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LifeSkills Training Program Substance Abuse Council of Indian River County Children Services Advisory Committee B. PROGRAM NEED STATEMENT (Entire Section B not to exceed one e) 1 . a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has then d? c) Where do they live? d) Provide local, state, or national trend data, with reference source, that corroborates that this is an area of need. According to the Florida Youth Substance Abuse (FYSA) and PRIDE Surveys, IRC youth exhibit above average risk factors and levels of drug usage. These survey reveals the extent of substance abuse occurring amongst our young in IRC. Even though there has been a downward pattern in dnig use trends over the past few years, IRC youth are still reporting drug use and delinquent behavior thal will negatively affect their lives and our society. IRC youth key Dru& Use Trends from the FYSA Survey 2000 to the 2002 refl the same observed pattern of reduced ATOD use as in the statewide survey . • The "past-304ay use of alcohol' by surveyed IRC students declined from 39. 3 % in 00 to 37 . 1 % in 02 . • Marijuana use also appears to reflect the statewide pattern. "Past-30,day use of marijuana by surveyed IRC students declined from 17. 2% in 2000 to 14. 3 % in 2002 . • Cigarette use among IRC students declined sharply in the past two years. In 20 0, 22 . 7% of surveyed students reported some use of cigarettes over the "past 30 days ". compared to IA. I % in 2002 . Attitudes toward Drug Ilse • Almost two thirds of surveyed IRC students (62. 9%) reported that daily use of cigarettes poses a "great risk" of harm. • Fear of marijuana use declines as students get older, while the fear of cigarette use actually appears to increase. While 67. 3% of surveyed middle school students believe regular marijuana use poses a "great risk" of harm, this number drops to 49. 3% among high school students. In contrast, perceptions of harm associated with daily use of cigarettes rise from 56. 8% among middle school students to 67. 4% among high school students. • Disapproval of substance use appears to decline as students get older. For instance, disapproval of alcohol use (76.2% in middle school and 52 . 2% in high school), disapproval of cigarette use (84 . 9% in middle school and 66. 5% in high school) and disapproval of marijuana use (9C . 0% in middle school and 69 . 3 % in high school) all decline between middle school and high school. Risk and Protective Factors • Surveyed students reported higher scores on the Personal Transitions and Mobil (63 ) and Favorable Attitudes toward Antisocial Behavior (57) risk factor scales, compared to the n itional average of 50 . This means that students in IRC are at greater risk for involvement in drug use and other antisocial behaviors due to a lack of long-term neighborhood connection, and due to dents' acceptance of antisocial behaviors. Parental use/parental attitude towards ATOD/use also torr Tates with adolescent attitudes towards/use of ATOD. These key findings illustrate the complexity of drug use and antisocial behavior among IRC ' s youth and the possible factors that may contribute to these activities. While some of the findings compare favorably to the national findings, Indian River County youth are still reporting drug use and d inquent behavior that will negatively affect their lives and our society. a) Identify similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targete I population; b) Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted population of your program. Local Law enforcement provides the DARE program to all 5'b grade students in IRC . No specific substance abuse prevention programs are directed at the middle school populations. Additionally, New Horizons and DATA provides Student Support Specialist and services in the public middle schools. Both these agencies work with a very small, indicated population of students and do not serve the entire population of youth. This remaining population of youth would receive no additionalprogram services if the LST program were not available. Collaboration is a part of the services provided t universal populations . The LST program provides no duplication of services. vie