Project Name: Knik Tribe BWC Behavioral Health Opioid Prevention
Project Summary: The Benteh Wellness Center (BWC), established by the Knik Tribe Behavioral Health Department, will serve youth and families of the Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Borough of Alaska with prevention services through educational, outreach, and supportive service approaches. BWC will address the Mat-Su’s behavioral health needs to provide in-person educational prevention presentations at 16 middle and high schools each year, increase awareness in the community of BWC prevention programs and services at two large tribal events per year, and provide access to weekly supportive prevention support groups onsite at BWC for youth and family prevention cohort groups.
Populations to be served: Youth, ages 12 to 18, in the Mat-Su Borough School District (MSBSC), at-risk, Medicaid and IHS beneficiary youth and their families in the Mat-Su Borough, and tribal youth and families.
Project Goals and Measurable Objectives: Goal 1: Update and refine a pilot-phase school-based youth opioid prevention presentation and activity. Objectives: (1a) In Months 1-3, collaborate with MSBSC administration to plan school visits and presentations. (1b) In Months 1-3, update the 15-minute youth opioid prevention presentation. (1c) In Months 1-3, develop a 15-minute post-presentation digital engagement activity for students. (1d) In Months 1-3, develop the facilitator fidelity logs and observation questions to monitor fidelity and impact of the opioid prevention presentation. Goal 2: Visit MSBSD middle and high schools and engage and educate youth through school-based youth opioid prevention presentations. Objectives: (2a) In Month 4, begin presenting the youth opioid prevention presentation to middle and high schools in MSBSD. (2b) By the end of Year 1, present at 9 middle or high schools in the MSBSD. (2c) By the end of Years 2-5 annually present the youth opioid prevention presentation to 16 schools in MSBSD. Goal 3: Provide prevention education and outreach materials to community members at two large statewide community events each year, which are attended by tribal youth and their families. Objectives: (3a) In Month 1, develop and print pamphlets on opioid prevention and trifolds on BWC therapeutic support, case management, skill building, in-home and school-based services. (3b) Annually attend and host a table at the Alaska State Basketball Tournament, disseminating information on youth opioid prevention and BWC services. (3c) Annually attend and host a table at the Native Youth Olympics, disseminating information on youth opioid prevention and BWC services. Goal 4: Develop a preventative support group program for youth and their families. Objectives: (4a) In Months 1-12, develop the procedures and processes for the preventative support group program. (4b) In Month 8-12, begin recruiting youth and their families for the preventative support group program. (4c) By Month 12, develop the facilitator fidelity logs and observation questions to monitor fidelity and impact of the preventative support group program. Goal 5: Implement a preventative support group program for youth and their families. Objectives: (5a) In Month 13, begin hosting the first cohort for the preventative support group on a weekly basis. (5b) In Months 18 to 24, recruit youth and their families for a second cohort of the preventative support group. (5c) In Month 25, begin hosting the second cohort for the preventative support group on a weekly basis.
Strategies/interventions: SAMHSA’s Evidence-Based Resource Guide Series: Substance Misuse Prevention for Young Adults; SAMHSA’s Connecting Communities to Substance Use Services: Practical Tools for First Responders; Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach; Strengthening Families Program; Cognitive Process Therapy.
Number of people to be served: Y1-1350, Y2-2410, Y3-2420, Y4-2400, Y5- 2400, Over life of project–10,980