Raymond High School Prevention Project - Raymond High School Prevention Project prioritizes substance misuse prevention strategies and activities on the school-aged youth and their families at the Raymond School District. The Raymond School District is identified in a ‘high priority’ area and serves 500 youth between the ages of 5 and 18 years. The combined racial and ethnic representation within the district include 60% white (non-Hispanic), 1% Native, 2% Asian, 8% identified as two or more races, and 28% identified as Hispanic/Latino in ethnicity—61% of all students are classified as low-income. Chronic absenteeism is at 27% and an artifact of geographic isolation and limited mobility. (OSPI, 2024.) A thorough review of current and historical substance misuse data clearly indicates a near equal preference for alcohol (56%) and Marijuana (41%) by grade 12. Marijuana has quickly gained in popularity among our youth, most likely due to the national push toward decriminalization of recreational use which, for Washington, took place in 2011. Current (within the past 30-days) marijuana use among the 12th grade cohorts has remained consistent with alcohol at between 23% to 28% each. (HYS, 2010-2021). The 2021 Healthy Youth Survey data goes on to shows that 15% of 6th grade, 35% of 8th grade, 38% of 10th grade and 52% of 12th grade students report that alcohol is easy to get. Additionally, 33% of 8th graders say they get alcohol at home either with or without permission, 60% of 10th graders say they gave money to someone to purchase alcohol for them, and 55% of 12th graders say they got alcohol from friends at a party. The rate of substance misuse among students is most likely driven by the high percentage of Pacific County youth reporting having felt sad or hopeless (41%), seriously considered suicide (22%), or attempted suicide (4%) in 2021. These are the highest rates ever recorded by the HYS. The aim of Raymond High School Prevention project is to expand existing prevention infrastructure built over the past 13 years 500 elementary, middle, and high school students to achieve the following: Reduce youth and adult substance misuse and related problems. Objective [Prevention Priority] 1: Reduce 30-day Alcohol use among students from the current 2018 baseline of 23% to 14% (-40%) by 2029 as measured by the Healthy Youth Survey. (To be administered in 2025, 2027, and 2029.) Objective [Prevention Priority] 2: Reduce 30-day Marijuana use among students from the current 2018 baseline of 20% to 14% (-30%) by 2029 as measured by the Healthy Youth Survey. (To be administered in 2025, 2027, and 2029.) Objective [Prevention Priority] 3: Increase Perceived Parental Disapproval of Marijuana Use among students from the current 2021 baseline of 79% to 90% (+14%) by 2029 as measured by the Healthy Youth Survey. (To be administered in 2025, 2027, and 2029.) Objective 4: Increase community awareness of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Opioid use by 40% as measured by the North Pacific County Community Survey. (Baseline by December 31, 2024.) Objective 5: Decrease community attitudes favorable to Alcohol, Marijuana, and Opioid use by 20% by 2029 as measured by North Pacific County Community Survey. (Baseline by December 31, 2024.)
