Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants (STOP Act Grant) - The Paterson 5th Ward Coalition for Prevention and Empowerment (C.o.P.E.), led by Montclair State University, will implement an initiative under SAMHSA's Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) program to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth and young adults ages 12–20 in Paterson's 5th Ward. The project will focus on Paterson's 5th Ward, a defined urban catchment that is distinct from the organization's current STOP Act service area. The population of focus includes youth and young adults ages 12–20 who reside in, attend school in, or receive services within the 5th Ward. Local data show alcohol use above national benchmarks, limited access to adolescent behavioral health services, fragmented coordination among schools and community partners, and a need for clearer referral pathways and stronger parent and youth engagement. Prevention and referral activities will be delivered through schools, youth-serving organizations, parent/caregiver outreach, community partners, and neighborhood settings, reaching an estimated 250 youth and young adults annually and approximately 1,000 over the four-year project period. To build capacity to meet these needs, C.o.P.E. will expand its Youth Leadership Council (YLC), strengthen Coalition partnerships, and implement evidence-based and evidence-informed prevention programming grounded in the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and community defined approaches. Activities include PhotoVoice, Sticker Shock, environmental scans, and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping projects, culminating in a shared 5th Ward Youth Prevention Resource Map and standardized referral protocol. Project goals are to: 1) strengthen C.o.P.E.'s capacity to implement and sustain underage drinking prevention for youth and young adults ages 12–20 in Paterson's 5th Ward; 2) reduce underage alcohol use by strengthening protective factors and healthy decision-making; and 3) strengthen community systems and partnerships to reduce youth alcohol access and improve connections to prevention, behavioral health, treatment, recovery, and crisis resources. Measurable objectives include increasing active YLC membership to at least 15 youth by Day 120; engaging at least five new organizational or sector partners by the end of Year 1; reducing past-30-day alcohol use by 20% from the Year 1 baseline by Year 4; increasing perceived risk of alcohol use, parental disapproval, and peer disapproval by 20% from baseline by Year 4; serving 250 youth and young adults annually, with 75% of matched respondents showing improved alcohol-risk knowledge or prevention skills; reaching 100 parents/caregivers annually, with 75% of matched structured-session participants showing increased prevention knowledge; publishing a 5th Ward Youth Prevention Resource Map and standardized referral protocol by September 29, 2027; and implementing at least one community-level strategy by Year 2 based on local assessment findings. The project will use local survey data from at least three grade levels, matched pre- and post-assessments, annual performance reporting, quarterly updates to SAMHSA's Performance Accountability and Reporting System (SPARS), and continuous quality improvement to monitor implementation, measure progress, and guide timely refinements throughout the four-year project period.
