ community, those who are homeless/at-risk of homelessness, and individuals living in poverty. Implementing prevention strategies based on the Strategic Prevention Framework model in the community will reduce underaged drinking by 4%; reduce retail availability of alcohol by 11%; and will increase parent perception of the harm of underage drinking by 5%. ASAP of Anderson, funded by the Drug-Free Communities Support Program over the past ten years, has strengthened successful local prevention strategies. ASAP of Anderson's comprehensive approach includes community education on underage drinking consequences, increasing the perception of harm associated with underage drinking, supporting local law enforcement efforts, targeting socioeconomic impacted areas like Briceville and Rocky Top, launching comprehensive media campaigns to raise awareness of underage drinking dangers, and fostering community partnerships to prioritize underage drinking prevention in the county. These strategies aim not only to reduce underage drinking but also to build stronger partnerships among local government and community organizations for sustained impact. With a focus on long-term sustainability, the plan involves engaging multiple community sectors to coordinate underage drinking prevention efforts and drive change across the county.
