Rural Communities Youth Coalition - Project Summary: The Rural Communities Youth Coalition (RCYC) will implement a comprehensive, community-level prevention initiative to reduce youth alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine use in the rural 08270 ZIP code of northwestern Cape May County, New Jersey. The coalition will focus on modifying community conditions that influence youth access, norms, and perceptions of risk, while strengthening protective factors that reduce unmonitored time and increase positive youth-adult engagement. Particular attention will be given to youth vaping as a delivery mechanism for nicotine and marijuana. Project Name: Rural Communities Youth Coalition Service population: The project serves youth and families residing in the rural and underserved communities within ZIP code 08270 (Woodbine and portions of Upper and Dennis Townships). The area includes 7,913 residents across 3,155 households, with 21.9% of the population under 18. The population is predominantly White, with increasing racial and ethnic diversity among younger families, including African American and Latino residents. These communities experience geographic isolation, limited structured youth opportunities, and seasonal economic pressures that elevate risk factors associated with youth substance use. Strategies and Interventions: RCYC will implement the Seven Strategies for Community Change guided by the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). Strategies will emphasize environmental approaches, including responsible beverage service training, youth engagement initiatives, retail education, policy review, public awareness campaigns, and structured protective youth environments. Goals and Objectives: Targeted annual people served: 1,000 Targeted overall people served: 5,000 Goal One: Establish and strengthen collaboration among community stakeholders and organizations to address youth substance use. • Objective 1: By June 30, 2031, increase the number of active coalition members to 50 members defined by engaging in at least one coalition meeting, activity, or in-person event annually, measured by attendance logs. • Objective 2: By June 30, 2031, increase the number of community stakeholders reached to 2000, through coalition activities, distribution lists, and social media followers as measured by engagement logs. Goal Two: Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance use and promoting factors that minimize the risk of substance use. • Objective 1: By June 30, 2031, reduce the percentage of 10th grade students in Cape May County reporting past 30-day alcohol use from 18.8% to 14.8%, as measured by the bi-annual school-based student survey using 2024 as the baseline year. • Objective 2: By June 30, 2031, increase the percentage of ninth-grade students in Cape May County who perceive regular marijuana use as “moderate” or “great risk” from 50.6% to 54.6%, as measured by the bi-annual school-based student survey using 2024 as the baseline year. • Objective 3: By June 30, 2031, reduce the percentage of 9th-grade students in Cape May County reporting past 30-day use of nicotine through e-cigarettes, e-cigars, and e-hookahs (vapes) from 14.6% to 10.6%, as measured by the bi-annual school-based student survey, with 2024 as the baseline.
