Bridges Prevention of Early Use Initiative - The Bridges Prevention of Early Use Initiative will strengthen community prevention infrastructure across Milford, West Haven, Bethany, Orange, and Woodbridge, Connecticut by expanding organizational capacity to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). Through comprehensive assessment, multisector collaboration, youth engagement, evidence-informed prevention strategies, and continuous quality improvement, the initiative will prevent early initiation of alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and vaping while promoting behavioral health, resilience, and healthy youth development. The project will leave participating communities with stronger prevention systems, expanded partnerships, improved data-driven decision making, and sustainable capacity beyond the five-year grant period. Bridges Healthcare proposes a five-year Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnerships for Success (SPF-PFS) initiative serving approximately 7,500 youth in grades 6–12 (ages 11–18) attending Milford Public Schools, West Haven Public Schools, and Regional School District #5 (Amity). Capacity-building efforts will address documented gaps in coalition infrastructure, middle school prevention programming, youth engagement, evaluation, and prevention leadership, with particular emphasis on rebuilding prevention capacity in Bethany and Woodbridge. Prevention services and environmental strategies will benefit youth, families, schools, municipalities, and community partners throughout the five-town region. The project will strengthen organizational and community capacity through comprehensive needs assessment, coalition development, Youth Advisory Groups, strategic planning, implementation of evidence-informed prevention strategies, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement. Activities include expanding multisector prevention coalitions, strengthening youth leadership, enhancing performance measurement systems, implementing environmental prevention strategies, and increasing collaboration among schools, municipalities, behavioral health providers, public health agencies, law enforcement, and community organizations. These activities directly support SAMHSA's strategic priorities by preventing substance misuse, promoting behavioral health, strengthening community-based prevention systems, using data to guide decision making, and addressing emerging behavioral health needs through sustainable, evidence-informed approaches. Project goals are to (1) strengthen sustainable community prevention infrastructure and (2) reduce youth substance use through implementation of the Strategic Prevention Framework. Measurable objectives include completing community needs assessments, establishing the Bethany-Woodbridge Prevention Steering Committee, engaging Youth Advisory Groups in all three school districts, completing Community Strategic Plans, and implementing evidence-informed prevention strategies. By the end of the project period, the initiative will reduce youth alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and vaping use; increase perception of harm and age of initiation; reduce persistent sadness and hopelessness and excessive social media use; and establish sustainable prevention systems that improve behavioral health outcomes for youth.
