Nassau County Coalition for Community Health - Drug-Free Communities Support Program - The Nassau County Coalition for Community Health (NCC) is a community-based coalition committed to reducing youth substance use and promoting overall community wellness through collaboration, outreach, and education. The Coalition operates through a collaborative leadership model that ensures strong programmatic oversight, administrative support, and fiscal accountability. The organizational structure for the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant involves leveraging three key entities: Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare, Community Coalition Alliance, and Nassau County Coalition, each playing a distinct and complementary role to prevent and reduce youth substance use in Nassau County, Florida. As a rural and rapidly growing county with limited access to behavioral health resources, Nassau faces heightened challenges in youth mental health, substance use, and related risk factors. In response, NCC has developed a bold, multi-year action plan rooted in evidence-based practices and youth empowerment. This project will engage all 13 community sectors to implement coordinated strategies that address underage drinking and marijuana use among youth. Each sector partner will actively participate through working groups, advisory roles, and direct support of program activities, including outreach, education, and enforcement. These evidenced-based strategies include peer-led campaigns (Friday Night Done Right, Better Without It) through the formation of a Youth Advisory Group, implementation of educational programs like Know the Law, and Hidden in Plain Sight, and collaboration with law enforcement for alcohol compliance checks. These activities are informed by local data, including findings from the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), which show Nassau youth consistently report higher-than-average rates of substance use and lower perception of harm. The initiative aims to reduce past 30-day use of alcohol and marijuana among high school students by 10% over five years, in alignment with national DFC goals. The project’s evaluation plan includes robust process and outcome measures that align with national DFC performance indicators and ensure transparency and accountability. Specific indicators tracked will include youth perception of harm, parental disapproval, and ease of access, measured annually using the FYSAS and internal program surveys. Process measures will track activity reach, partner engagement, and fidelity of implementation. The goal of this initiative is to reduce youth alcohol and marijuana use, build sustainable coalition infrastructure, and foster a culture promoting treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency in Nassau County. To support long-term sustainability, NCC will institutionalize prevention activities into local organizational policies. By uniting community voices and leveraging proven strategies, NCC is committed to creating a resilient, drug-free generation and a healthier future for all. With a history of community engagement, successful programming, and strong cross-sector collaboration, NCC is uniquely positioned to implement this initiative effectively. The Nassau County Coalition for Community Health affirms its full compliance with all Executive Orders and federal grant requirements in effect at the time of application, including those related to free speech, religious liberty, fiscal responsibility, and nondiscrimination. The coalition supports community-wide prevention strategies that are inclusive, transparent, and grounded in evidence-based practices.
