North Fiver Prevention Partners Drug Free Communities Support Program Year 6 - The North River communities in Manatee County, Florida have experienced unprecedented growth in the years since the pandemic and with the rapid growth, there has been a rise in infrastructure constraints. A lack of affordable housing, limited access to healthcare, the growing pains that come when a formally rural area succumbs to suburban sprawl, and the cultural clashes resulting from an increase in the number of immigrants have all contributed to youth substance abuse. Our mission to "create community partnerships to implement universal substance abuse prevention strategies that promote health and safety among individuals across the lifespan, but especially among youth" remains the same, and we've had some success in its realization. NRPP worked diligently to complete our initial 12-month action plan despite the interruption of a global pandemic and continued to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate our efforts, changing our plan as the changes in our community demanded. In the first five years of DFC funding, North River Prevention Partners has been able to identify and meet the needs of our community using the Seven Strategies for Community Level Change, positively impacting youth 30-day substance use rates, which, according to the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), fell significantly from 2018 to 2022 in almost every category. Over the course of the next five years, NRPP will use this funding opportunity to build on our success and expand our efforts to reduce substance use by implementing a comprehensive, holistic approach to strategies identified in the Coalition's plan. The Coalition will 100% match federal funds of $125,000 for year 6, a 125% match for years 7 and 8, and a 150% match for years 9 and 10.
