Rising Strong: Empowering Youth for Substance-Free Futures - Rising Strong: Empowering Youth for Substance-Free Futures is a community-driven initiative designed to prevent underage drinking, cannabis use, and vaping among at-risk youth in Palm Beach and Broward Counties, home to nearly one million youth under 24. The program will focus on youth aging out of foster care, youth experiencing housing instability, survivors of human trafficking, rural underserved youth in the Glades communities in Palm Beach, and school-age youth and young adults. The initiative will serve directly at least 600 youth annually and 3,000 over the five-year project period, addressing the urgent need for evidence-based prevention strategies in high-risk communities. Aligned with the Strategic Prevention Framework and the Institute of Medicine's continuum of care, Rising Strong employs universal and selective prevention strategies to reduce substance use risk and strengthen protective factors among at-risk youth. Universal prevention efforts include LifeSkills Training (LST), mindfulness and emotional regulation sessions, peer mentorship programs, and a bilingual community awareness campaign to educate youth, parents, and community members. Selective prevention focuses on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), targeting youth at elevated risk and connecting them to early intervention and support services. These evidence-based strategies ensure a comprehensive, culturally responsive approach to substance use prevention. The project has two primary goals: 1. Strengthen community capacity to prevent substance use by conducting a community needs assessment within the first six months, establishing a multi-sector prevention coalition, and training at least 30 professionals annually (150 over five years) on trauma-informed prevention strategies. 2. Reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors by equipping at least 3,000 youth with life skills, mindfulness, and emotional regulation strategies, conducting SBIRT screenings for at least 350 youth, and expanding access to culturally competent behavioral health services through FLITE Center. Rising Strong is led by Florida Atlantic University (FAU), a leader in community-based research, behavioral health, and population health initiatives. The FAU Department of Population Health and Social Medicine, in collaboration with the FAU Sandler School of Social Work, provides expertise in trauma-informed care, substance use prevention, and social determinants of health to guide implementation and evaluation. FLITE Center, a key partner, serves over 2,000 youth annually, offering education, housing, employment, and mental health support for foster care alumni and vulnerable young adults. By integrating prevention services into FLITE’s existing programs, Rising Strong will expand support for high-risk youth, ensuring early intervention and sustained care. The program will integrate prevention services into schools, community centers, and behavioral health networks, ensuring access for underserved youth. A robust evaluation framework will track program reach, implementation fidelity, and outcome effectiveness. Data collection will include youth surveys to assess changes in substance use behaviors, risk perception, and protective factors, as well as SBIRT data to track the number of youth screened, identified as at-risk, and referred for further intervention. Additional focus groups and process/outcome measures, will assess progress, identify areas for improvement, and inform continuous quality enhancement. Rising Strong will also comply with SAMHSA’s SPARS reporting system, ensuring timely and accurate tracking of program outcomes and accountability. Through sustainable partnerships, youth engagement, and data-driven strategies, Rising Strong aims to reduce youth substance use, strengthen community prevention capacity, and foster long-term behavioral health improvements.
