HOPE4Youth's PFS Project - Mayes County HOPE (Health Outreach Prevention Education), located in Northeastern Oklahoma, aims to reduce youth substance use by strengthening prevention infrastructure and building resilience within youth ages 12-20, families, and underserved communities—particularly the at-risk populations of rural residents and Native Americans throughout the county. The project will target key risk factors contributing to youth substance use, such as low perception of harm, social availability of alcohol and other substances, and favorable community norms toward use. By implementing prevention education, peer-led initiatives, and policy advocacy, the goal is to reduce these risks, leading to a decline in youth substance use. Protective factors, such as strong parental and peer disapproval of substance use, positive school engagement, and increased access to prevention resources, will be strengthened through education campaigns, coalition activities, and family engagement programs. Enhancing these factors will help empower youth and families to resist substance use and promote healthier behaviors. Through the project’s implementation approach, we aim to engage a total of 5,000 youth and 20,000 adults. Of these, we anticipate 4,000 of the youth and 16,000 of the adults to live within the rural communities of the county. By the end of the project, we anticipate having directly served 3,700 youth, (3,000 rural), and 10,000 adults (8,000 rural). The success of these efforts will be measured by a decline in youth substance use-related consequences, such as school disciplinary actions, substance-related offenses, and health incidents, demonstrating improved community health and safety outcomes.
